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Realist Art

REALIST STYLE

Realist art attempts to portray its subject matter without artifice. Similar to naturalism, authentic realist paintings and prints see an integration of true-to-life colors, meticulous detail and linear perspectives for accurate portrayals of the world. 

Work that involves illusionistic techniques of realism dates back to the classical world, such as the deceptive trompe l’oeil used since ancient Greece. Art like this became especially popular in the 17th century when Dutch artists like Evert Collier painted objects that appeared real enough to touch. Realism as an artistic movement, however, usually refers to 19th-century French realist artists such as Honoré Daumier exploring social and political issues in biting lithographic prints, while the likes of Gustave Courbet and Jean-François Millet painting people — particularly the working class — with all their imperfections, navigating everyday urban life. This was a response to the dominant academic art tradition that favored grand paintings of myth and history. 

By the turn of the 20th century, European artists, such as the Pre-Raphaelites, were experimenting with nearly photographic realism in their work, as seen in the attention to every botanical attribute of the flowers surrounding the drowned Ophelia painted by English artist John Everett Millais.

Although abstraction was the guiding style of 20th-century art, the realism trend in American modern art endured in Edward Hopper, Andrew Wyeth and other artists’ depictions of the complexities of the human experience. In the late 1960s, Photorealism emerged with artists like Chuck Close and Richard Estes giving their paintings the precision of a frame of film.

Contemporary artists such as Jordan Casteel, LaToya Ruby Frazier and Aliza Nisenbaum are now using the unvarnished realist approach for honest representations of people and their worlds. Alongside traditional mediums, technology such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence and immersive installations are helping artists create new sensations of realism in art.

​​Find authentic realist paintings, sculptures, prints and more art on 1stDibs.

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Style: Realist
III, De la Carpeta Canto General
III, De la Carpeta Canto General

III, De la Carpeta Canto General

By David Siqueiros

Located in New York, NY

Lithograph, 1968. Signed by the artist and inscribed "e'preuve d'artiste" in pencil, lower right. This is an artist's proof, aside from the regular edition of 200. Framed. 23.75 ...

Category

1960s Realist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Blue Fish Cove, Point Lobos
Blue Fish Cove, Point Lobos

Blue Fish Cove, Point Lobos

By Jennifer Moses

Located in Pasadena, CA

Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Signed "Moses" lower left Frame: 18.5" x 15.5" x 1"; Unframed: 14" x 11"

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Panel

Slim and Sphinx, Estate Edition: New York DJ Slim Hyatt at Shepheard's
Slim and Sphinx, Estate Edition: New York DJ Slim Hyatt at Shepheard's

Slim and Sphinx, Estate Edition: New York DJ Slim Hyatt at Shepheard's

By Slim Aarons

Located in Los Angeles, CA

circa 1964: New York DJ Slim Hyatt at work in Shepheard's night club whose decor recreates a famous Cairo bar. Two gold and turquoise sphinxes flank the DJ, who is posed behind two record players and before a glittering sculpture. Hyatt is often credited as the first disco DJ in the US. Initially hired by Oliver Coquelin upon the opening of Le Club, Hyatt quickly became one of the most revered figures in the emerging disco scene. He also DJed at Doubles from 1984 to 1995, and has been called by the painter and bandleader Peter Duchin “the first discotheque artist in New York." Slim and Sphinx, 1964 Slim Aarons Estate Edition Photograph Stamped and hand numbered by the Slim Aarons Estate. Certificate of Authenticity included. Chromogenic Lambda C-type print on Fuji Crystal Archive Paper Crisp detail, continuous tone and brilliant color Paper weight 210gms Matte Satin Surface Printed Later Collector will get the next number in the edition Over the course of a career lasting half a century, Slim Aarons (1916-2006) portrayed high society, aristocracy, authors, artists, business icons, the celebrated and their milieu. In doing so, he captured a golden age of wealth, privilege, beauty and leisure, a history of glamour that occurred alongside—but quite separate from—the cultural and political backdrop of the second half of the Twentieth Century. Complimentary dealer shipping to your framer. Over the course of a career lasting half a century, Slim Aarons (1916-2006) portrayed high society, aristocracy, authors, artists, business icons, the celebrated and their milieu. In doing so, he captured a golden age of wealth, privilege, beauty and leisure that occurred alongside—but quite separate from—the cultural and political backdrop of the second half of the Twentieth Century. The Slim Aarons Estate has released the limited Estate edition as a Lambda print, which is a modern c-type prints. They have chosen Lambda prints for their sharpness, clarity, colour saturation and quality, compared to archival inkjet prints. Lambda printing gives true continuous tone. Aarons began his career as a combat photographer in World War II. Though he earned a Purple Heart for his service, he declared that combat had taught him that the only beach worth landing on was decorated with beautiful people enjoying themselves in the sun. Increasingly known for his influence, Aarons's casually glamorous jetset aesthetic can be seen today in fashion, art, and celebrity photography. Recent articles credit his work with inspiring the casually flawless style of top Instagram influencers, full of sunshine and escapism. Photograph is unframed Slide show includes a close-up of the Slim Aarons estate's stamp. Collector will get the next number in the edition * We are pleased to offer the entire archive of the Slim Aarons Estate, offering the official Slim Aarons Estate Edition (only offered in this edition of 150). Please contact us for additional photographs from Slim Aarons * Internal: Vintage New York, Vintage glamour, 60's glamour, Vintage DJ...

