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Photorealist Paintings

PHOTOREALISM

A direct challenge to Abstract Expressionism’s subjectivity and gestural vigor, Photorealism was informed by the Pop predilection for representational imagery, popular iconography and tools, like projectors and airbrushes, borrowed from the worlds of commercial art and design.

Whether gritty or gleaming, the subject matter favored by Photorealists is instantly, if vaguely, familiar. It’s the stuff of yellowing snapshots and fugitive memories. The bland and the garish alike flicker between crystal-clear reality and dreamy illusion, inviting the viewer to contemplate a single moment rather than igniting a story.

The virtues of the “photo” in Photorealist art — infused as they are with dazzling qualities that are easily blurred in reproduction — are as elusive as they are allusive. “Much Photorealist painting has the vacuity of proportion and intent of an idiot-savant, long on look and short on personal timbre,” John Arthur wrote (rather admiringly) in the catalogue essay for Realism/Photorealism, a 1980 exhibition at the Philbrook Museum of Art, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. At its best, Photorealism is a perpetually paused tug-of-war between the sacred and the profane, the general and the specific, the record and the object.

Robert Bechtle invented Photorealism, in 1963,” says veteran art dealer Louis Meisel. “He took a picture of himself in the mirror with the car outside and then painted it. That was the first one.”

The meaning of the term, which began for Meisel as “a superficial way of defining and promoting a group of painters,” evolved with time, and the core group of Photorealists slowly expanded to include younger artists who traded Rolleiflexes for 60-megapixel cameras, using advanced digital technology to create paintings that transcend the detail of conventional photographs.

On 1stDibs, the collection of Photorealist art includes work by Richard Estes, Ralph Goings, Chuck Close, Audrey Flack, Charles Bell and others.

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Style: Photorealist
"Still Life with Lemons and Hydrangeas" Expressive Oil Painting on canvas
"Still Life with Lemons and Hydrangeas" Expressive Oil Painting on canvas

"Still Life with Lemons and Hydrangeas" Expressive Oil Painting on canvas

Located in Saratoga Springs, NY

This painting "Still Life with Lemons and Hydrangeas" is a 20x24 Oil Painting on canvas by unknown artist 'Lee'. Featured in a still life including a beautiful purple bouquet of hyd...

Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Glitter of My Eye - Framed Original Animals and Nature Still LIfe Oil Painting
Glitter of My Eye - Framed Original Animals and Nature Still LIfe Oil Painting

Glitter of My Eye - Framed Original Animals and Nature Still LIfe Oil Painting

By Stuart Dunkel

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Stuart Dunkel has spent decades refining his hyper-realistic style. He paints realistic imagery based on real-world inspirations. His paintings show that everyday objects can be fasc...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Champion, Figurative Art, Contemporary Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Champion, Figurative Art, Contemporary Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

Champion, Figurative Art, Contemporary Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

By Anatoly Varvarov Viktorovich

Located in Granada Hills, CA

Artist: Varvarov Anatoly Viktorovich Title: Champion Sise: 53x77 inches, (135x195 cm) Medium: Oil on Canvas Hand painted, original, one of a kind, This oil painting called "Champion" is a brilliant and moving work of art that captures the intense determination of a young child. In the picture, we see a kid who has been trying to lift a sports bar for about a year. The incredible level of detail and photorealism in this painting is truly amazing. The raw emotion and power in this image is sure to capture the imagination and hearts of viewers. This is a must-have addition to any art collection. About the artist: Varvarov Anatoly Viktorovich was born on February 12, 1967 in Kremenchuk, Ukraine. Attended Dnepropetrovsk Art School. EV Vuchetich from 1983 to 1987, and National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture from 1990 to 1996 graduated with Masters degree in Fine Art. After becoming a member of the Union of Artists of Ukraine, Mr. Varvarov received the category of artist-restorer of easel painting in...

Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Autumn Gift - Seasonal Harvest Still Life with Flowers
Autumn Gift - Seasonal Harvest Still Life with Flowers

Autumn Gift - Seasonal Harvest Still Life with Flowers

Located in Soquel, CA

Autumn Gift - Seasonal Harvest Still Life with Flowers by Albin Kern. This still life by Austrian-American painter Albin Kern (b. 1884, d. 1975) depicts a seasonal spread of gourds...

Category

1950s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Masonite

Everything has its Time Landscape Impressionism Original oil Painting
Everything has its Time Landscape Impressionism Original oil Painting

Everything has its Time Landscape Impressionism Original oil Painting

By Anatoly Varvarov Viktorovich

Located in Granada Hills, CA

Landscape Impressionism Original oil Painting Artist: Varvarov Anatoly Viktorovich Title: Everything has its Time, Sise: 71x53 inches, (180x135 cm) Medium: Oil on Canvas Hand painted, original, one of a kind. Ice and snow...

Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Beyond Childhood, Figure, Contemporary Art, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Beyond Childhood, Figure, Contemporary Art, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

Beyond Childhood, Figure, Contemporary Art, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

By Anatoly Varvarov Viktorovich

Located in Granada Hills, CA

Artist: Varvarov Anatoly Viktorovich Title: Beyond Childhood Sise: 41.5x55 inches, (105x140 cm) Medium: Oil on Canvas Hand painted, original, one of a kind, He swims in the still blue water, his joy knows no bounds. The sun shines down on him and he is filled with the light of childhood. His wrinkles are gone, his hair is gone, but he is still young...

Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Weekend, Figurative, Contemporary art, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Weekend, Figurative, Contemporary art, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

Weekend, Figurative, Contemporary art, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

By Anatoly Varvarov Viktorovich

Located in Granada Hills, CA

Artist: Varvarov Anatoly Viktorovich Title: Weekend, Sise: 43.5x51 inches, (110x130 cm) Medium: Oil on Canvas Hand painted, original, one of a kind. This charming oil painting will add a touch of whimsy to any space. Painted in bright yellow-green tones, "Weekend" features children sitting on the...

Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Knock - you will open, Contemporary Art, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Knock - you will open, Contemporary Art, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

Knock - you will open, Contemporary Art, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

By Anatoly Varvarov Viktorovich

Located in Granada Hills, CA

Artist: Varvarov Anatoly Viktorovich Title: Knock - you will open Sise: 39.5x29.5 inches, (100x75 cm) Medium: Oil on Canvas Hand painted, original, one of a kind, Ready to Hang Step...

Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Witness the Time, Contemporary art Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Witness the Time, Contemporary art Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

Witness the Time, Contemporary art Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

By Anatoly Varvarov Viktorovich

Located in Granada Hills, CA

Artist: Varvarov Anatoly Viktorovich Title: Witness the Time, Sise: 39.5x51 inches, (100x130 cm) Medium: Oil on Canvas Hand painted, original, one of a kind. Witness the time with this amazing oil painting. The blue sky and clouds provide a beautiful backdrop for the bizarre tree branch. This painting is sure to engage and interest anyone who sees it. About the artist: Varvarov Anatoly Viktorovich was born on February 12, 1967 in Kremenchuk, Ukraine. Attended Dnepropetrovsk Art School. EV Vuchetich from 1983 to 1987, and National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture from 1990 to 1996 graduated with Masters degree in Fine Art. After becoming a member of the Union of Artists of Ukraine, Mr. Varvarov received the category of artist-restorer of easel painting in 1999...

Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Red and Green Oil Painting on Canvas, Forest Undergrowth, 70x50cm
Red and Green Oil Painting on Canvas, Forest Undergrowth, 70x50cm

Red and Green Oil Painting on Canvas, Forest Undergrowth, 70x50cm

By Deniz Bayav

Located in AIX-EN-PROVENCE, FR

Work : Original Oil Painting, Unique Work. Handmade artwork. Ready to Hang. Medium : Oil and Acrylic painting on Canvas. Artist : Deniz Bayav Subject : Red and Green (Title) Signat...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Wine Vine" Still Life in Oil on Masonite
"Wine Vine" Still Life in Oil on Masonite

"Wine Vine" Still Life in Oil on Masonite

By Susan Reinier

Located in Soquel, CA

"Wine Vine" Still Life in Oil on Masonite Still life of a wine glass among grapevines by Susan Reinier (American, b. 1978). Signed and dated "S Reinier 2012" on the right edge of th...

Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Masonite, Oil

"Renado Looking Right" (2025) Oil Portrait Painting on Linen
"Renado Looking Right" (2025) Oil Portrait Painting on Linen

"Renado Looking Right" (2025) Oil Portrait Painting on Linen

Located in Denver, CO

About the Artist: Duffy Sheridan has been painting since he was a child. His father, also an artist, encouraged him to learn to paint anything and everything. He has traveled the wo...

Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Linen, Oil

"Sky 61" Oil Painting

"Sky 61" Oil Painting

By James Van Fossan

Located in Denver, CO

James Van Fossan's "Sky 61" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a skyscape of grey and white clouds arching through a blue sky and the sunlight dances through it.

Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

Breath of the Sea: Contemporary Seascape oil painting, 30x40 cm
Breath of the Sea: Contemporary Seascape oil painting, 30x40 cm

Breath of the Sea: Contemporary Seascape oil painting, 30x40 cm

By Olena Dil

Located in London, Chelsea

We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Milk Aisle No.5 - original realism still life oil painting  - contemporary art
Milk Aisle No.5 - original realism still life oil painting  - contemporary art

Milk Aisle No.5 - original realism still life oil painting - contemporary art

By James Zamora

Located in London, Chelsea

We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Poésie Muette, Oil on Canvas, Contemporary painting, Water Reflections, Rain
Poésie Muette, Oil on Canvas, Contemporary painting, Water Reflections, Rain

Poésie Muette, Oil on Canvas, Contemporary painting, Water Reflections, Rain

By Deniz Bayav

Located in AIX-EN-PROVENCE, FR

Work : Original Oil Painting, Unique Work. Handmade artwork. Ready to Hang. Medium : Oil and Acrylic painting on Canvas. Artist : Deniz Bayav Subject : Poésie Muette (Title) Signat...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Oil painting, Contemporary Urban Architecture, City
Oil painting, Contemporary Urban Architecture, City

Oil painting, Contemporary Urban Architecture, City

By Gabriel Riesnert

Located in AIX-EN-PROVENCE, FR

Work : Original Oil Painting, Handmade artwork, Unique Work. Ready to hang Medium : Oil painting on wood panel. Artist : Gabriel Riesnert Subject : Lieu Commun - La cité (Title), Ar...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Two Fruit Tarts with a Single Hair
Two Fruit Tarts with a Single Hair

Two Fruit Tarts with a Single Hair

By Marc Dennis

Located in Denver, CO

Marc Dennis is an American artist known for his hyper-realistic paintings that celebrate the subversive potential of art history, beauty and humor. In his "Desserts with Hair" seri...

Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Linen, Oil

Immersed, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Immersed, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Immersed, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

By Abi Whitlock

Located in Yardley, PA

Light is shattered into thousands of twinkling points by the swirling currents. It seems to illuminate the drifting form of the swimmer from both above and below. This work is pai...

Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

"The Artist's Studio" Oil Painting

"The Artist's Studio" Oil Painting

By Diego Glazer

Located in Denver, CO

Diego Glazer's "The Artist's Studio" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts the interior of an artist's studio with paintings, an easel, and paint. About the Artist: Fo...

Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Board

"Renado Looking Left" (2025) Oil Portrait Painting on Linen
"Renado Looking Left" (2025) Oil Portrait Painting on Linen

"Renado Looking Left" (2025) Oil Portrait Painting on Linen

Located in Denver, CO

About the Artist: Duffy Sheridan has been painting since he was a child. His father, also an artist, encouraged him to learn to paint anything and everything. He has traveled the wo...

Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Linen, Oil

Pink Ball & Hook (Photorealist Oil Painting of Industrial Equipment on Blue)
Pink Ball & Hook (Photorealist Oil Painting of Industrial Equipment on Blue)

Pink Ball & Hook (Photorealist Oil Painting of Industrial Equipment on Blue)

Located in Hudson, NY

Vertical photo-realist painting on canvas of pale pink ball with steel colored hook on a bright sky blue background 72 x 36 x 1.5 inches oil on canvas, thin wood stripping signed "Richards" on bottom right corner in yellow paint wire is installed on the back for easy hanging This precisely detailed photo-realist painting was made by Joseph E. Richards in 1981. The artist painted this piece when he was 60 years old during a successful career painting trains, cargo ships, and industrial machinery. Richards served in the US Navy during WWII and went on to study at the American Academy of Art in Chicago and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia before showing with Ivan Karp of O.K. Harris Gallery in NYC. The artist moved upstate to Hillsdale, NY for the later years of his life. This painting captures one of Richards' most beloved subjects, close up views of industrial equipment against a vivid blue sky. With a photo-realist approach to the subject, Richard was able to capture detailed changes in light and shadow, shape and form. The pale pink colored ball and steel colored hook, down to each screw and bolt, is completed with extreme focus and precision. One could easily confuse this painting with a photograph since it was completed with a very smooth application of paint, with no texture built upon the surface. It is not until you examine the painting up close, do you realize the artist's calculated brushwork. The painting is framed with natural wood stripping. The work is lightweight and easy to hang with wire installed on the back.The artist's signature is located on the front and back of the canvas. About the artist: Joseph Richards’ precisely painted canvases of giant cranes, cargo booms, propellers and train engines are fueled with a fascination like that of a six-year old boy. Working directly from photographs, Richards unites light and color together as one element, evident in the reflective surfaces of steel. The otherwise mundane signs of corrosive wear are magnified; rust stains glow on the canvas and yellow painted pulleys radiate like beacons against a bright, blue sky. Richards finds beauty in their dramatic color, resilient texture, definitive form and functionality. Richards paints sections of these objects in grand scale, with canvases up to 6 feet long and eye-popping color, calling attention to their massive proportions and exceptional strength. Richards had solo exhibits in New York City, Scottsdale AZ, and Washington DC, and his work is found in private and corporate collections here and abroad, e.g., the Tucson Museum of Fine Arts, Mobil Oil, Lankenau Hospital in Philadelphia, and E. Jean Belloni in Geneva, Switzerland. Resume: Born in 1921 in Des Moines, Iowa, Joseph Richards left for Chicago after high school to pursue a career in art. After serving in the U.S. Navy from 1942 – 1945, he went on to study at the American Academy of Art in Chicago and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. He eventually settled with his wife, Betty, in New York City. In 1969, longtime dealer Ivan Karp opened The OK Harris Gallery on West Broadway in Manhattan’s SoHo. Karp was at the forefront of the Photorealism movement, showing artists such as Duane Hanson and Manny Farber...

Category

1980s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Mid Century Portrait of Raymond L. Hanson, Large-Scale Photo-Realist Figurative
Mid Century Portrait of Raymond L. Hanson, Large-Scale Photo-Realist Figurative

Mid Century Portrait of Raymond L. Hanson, Large-Scale Photo-Realist Figurative

By W.S. Bylityplis

Located in Soquel, CA

Mid Century Portrait of Raymond L. Hanson, Large-Scale Photo-Realist Figurative Refined and austere large-scale by W.S. Bylityplis (American/France, 19th-20th Century), dated 1963 with California crest. This photo-realistic portrait depicts the subject, Raymond L. Hanson, with impressive realistic detail. Signed and dated lower right corner. Unframed. Measures: 48"H x 36"W. About the artist: W.S. Bylityplis (American/France, 19th-20th Century), was an illustration and portrait artist during the 19th and early 20th century. About the subject: Portrait subject Raymond Hanson, was a lawyer whom establish the Hanson...

