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.
Silent Stream, Original Painting
By Vic Roschkov
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A soft winter hush settles over a quiet bend where a dark ribbon of water slips gently through snow-covered banks. Sparse reeds and delicate branches create a m...
Watercolor
$1,083
Bluebell Stems Original Oil Painting, Contemporary Realism Woodland Art, 40cm
Located in London, Chelsea
Gallery service: Complimentary worldwide shipping is offered, with Signet Contemporary Art covering all tariffs, customs duties and import taxes, making international collecting simp...
Canvas, Oil
Reward, Original Painting
By Dwight Smith
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A humble glass jar becomes a quiet symbol of patience and care. Layered watercolor washes capture the translucence of brine and the gentle weight of preserved v...
Watercolor
Glass Half Full, Original Painting
By Nava Lundy
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A solitary glass of bourbon stands against the backdrop of muted hues. Bathed in soft, ambient light, its amber depths evoke a sense of warmth and tranquility...
Acrylic
Chasing Dreams, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Gardani Art
Located in Yardley, PA
One-of-a-kind Realism Original Oil Painting on canvas by Gardani available for you. Hand signed by the Artist front and back, comes with official Gardani Certificate of Authenticity ...
Oil
Green Bartlett & Black Grapes, Original Still Life, Signed 25.5 cm
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...
Oil, Board
Surge, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Waves are not just water – they are movement, emotion and form of freedom. In this oil painting realism, impressionism and metaphysical presence merge into a powerful homage to the...
Oil
Sitting Nowhere, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
A woman seated calmly in the middle of the sea — not as part of a narrative, but as part of the silence. This painting is about stillness, solitude, and the subtle border between ...
Oil
Samui Sunrise, Oil Painting
By Mandy Main
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Golden skies glow above a tranquil tropical shoreline as gentle waves kiss a curving stretch of dark sand. The silhouettes of two small fishing boats rest quiet...
Oil
Roses from René’s Cafe, Hyper-Realism Oil Painting, Signed, 50 x 40 cm
Located in London, Chelsea
Roses from René’s Cafe by Tobias Harrison — Original Contemporary Floral Still Life Painting We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for thi...
Oil, Board
$2,711
457. Portrait - original realism wildlife portrait oil painting-contemporary art
By Paul Jansen
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...
Canvas, Oil
$2,900
"Veil of the Highlands" oil painting, mountain peaks in Europe, Scotland, framed
By Rolf Hellem
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
"Veil of the Highlands" is a realistic oil painting on linen. The painting depicts a scene of the Scottish Highlands. A grassy trail surrounded by boulders, leads our eye to a cloud ...
Linen, Oil
$5,041
452. Out of the Darkness - original realism wildlife painting - contemporary art
By Paul Jansen
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...
Canvas, Oil
Dancing 1, Oil Painting
By Guigen Zha
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A roseate spoonbill opens its wings beside a clear, shimmering river, its gaze fixed on its own reflection. Bright colors create a dreamlike scene. The composit...
Oil
Waterfront Haven, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A bird sanctuary in a suburban area of Denver catches the last rays of the evening sun. Warm light filters through the trees surrounding a pond, highlighting ...
Oil
Tidal Whisper: Modern Realism Oil Painting, 86 x 96 cm Original
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...
Canvas, Oil
Sunrise - Denver Open Space, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
In this landscape painting, a narrow stream winds through dense vegetation, creating a serene and captivating scene. The artwork beautifully captures the dram...
Oil
Texas Blue Jay in a Box - original realist oil painting - wildlife art
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...
Wood, Oil
Leaning Birch, Original Painting
By Vic Roschkov
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
The stark beauty of nature takes center stage in this serene watercolor painting. A weathered, fractured white tree trunk leans dramatically against a dense bac...
Watercolor
Fall Classics, Original Painting
By Dwight Smith
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A wooden basket contains a variety of apples and a World Series baseball. Painted realistically, this still-life watercolor ho...
Watercolor
Plowed Fields, Original Painting
By Dwight Smith
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
The barn, weathered yet steadfast, becomes a quiet witness to the passing seasons and the rhythms of the land. This watercolor landscape painting feels both gro...
Watercolor
Evening at the Lake, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Lush green palms border a lake, creating a serene afternoon scene. Lavender shades blend with coral and pink clouds, reflecting the warm glow of the setting sun...
Oil
Low Tide, Original Painting
By Vic Roschkov
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A nautical watercolor painting depicts a weathered boat resting amidst the tall grasses of a coastal marsh. A contemplative atmosphere settles across the scene,...
Watercolor
Woodpeckers on Tree, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A pair of little woodpeckers perch on opposite sides of a branch, busy probing the small holes they've made for fresh tree sap. The intricate features of their plumage and the textured bark create a striking contrast against the stark white background. Rendered in vibrant colors and fine detail, artist Emil Morhardt brings this charming scene to life.
