Photorealist Black and White Photography
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
Water Sketch II - underwater black
white nude photograph - archival pigment
By Alex Sher
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white nude photograph of a young woman in the pool.
Original gallery quality print signed by the artist.
Digital archival pigment print on archival paper wi...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
BABY- Black and white photography Italy 1970s
Located in Napoli, IT
Beautiful b/w photo depicting a little Peruvian girl
Category
1970s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
Double Trouble - underwater nude photograph - print on aluminum 24" x 36"
By Alex Sher
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white photograph of two naked young women in the pool.
Original digital print on aluminum plate signed by the artist.
Limited edition of 12
The artwork is fu...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Metal
The Cure 1979 by Jill Furmanovsky
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition fine art print of The Cure taken in the snow, London 1979.
Signed and numbered by Jill Furmanovsky in pencil and featuring Jill’s official embossed studio sta...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Tutu Skirt - underwater black
white nude photograph - print on paper 14 x 24"
By Alex Sher
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Underwater black and white nude photograph of a young female dancer in the pool. The dancer is putting on her tut skirt. The photograph depicts her beautiful naked butt about to hid...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment, Archival Paper
Tutu Skirt - underwater black
white nude photo - print on aluminum 22" x 36"
By Alex Sher
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Underwater black and white nude photograph of a young female dancer in the pool. The dancer is putting on her tut skirt. The photograph depicts her beautiful naked butt about to hid...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Metal
$1,864 Sale Price
20% Off
ARCHITECTURE - Photograph on baryta paper, Bob De Masi, Italy 1970s
Located in Napoli, IT
Black and white photograph on baryta paper, title "Architecture" 1970s - Bob De Masi, with frame
Category
1970s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
Daffodile
Located in San Francisco, CA
This Photograph titled "Daffodile" c.1960, is a gelatin silver print by noted photographer Richard Stacks, 1930-2015. It has the stamp of the Baltimore Sunpapers and the name of the ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Bob Dylan Contact Sheet Print
Located in Austin, TX
Contact sheet of Bob Dylan, taken at the BBC TV Studios, London 1965 by Barrie Wentzell
Barrie recalls : On the first of June, 1965, Bob came to the BBC Studios in London, to do a live concert. I went along to rehearsals but the studio was empty, so I headed off to the canteen bar where I ran into some musicians I knew from The Pretty Things. Sitting a few tables away were Bob Dylan and his chum Bobby Neuwirth. I sat and chatted with the Pretty Things, who later would be immortalized in a line in one of Bob’s songs, “The Sweet Pretty Things are in bed now, of course.
This Bob Dylan print...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Giclée
DER DEUSCHER VOLKE - Photograph on baryta paper, Nino La Rocca , Italy 1987
Located in Napoli, IT
Analog photograph on baryta paper in black and white titled "Der Deuscher Volke" , the photo depicts the German Parliament and the Berlin Wall before the fall . The photograph is by ...
Category
1980s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
Ballet - underwater black and white nude photograph - print on paper 17 x 23"
By Alex Sher
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white photograph of a young female dancer diving in pool. The naked dances is covering herself with tutu skirt.
Original gallery quality archival pigment pri...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
CHILDREN AND CHRISTMAS - Black and white photograph on baryta paper
Located in Napoli, IT
Rare old black and white photograph on sepia paper, depicts three children watching Santa Claus from the window.
Category
1970s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
David Bowie 1977 Heroes session – See No Evil
Located in Austin, TX
David Bowie, "See No Evil", 1977 by Masayoshi Sukita during the photoshoot that produced the album cover shot tor Bowie's Heroes album cover - Signed limit...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
C Print
Dead Goose
Located in San Francisco, CA
This Photograph titled "Dead Goose" c.1960, is a gelatin silver print with colors added by noted photographer Richard Stacks, 1930-2015. It has the stamp of the Baltimore Sunpapers a...