Category

1960s Realist Art

Materials

Lambda

The Prince and His Horse
The Prince and His Horse

The Prince and His Horse

By Hovsep Pushman

Located in Bryn Mawr, PA

The Prince and His Horse Oil on canvas en grisaille 26 x 20 1/2 inches (66 x 52.1 cm) Framed dimensions 34 1/4 x 30 3/4 inches Signed lower right: Pushman Provenance Private collect...

Category

Early 20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

Sailors at Cafe du Globe
Sailors at Cafe du Globe

Sailors at Cafe du Globe

By Charles Rocher

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Charles Rocher (1890-1962. Sailors, ca. 1920s. Gouache on paper. Sheet measures 19 x 25 inches. Considerable damage and loss as depicted. Signed lower left.

Category

1920s Realist Art

Materials

Gouache

Steve McCurry 'Afghan Girl'

Steve McCurry 'Afghan Girl'

By Steve McCurry

Located in New York, NY

Steve McCurry Afghan Girl 1984 (printed later C-print on Fuji Crystal archival paper 24 x 20 inches Signed and dated Steve McCurry has been one of the most iconic voices in contempo...

Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

C Print

Pocket Persimmon Fruit by Dani Humberstone, Still life, Small Scale Oil Painting
Pocket Persimmon Fruit by Dani Humberstone, Still life, Small Scale Oil Painting

Pocket Persimmon Fruit by Dani Humberstone, Still life, Small Scale Oil Painting

Located in Deddington, GB

Pocket Persimmon Fruit by Dani Humberstone [2022] original and hand signed by artist Oil paint on canvas Image size: H:5 cm x W:5 cm Complete Size of Unframed Work: H:5 cm x W:5 cm x D:3cm Frame Size: H:16 cm x W:16 cm x D:3.5cm Sold Framed Please note that insitu images are purely an indication of how a piece may look Please note that insitu images are purely an indication of how a piece may look. Pocket Persimmon Fruit is an original oil painting by Dani Humberstone as part of her pocket fruit series.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Still Life" by Eve Cornejo, Oil on Canvas with Deep Browns, Near Black Hues
"Still Life" by Eve Cornejo, Oil on Canvas with Deep Browns, Near Black Hues

"Still Life" by Eve Cornejo, Oil on Canvas with Deep Browns, Near Black Hues

Located in Oklahoma City, OK

This still life by Russian-American artist Eve Cornejo is simultaneously dark and full of color. The ruby red vessel in particular nearly jumps off of the canvas in contrast to the b...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Maternidad - Óleo sobre tela
Maternidad - Óleo sobre tela

Maternidad - Óleo sobre tela

Located in Sant Celoni, ES

Firmado por el artista en la parte inferior Se presenta enmarcada la obra (el marco presenta una falta en la esquina inferior derecha) Medidas obra: 61 x 50 cm. Medidas marco: 83 ...