About the Artist
Emil Morhardt is an acrylic painter from Santa Barbara, California who expresses his passion for birds through realistic acrylic paintings. He paints at home in a studio room that has large windows and a north-facing view of the mountains. He observes the animals from this window, watching roadrunners, foxes, bobcats, deer, and coyote run by. Surrounded by this wildlife, Emil paints bird portraits reminiscent of those by artist John James Audubon. He bases his paintings off hundreds of photographs he takes of birds in the wild and at wildlife recovery centers. Emil captures the freedom and inquisitiveness that birds display...
Acrylic
Luminous Night, Original Painting
By Renee Noel
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
This panoramic scene captures the beauty of clouds drifting above the city at night. Backlit by moonlight, the clouds glow against the darkness, luminous agains...
Acrylic
Last Snow, Original Painting
By Vic Roschkov
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Grass emerges and spindly branches fan out as the snow begins to thaw. Muted tones of brown soil and green foliage blend with the lingering patches of white. ...
Watercolor
Light Breeze, Original Painting
By Vic Roschkov
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A watercolor landscape painting captures a poignant moment of stillness within a sprawling marshland. A solitary, bare tree dominates the composition, its stark...
Watercolor
Rose. Trespassing 1, Oil Painting
By Guigen Zha
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
In a strange cave, a delicate rose unfolds its creamy white petals and reveals its peachy center. The flower faces a new branch with two buds, like a mother p...
Oil
$2,180
Blue Ming Rising - original realist oil painting - contemporary wildlife art
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...
Wood, Oil
Drayage, Original Painting
By Dwight Smith
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A yellow rubber duck carries a cupcake on its back. The dark blue and purple background enhances the warm tones of the subjects. The composition exudes both s...
Watercolor
You're A World Away
By Cindy Press
Located in East Hampton, NY
Realism. Portrait Black and white figurative painting Women that are edgy and sexy. One of a kind Oil on Canvas Paintings. About The Artist: Cindy Press is a visual artist living a...
Oil
Not Listening, as Always!, Oil Painting
By Eric Vanasse
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
In a forest where muted light filters through the trees, two brightly colored birds perch on a mossy branch. One sits calmly facing forward, while the other lea...
Oil
Please Me
By Cindy Press
Located in East Hampton, NY
Shipped ROLLED Realism. Black and white figurative painting Women that are edgy and sexy. One of a kind Oil on Canvas Paintings. About The Artist: Cindy Press is a visual artist li...
Oil
Industrial Nesting, Original Painting
By Dwight Smith
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Soft washes of steel gray and muted blue shape an austere industrial landscape of vents, ducts, and pipes. Tucked into this manufactured geometry, a small nest ...
Watercolor
North Shore and Clark, April 23, 2025, 8:17PM, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A parking lot at Dankha Autobody, 6700 N. Clark, sits at the intersection of North Shore and Clark in Chicago. Low industrial buildings and a brick structure fr...
Oil
The Stones Shall Make a Throne for Me, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Windows open to a distant city at night, where scattered lights glow against a dark horizon. Inside, a cool purple light fills the room, softening the edges of ...
Oil
Felidae. Watchful Tranquility, Oil Painting
By Guigen Zha
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Two cheetahs stand in a lush green landscape, with a blue tree and rolling mountains rising behind them. Their alert posture suggests they are attentive to some...
Oil
Emerging Earth, Original Painting
By Vic Roschkov
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
This painting explores the meditative stillness of a foggy morning. Artist Vic Roschkov uses a muted palette to blur the lines between sky and earth, creating a...
Watercolor
$891Sale Price|20% Off
Sea. 1993, masonite, oil, 92.5x85.5 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Valters Kupers ( 1948-2018 ) Sea. 1993, masonite, oil, 92.5x85.5 cm Calm realistic seascape with rocky shore.
Oil, Masonite
"Oklahoma Sky" by Eve Cornejo, Oil Painting on Canvas; Vibrant Pinks, Blues
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
"Oklahoma's skies are incredibly vivid, full of color and drama, and they've always fascinated me," says Russian-American artist Eve Cornejo. In 'Oklahoma Sky', Cornejo's large, wisp...
Canvas, Oil
Dusk at Tower 26, Oil Painting
By Jesse Aldana
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Blue dusk settles over Santa Monica Bay. A lone lifeguard tower stands watch over the calm waters, while feathery clouds drift above like graceful phoenixes. Th...
Oil
Quiet Thaw, Original Painting
By Vic Roschkov
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
In this winter watercolor, artist Vic Roschkov captures the misty transition of changing seasons. The composition highlights the moment winter's remains surrend...