Category

1960s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars

"Sky 58" Oil Painting

"Sky 58" Oil Painting

By James Van Fossan

Located in Denver, CO

James Van Fossan's "Sky 58" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a skyscape of grey and white clouds arching through a blue sky as the sunlight highlights their forms.

Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

14th Street (Photo-Realist Oil Painting of Classic NYC Brick Building)
14th Street (Photo-Realist Oil Painting of Classic NYC Brick Building)

14th Street (Photo-Realist Oil Painting of Classic NYC Brick Building)

By Richard Britell

Located in Hudson, NY

Photo-realist oil painting of a classic brick building exterior in New York City 28 x 50 inches, oil on canvas painting Wire backing for easy hanging Unframed with white painted sides This contemporary, realistic oil painting of a New York City brick building exterior was painted by Richard Britell in 2019. Employing his mastery of the troupe l'oeil technique, Britell paints the smooth red colored stone building in extreme detail assuming a three-dimensional quality with close attention paid to shadow and perspective. This building is reminiscent of neo-classical architecture, popularized in the mid-late 1800's and the striking red exterior contrasts against the white stone window trim, further accentuating the painting's troupe l'oeil qualities. The painting on canvas is complete with wire on reverse for seamless hanging. About the artist: Richard Britell, a career painter, studied at Pratt Institute with Philip Pearlstein and Walter Erlebacher. His first show in NYC at Staempfli Gallery was sold out, and reviewed in the New York Times. Britell’s new works revolve around large, dreamy cityscapes tending toward abstraction. The artist currently lives in Pittsfield, MA. Born Utica, New York, 1944 Education 1962 – 1964 Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY 1964 – 1966 Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY B.F.A. 1970 – 1972 University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, M.F.A. Solo Exhibitions 2011 “Measuring the Universe” Lauren Clark Fine Art, Housatonic, MA 2010 “And Now For Some things Completely Different” Lauren Clark Fine Art, Housatonic, MA 2010 “The Figure, The Figure, The Figure and The Figure” Lauren Clark Fine Art, Housatonic, MA 2009 “A nest of robins in her hair” Lauren Clark Fine Art, Housatonic, MA 2007 “NY, NY” Lauren Clark Fine Art, Housatonic, Ma 2003 “Image and Text” Tokonoma Gallery, Housatonic, MA 1999 “From Architecture to Abstraction” Tokonoma Gallery, Housatonic, MA 1998 “New Work” Carrie Haddad Gallery, Hudson, NY 1998 “New Figures” Ute Stebich Gallery, Lenox, MA 1995 “Richard Britell, New Work” Katharina Rich Perlow Gallery, New York, NY 1993 “New Work on Gilded Panel” Phyllis Kind Gallery, New York, NY 1985 “Fresco Panels...

Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Linen, Oil, Wood Panel

September 10, 11 East 71: Architectural Oil Painting Realistic Building Exterior
September 10, 11 East 71: Architectural Oil Painting Realistic Building Exterior

September 10, 11 East 71: Architectural Oil Painting Realistic Building Exterior

By Richard Britell

Located in Hudson, NY

30 x 40 inches horizontal photo realist oil painting on canvas of neo-classical architecture Mr. Britell's subject matter is drawn from the world of pre-modernist architecture. Wha...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Photorealist paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Photorealist paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add paintings created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, purple, green, pink and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Gregory Block, James Zamora, Ian Hornak, and Kathleen Keifer. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Oil Paint and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Photorealist paintings, so small editions measuring 3.5 inches across are also available. Prices for paintings made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $125 and tops out at $585,000, while the average work sells for $3,772.