Category
Mid-20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Historic European Bridge
, by Unknown, Black
White Photograph
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
This 20" x 16" framed black and white photographic print depicts a European bridge, river and landscape. The bridge disappears into the left side of the canvas and leads to what appe...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
$200 Sale Price
20% Off
Flower form, Pentagon and Star
By Karl Blossfeldt
Located in New York, NY
Blossfeldt holds a singular place in photography for his depictions of plant and flower life in black and white. He photographs them in such a way that the flower forms feel as sol...
Category
1920s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photogravure
The Cramps by Jill Furmanovsky
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition fine art print of Poison Ivy and Lux Interior from influential 1970s and 1980s punk band The Cramps taken by Jill Furmanovsky in 1981...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Morrissey vintage silver gelatin print by Chris Cuffaro
Located in Austin, TX
Morrissey, 8”x10” Hand-printed darkroom print, made at the time of the shoot in 1994, and stored flat in a temperature-controlled environment.
The print is in perfect new condition ...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
SCIMPANZE
WITH EYES - Black and white photograph Italy 1970s
Located in Napoli, IT
Small Photograph on photographic paper titled "Chimpanzee with Glasses" on ivory paper passpartu' and a 1970s briar frame
Category
1970s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
ESERCITO AL FRONTE - Fotografia bianco e nero , Vittorio Buonanno 1950
Located in Napoli, IT
Fotografia in bianco e nero alla gelatina ai sali d'argento, Titolo "Esercito al fronte" di Vittorio Buonanno
Category
1950s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
Ballet - underwater black and white nude photograph print on paper 42" x 56"
By Alex Sher
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white photograph of a young female dancer diving in pool. The naked dances is covering herself with tutu skirt.
Original gallery quality archival pigment pri...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Elton John Takes Flight - Special co-signed limited edition print, framed
By Ed Caraeff
Located in Austin, TX
Elton John by photographer Ed Caraeff, taken on-stage at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in California, November 15, 1970.
This special edition. print i...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Dolly Parton and Mick Jagger
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition archival print of Country music star Dolly Parton hugging rock star Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones, backstage after her Bottom ...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
David Bowie 1973 by Lynn Goldsmith
Located in Austin, TX
Fine art print of David Bowie by acclaimed photographer. Lynn Goldsmith. Taken in 1973 during the Spiders from Mars tour, and now available for the first time in black and white.
Ly...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
C Print
ARCHITECTURE - Photograph on baryta paper, Bob De Masi, Italy 1970s
Located in Napoli, IT
Black and white photograph on baryta paper, title "Architecture" 1970s - Bob De Masi, with frame
Category
1970s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
Children Playing at the Park
Located in San Francisco, CA
This Photograph "Children Playing at the Park" c.1960, is a gelatin silver print by noted photographer Richard Stacks, 1930-2015. It has the stamp of the Baltimore Sunpapers and the ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
BOYS - Photograph on baryta paper, Fabio Donato, Italy 2010
Located in Napoli, IT
Black and white photograph on baryta paper, title "The Boys" - Fabio Donato, with frame
Fabio Donato, a lecturer at the Academy of Fine Arts in Naples, was born in 1947. A photograph...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
Workmen on Top of Tunnel at Shape Up Basin
Located in San Francisco, CA
This Photograph titled "Workmen on Top of Tunnel at Shape Up Basin" c.1960, is a gelatin silver print by noted photographer Richard Stacks, 1930-2015. It has the stamp of the Baltimo...
Category
Mid-20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Tired Photography Mexico Signed Karol Kállay
By Karol Kallay
Located in Slovak Republic, SK
Photography done for the publication Mexico/ Volk und Welt Berlin, 1967, signed on the back by the author.
Category
1960s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
$435 Sale Price
88% Off
Mountain Lake - Black and White Figurative - Landscape Photography
By Bill Clark
Located in Soquel, CA
Mountain Lake - Black and White Landscape Photography
Skillful black and white photograph of a lake in the mountains by by Bill Clark (American, 20th Century). Dramatic rock format...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
$1,320 Sale Price
20% Off
Reflection - underwater nude photograph - archival pigment print
By Alex Sher
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white nude photograph of a young woman in the pool. The photograph depicts part of the body and reflection.