Category

1970s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Dog Portraits: "The Musicians" Charles Van den Eycken ((1859 - 1923)
Dog Portraits: "The Musicians" Charles Van den Eycken ((1859 - 1923)

Dog Portraits: "The Musicians" Charles Van den Eycken ((1859 - 1923)

By Charles H. Van den Eycken

Located in SANTA FE, NM

"The Musicians" Charles H. Van den Eycken (Belgium, 1859 - 1923) Oil on wood panel with highly ornate original wood, stucco and gilt frame. Signed upper right and dated "1893.' 10 1...

Category

1890s Realist Art

Materials

Mahogany, Oil, Wood Panel

Blue Reflections - Large Blue Bather Swimmer Pool Original Figurative Painting
Blue Reflections - Large Blue Bather Swimmer Pool Original Figurative Painting

Blue Reflections - Large Blue Bather Swimmer Pool Original Figurative Painting

By Elise Remender

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Elise Remender captures the romantic glamour of a bygone era in her contemporary figurative paintings that blend classical fine art and contemporary pop realism. Fantasy, mid-century fashion, and the glamour of travel and coastal living inform soft brush strokes and abstracted beauty, reminiscent of vintage advertisements and dusted sunlight. This original 56-inch square acrylic on canvas painting evokes a sense of delight and playfully nods at summery vintage aesthetics. It is signed by Remender on the front bottom right corner of the artwork. The sides are painted as a continuation of the front, and it does not require framing. It arrives stretched, wired, and ready to hang. Free delivery within the local Los Angeles area. This artwork includes a certificate of authenticity issued by the gallery. Remender grew up in Arizona and is based in Southern California, but she has traveled all over the world, gaining inspiration for her work. Her most recent series, Bathing Beauties, which captures the human form and abstracts it through light and reflection, was inspired by the vintage elegance and history of Southeast Asia’s historic hotel pools and gardens. It evokes a bygone era when Ernest Hemingway and Jackie O. were among the clientele. “I’m a bit of an old soul, and there is a sense of elegance and beauty that has been lost in modern-day society, and I seek to recapture this essence in my work. I’m creating a sort of fantasy world of luxury, leisure, and old Hollywood glamour.” Her work has appeared in galleries in the US and Asia and in GQ Magazine, Architectural Digest, Dwell, California Home, and People, among many other publications. Her paintings hang in luxury properties including The Ritz Carlton San Francisco, The Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas, and Hilton properties across the United States, as well as in the homes of celebrity collectors including Ryan Seacrest and Kylie Jenner. Artplex Gallery has been representing and exhibiting Elise Remender's original artworks in Los Angeles since 2018, presenting her impressive works to an international collector base around the globe. The gallery has been a 1stdibs partner since 2014, with consistently excellent reviews from clients worldwide. The gallery exhibits a well-curated selection of original artworks beyond the ordinary from established and emerging international artists with diverse backgrounds at high standards. Artplex Gallery is known to provide accurate descriptions, images, reliable services, communication, and delivery. The gallery's commitment to customer satisfaction means that clients can invest in art with confidence, knowing they have a reputable and established art gallery backing their acquisition. Artplex Gallery prioritizes our clients' peace of mind by ensuring a seamless and worry-free art-buying experience. REPRESENTATION Artplex Gallery, Los Angeles, CA EXHIBITIONS 2023 Artplex Gallery, Los Angeles, CA 2021 “The Beauty Myth”, Artplex Gallery, Los Angeles, CA 2018 “All American Inspired,” Merritt Gallery...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

"Eagle with a Snake"
"Eagle with a Snake"

"Eagle with a Snake"

By Katib Mamedov

Located in Edinburgh, GB

This sculptural work depicts a dramatic scene of a struggle between a mighty eagle and a snake. The eagle, a symbol of strength, courage and victory, has spread its wings wide, demon...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Bronze

19th-century Antique Genovese Sailor portrait painting
19th-century Antique Genovese Sailor portrait painting

19th-century Antique Genovese Sailor portrait painting

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Portrait of a Genovese Sailor, ca. 1890. Watercolor on cardboard measuring 4 x 5.5 inches; 9 x 11 inches framed.

Category

1890s Realist Art

Materials

Watercolor

"Italianizing landscape"
"Italianizing landscape"

"Italianizing landscape"

By Adriaen van Diest

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Adriaen van Diest (1655-1704) – "Italianizing Landscape" Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions (Framed): 102 x 122 cm Dimensions (Flat): 74 x 106 cm Signature: Lower right corner Frame: O...