Watercolor
$15,000
Joseph McGurl Landscape Oil Painting, Cathedral Ledge, North Conway NH 1989
Located in Milford, NH
A splendid New Hampshire landscape of Cathedral Ledge in North Conway, NH by contemporary American artist Joseph McGurl (b. 1959). McGurl was born in Needham, MA, raised in Quincy, M...
Oil, Board
Disperse, Original Painting
By Renee Noel
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Clouds drift across the sky as a storm begins to subside. From left to right, they shift from dark gray to pure white, gradually dissolving into a vibrant blu...
Acrylic
$1,021
Ripe in Gold - Original realism landscape oil painting - Contemporary artwork
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...
Canvas, Oil
Sky Full of Stars, Oil Painting
By Jesse Aldana
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A rare sight of snow covers the iconic Big Sur coastline on an evening of beauty and calm. Twinkling stars and the moon punctuate the sky, creating a display ...
Oil
Tough as Nails Brew, Original Painting
By Dwight Smith
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
In this still-life watercolor, a cup of coffee sits perfectly centered on a rustic table. The morning brew evokes a sense of routine and comfort. The rich, da...
Watercolor
Railroad Shack, Original Painting
By Renee Noel
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Renee Noel captures a solitary railroad shack in the western United States. The alignment of clouds mirrors the imagery of connected train cars. Strong l...
Acrylic
Pine, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
"This work is a representation of the unadorned beauty of nature," shares artist Jose Luis Bermudez. The clear blue sky stre...
Oil
Long Grass and Blue Mountain
Located in Denver, CO
"Long Grass and Blue Mountain" by brooks Salzwedel is an original work depicting a warm, subtle landscape. Brooks is a Los Angeles-based artist whose work navigates the emotional t...
Resin, Ink, Panel, Graphite, Mylar, Color Pencil
Moved Out, Original Painting
By Vic Roschkov
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A ghostly white, weathered house stands in contrast against the dark, looming trees. The worn texture and faded paint of its exterior capture a sense of aband...
Watercolor
Nearing Dusk, Original Painting
By Vic Roschkov
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Dark silhouettes of bare trees create a quiet, moody landscape at dusk in the countryside. The glowing sunset illuminates the horizon. Deep tones fill a marsh b...
Watercolor
Early Twentieth Century Aviation Vintage Aircraft Airplane Framed Paintings
Located in ludlow, GB
Early twentieth Century Aviation Vintage Aircraft Airplane Gouache Framed Paintings by renowned Artist and Illustrator Charles Thomas Howard. Each of these three were painted to be published as postcards, these are the original artworks. They are in good clean condition with fresh and vibrant colours and I have framed them in handmade gold frames with a flecked cream mount. This is the De Havilland Comet...
Gouache
Yaquina Head Light, Oil Painting
By Steve Boggs
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Capturing the timeless majesty of the Yaquina Head Lighthouse, this painting conveys the rugged beauty of the Oregon coastline. The structure stands as a steadf...
Oil
Peach XI Original Hyperrealism Still Life Painting, Signed, 30x30 cm, Art
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...
Oil, Panel
Calm, Original Painting
By Renee Noel
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Billowing clouds drift over a calm western terrain. Cool blues, pale golden hues, and grounded earth tones shape a simple landscape that feels measured and sere...
Acrylic
Calathea with a Green Pitcher, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Christopher Garvey displays a realistic still life of a potted calathea plant and a green glass pitcher. "I've always found greens a challenge since I typically mix my greens," shares Christopher. He compels himself with a study of different shades using multiple blue and black hues. The skillful interplay between light and shadow creates a visually balanced and pleasing composition.
About the Artist
Christopher Garvey focuses on the still life in his work, capturing objects like dishes and fruit with impressive clarity. He currently lives in South Carolina and finds inspiration in Renaissance and Baroque art. When it comes to technique, he enjoys the challenge of accurate drawing and the transparent qualities of oil paint. He has collected many books over the years, which he uses to improve his practice.
Words that describe this painting: vase, glass, plant, calathea, still life, pot, pitcher, still life, realism, reflection, tabletop, small, oilpaint, still life, realism, oil painting, green
Calathea with a Green Pitcher...
Oil
Salmon spiral
By Tom Rooth
Located in London, GB
with signature (on a salmon swimming the opposite direction), with the artist's thumbprint (on the reverse) screen print on earthenware, with underglaze paint 37 cm. (14 ½ ) diam. ...
Ceramic
After the Storm, Original Painting
By Vic Roschkov
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Heavy downpours left a large puddle in a rural field. The rainwater reflects the bright sky above and the silhouettes of surrounding trees. Soft, diffused lig...
Watercolor
Entwined Roots, Original Painting
By Vic Roschkov
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Beneath the forest’s quiet breath, pale roots unfurl like ghostly ribbons through the dark earth, reaching, searching, remembering. Each curve speaks of endur...
Watercolor