Original gallery quality print signed by the arti...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Marc Bolan T-Rex, The Guru
Located in Austin, TX
16" x 20", signed limited edition prints of Marc Bolan of T-Rex by Masayoshi Sukita, limited edition number 3/30, taken at Logan International Airport, Bost...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
C Print
Waylon Jennings at The Armadillo, Austin 1974
Located in Austin, TX
Waylon Jennings, taken at the Armadillo WHQ, Austin TX in 1974 by photographer Scott Newton.
20x28" signed limited edition print.
Scott Newton recalls, "In 1974 Waylon was ornery...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Kate Moss at 16
By Jake Chessum
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition print of Kate Moss by Jake Chessum, taken when she was an unknown 16 year old model, just starting her career.
Jake recalls, "I had heard of Kate as she was...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Kate Moss at 16 by Jake Chessum
By Jake Chessum
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition print of Kate Moss by Jake Chessum, taken when she was an unknown 16 year old model, just starting her career.
Jake recalls, "I had heard of Kate as she was...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Gary Clark Jr Live album cover
By Ben Sklar
Located in Austin, TX
Gary Clark Jr taken on stage during his ACL appearance in his hometown of Austin Texas, October 2012. This image, taken by Gary Clark Jr's old school friend, Ben Sklar, was used as t...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
The Beatles Dolls 1966 contact sheet print by Robert Whitaker
Located in Austin, TX
The Beatles "Dolls" contact sheet by Robert Whitaker from the photo session that ended up giving the band the controversial cover for the 1966 release "Yesterday and Today".
On March 25, 1966, The Beatles visited 1 The Vale, Chelsea, London, a top-floor studio leased by Oluf Nilssen and frequently used by renowned photographer Robert Whitaker. Before the photo session with Robert Whitaker, The Beatles posed for a more conventional session at the studio with Nigel Dickson of The Beatles Book...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
C Print
Noel Gallagher of Oasis by Jill Furmanovsky
Located in Austin, TX
Noel Gallagher of the legendary band Oasis taken in NEC Birmingham, England in the mid-90s, taken by Jill Furmanovsky (featuring his signature Union Jack guitar).
Signed and number...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Morrissey by Kevin Cummins
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition silver gelatin print of English singer and songwriter Morrissey, of English rock band, The Smiths, photographed in Dunham Massey, Greater Manchester on Septemb...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Kate Moss at 16
By Jake Chessum
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition print of Kate Moss by Jake Chessum, taken when she was an unknown 16 year old model, just starting her career.
Jake recalls, "I had heard of Kate as she was...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
The Clash
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition print of Bassist Paul Simonon and lead singer Joe Strummer of British punk rock band The Clash backstage at the Agora Theatre in Cl...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
C Print
Jack Nicholson on the sofa in his room at the Carlyle Hotel in 1981
Located in White Plains, NY
'Jack Nicholson on the sofa in his room at the Carlyle Hotel,' 1981 by famed American photographer, Allan Tannenbaum. Archival pigment print. 10 x 15 inch photo on 17 x 22 inch on th...
Category
1980s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Film, Archival Pigment
Willie Nelson at the 4th July Picnic 1979
Located in Austin, TX
Willie Nelson, taken at the 4th July Picnic in 1979 in Austin Texas by photographer Scott Newton
Signed limited edition print, printed on heavyweight cotton ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
"Tibetan Prayer Flags" Sepia Toned Photograph
Located in Soquel, CA
"Tibetan Prayer Flags" Sepia Toned Photograph
Serene photo of flags in a yard by Heidi L Sherman (American, 1954-5014). Two rows of prayer flags...