Category

17th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Chicago River Wrigley Clock Tower Cityscape Urban Painting by Michael Budden
Chicago River Wrigley Clock Tower Cityscape Urban Painting by Michael Budden

Chicago River Wrigley Clock Tower Cityscape Urban Painting by Michael Budden

By Michael Budden

Located in Chesterfield, NJ

Along the Chicago River, Wrigley Clock Tower oil/panel 8 x 10 unframed, 14.5 x 16.5 framed signed LL Along the Chicago River, Wrigley Clock Tower is an oil painting on canvas panel...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Acrylic

New York City Painting Michael Budden Evening On Broadway St James & Sardis
New York City Painting Michael Budden Evening On Broadway St James & Sardis

New York City Painting Michael Budden Evening On Broadway St James & Sardis

By Michael Budden

Located in Chesterfield, NJ

Evening On Broadway, St. James & Sardi's Image is 10 x 8 unframed, 15.5 x 13.5 framed. An acrylic painting on canvas panel by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Portrait of Lady Joan Kitchen - British 1940's art oil painting
Portrait of Lady Joan Kitchen - British 1940's art oil painting

Portrait of Lady Joan Kitchen - British 1940's art oil painting

By Herbert James Gunn

Located in Hagley, England

This lovely British portrait oil painting is by noted portrait artist James Gunn. Painted circa 1940 it is a seated portrait of Lady Joan Kitchen who resided in Sussex. She is wearin...

Category

1940s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

'Sister,  A portrait of the Moon' , Signed Etching c2021
'Sister,  A portrait of the Moon' , Signed Etching c2021

'Sister, A portrait of the Moon' , Signed Etching c2021

Located in Frome, Somerset

'Sister' , by contemporary printmaker and artist Rosie McLay (British) Edition 59 of 75 in total, handmade etching by the artist. Ink on paper layed on Dutch gold leaf. Hand etched ...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Engraving

Hirschhorn, Germany
Hirschhorn, Germany

Hirschhorn, Germany

By Tana Kasimir Hoernes

Located in San Francisco, CA

This artwork depicts the town of Hirschhorn, a resort town in Germany on the River Neckar near Heidelberg. It is an original color etching by Austrian/American artist Tana Kasimir Ho...

Category

1930s Realist Art

Materials

Etching, Color

"Back View 11, " Oil Painting

"Back View 11, " Oil Painting

By Mark Bradley Schwartz

Located in Denver, CO

Mark Bradley Schwartz's (US based) "Back View 11" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts the nude back of a brunette woman sitting in a chair with white fabric delicately...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Linen

Les Quais with Notre Dame de Paris
Les Quais with Notre Dame de Paris

Les Quais with Notre Dame de Paris

By Hans Figura

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist: Hans Figura (Austrian, 1898-1978) Title: Les Quais with Notre Dame de Paris Year: Circa 1950 Medium: Color etching with aquatint on silk Edition: Unknown Plate mark ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Etching

Half-length portrait of a Pharisee - In the shadow of betrayal -
Half-length portrait of a Pharisee - In the shadow of betrayal -

Half-length portrait of a Pharisee - In the shadow of betrayal -

Located in Berlin, DE

Hermann Prell (1854 Leipzig - 1922 Dresden-Loschwitz). Half-length portrait of a Pharisee, 1885. Sketch for the right-hand figure in the painting Judas Iscariot, 1886. Pencil drawing heightened with opaque white and black chalk on beige-grey wove paper (papier vélin), 34 x 27.8 cm (visible size), 52 x 45 cm (mount), signed, dated and inscribed "H. PRELL 1885 zu 'Judas'". Minor browning, collection stamp on the reverse. - In the shadow of betrayal - About the artwork This painting is the sketch for the head of the Pharisee offering the coins to Judas in one of Herrmann Prell's major works, the painting Betrayal of Judas, completed in 1886. The painting belongs to the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden and is illustrated in Adolf Rosenberg: Prell, Bielefeld and Leipzig 1901, p. 21 (Fig. 19). It is especially highlighted in Thieme-Becker (vol. 27, p. 376). Hermann Prell, Betrayal of Judas, 1886 The monumental head, which fills the picture and is distinguished by its ornamented robe, is almost a lost profile, which in the executed painting is justified by the Pharisee's turning towards Judas. Despite the fact that the sitter withdraws from the viewer by turning away, it was necessary to artistically elaborate the motivation for the purchase of one of Christ's disciples, which is why the drawing focuses on the expression of the face, while the 'accessories' are treated in a more summary manner. In characterising the face, Hermann Prell performs a balancing act: since the Pharisee, despite his destructive actions, is an actor in the history of salvation, the head must show a dignity appropriate to the event, but at the same time the physiognomy must also bear witness to the scheming attitude that led to the betrayal. To solve this dilemma, Prell draws on the traditional depictions of the heads of the apostles, shading the face to indicate the obdurate darkness of the spirit and moving the base of the nose slightly upwards while the mouth falls away, thus giving a physiognomic expression to the motivation of the action. The fatal drama of the betrayal is expressed in the monumentalisation of the head and in the thunderous white highlights that contrast with the darkness of the chalk. As a study, considered by the artist to be a work in itself, this drawing reveals the pictorial problems and brainstorming of monumental painting. About the artist In 1872 Prell, who was one of the most important exponents of monumental painting of his time, began studying painting with Theodor Grosse at the Dresden Academy of Art and continued with Carl Gussow at the Berlin Academy in 1876. Hans von Marées taught him in Rome in 1878. More influential on his work, however, were Arnold Böcklin and Max Klinger, with whom Prell had been friends since his student days and with whom he worked together on several occasions. Prell's first major work, which established his reputation as a monumental painter, were the frescoes in the banqueting hall of the Architektenhaus in Berlin in 1881/82, commissioned by the state and depicting the different periods of architecture. Prell then went to Italy for two years to study fresco painting. Other major commissions followed. These included monumental frescoes in the town halls of Worms (1884), Hildesheim (1882-92), Gdansk (1895) and Dresden, the staircase of the Silesian Museum of Fine Arts in Breslau (1893/94), the throne room of the German Embassy in Rome (1896-99) and the staircase of the Albertinum in Dresden (1900-1904). From 1886 Prell taught at the academy of arts in Berlin and in 1892 he was appointed professor at the academy of arts in Dresden. His students included Osmar Schindler and Hans Unger...

Category

1880s Realist Art

Materials

Chalk

Parisian Café Eiffel Tower Paris France Limited Edition Print by British Artist
Parisian Café Eiffel Tower Paris France Limited Edition Print by British Artist

Parisian Café Eiffel Tower Paris France Limited Edition Print by British Artist

By Angela Wakefield

Located in Preston, GB

Parisian Café Eiffel Tower Paris France Limited Edition Print by British Artist. A high quality limited edition print of Angela's European Series, incorporating the Eiffel Tower - on...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Printer's Ink, Archival Paper, Digital, Giclée

Downtown Lookout; Los Angeles
Downtown Lookout; Los Angeles

Downtown Lookout; Los Angeles

By Michael Obermeyer

Located in Pasadena, CA

Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Artist Statement "Lookout Drive is a hidden little road below Dodger Stadium, a spot that I originally saw from the stadi...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

If You See Something..., Original Painting
If You See Something..., Original Painting

If You See Something..., Original Painting

By Emil Morhardt

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Four Great Egrets stand together, all focused on something beyond the scene, while one appears to call out to the others. Artist Emil Morhardt notes that the bi...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Still life with milk jug and lemon
Still life with milk jug and lemon

Still life with milk jug and lemon

By Irina Trushkova

Located in Zofingen, AG

A dark background helps to reveal the shape of jug. The strong light vibrates on lemon and glass. The blue pattern on the jug and multiple reflections from objects make the work more...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

A summer day III
A summer day III

A summer day III

By Serghei Ghetiu

Located in Zofingen, AG

I poured light and life into this scene to capture the warmth and connection of a shared moment. The crisp realism invites you to feel the gentle chatter, the sunlight dancing on ski...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Realist art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Realist art 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 art 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, orange, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Slim Aarons, Michael Budden, Daniel Pollera, and Su Yu. 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 Realist art, so small editions measuring 0.1 inches across are also available.