Category
1990s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Platinum
Iggy Pop "Lust For Life"
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition 16x20" silver gelatin print of Iggy Pop, taken on stage during the tour to support the album ‘Lust for Life’ at the Manchester Apo...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Elton John Dodger Stadium
Located in Austin, TX
Lifetime prints are the last remaining prints available, signed by Terry O’Neill and obtained from the Terry O’Neill Archive in London.
Signed limited edition photographic print by Terry O'Neill. Elton John performs at Dodger Stadium...
Category
1970s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
C Print
Willie Nelson
Located in Austin, TX
Willie Nelson, taken outside the Pedernales Studio's in 1983 by Austin Texas based photographer Scott Newton
Signed limited edition print, printed on hea...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
John Lennon Portrait by Robert Whitaker
Located in Austin, TX
John Lennon and Paul McCartney of the Beatles at the Westwood Hotel in Anchorage, Alaska, 27th-28th June 1966. En route for the Japanese leg of their final world tour, the group made...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
C Print
Muhammad Ali Shadow Boxing
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition print of American professional boxer and activist Muhammad during a training session at his training camp on 58 Sculps Hill Road, Deer Lake, Pennsylvania, USA,...
Category
1970s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
C Print
Iggy Pop Scala Cinema London 1972
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition, silver gelatin print of Iggy Pop by Alec Byrne, taken at the Scala Cinema, Kings Cross, London, July 15th 1972.
Alec Byrne signed ...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment, Silver Gelatin
Reflection Around
By Karol Kallay
Located in Slovak Republic, SK
The picture is a part of photographs which Kallay done in 1965 for a German book publisher about NYC.
Category
1960s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
$407 Sale Price
68% Off
David Bowie 1972 Contact Sheet Print, Framed
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition contact sheet of print David Bowie by Barrie Wentzell, taken during an interview at 252 Regent Street, London in January 1972. One of the images was used on th...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Giclée
In the Blazing Sun at George Airfield
Located in Austin, TX
British fashion model Wenda Parkinson wearing a grey gabardine dress by Dorville at George Airfield in Nairobi, Kenya, South Africa, next to a Hermes airplane...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
C Print
Morrissey Kill Uncle Tour 1991
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition silver gelatin print of Morrissey by Kevin Cummins, taken standing in front of a sign reading ‘Penis Mightier Than The Sword’ during the Japanese leg of his ‘K...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Antonio Lopez with Jerry Hall Vogue fashion shoot
Located in Austin, TX
Famed fashion illustrator Antonio Lopez with Jerry Hall by Norman Parkinson, taken in Jamaica on a shoot for Vogue, May 1975 issue.
NORMAN PARKINSON POSTHUMOUS LIMITED EDITION PRINT...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
C Print
David Bowie and William Burroughs, framed signed print by Terry O
Neill
Located in Austin, TX
Ready to ship immediately. Free domestic US shipping.
David Bowie and William Burroughs in Los Angeles, February 1974, signed Terry O'Neill, 8x10" print, custom framed with non-glar...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Giclée
Beastie Boys Adam Yauch MCA Vintage Darkroom Print by Jake Chessum
By Jake Chessum
Located in Austin, TX
Original hand-printed vintage print from photographer Jake Chessum of Beastie Boys Adam Yauch, know as MCA, playing double bass in the studio in 1994.
Printed by Jake back in the d...
Category
1990s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Debbie Harry Blondie 1977
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition print of Debbie Harry of Blondie by Michael Brennan, taken at the studio on East 45th in Manhattan, New York, USA, Febru...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
C Print
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Located in Austin, TX
HM The Queen is released as a 20x24 print in a limited edition, Gelatin Silver Print of 25, with 3 artist proofs, signed and numbered photographer on the front.
The print comes with a letter of authenticity signed by the photographer, including a reproduction of the letter Greg Brennan...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Amy Winehouse at the laundromat by Jake Chessum framed 9x12" print
By Jake Chessum
Located in Austin, TX
Framed, signed 9x12" print of Amy Winehouse taken at a laundromat in London by Jake Chessum.
Frame measures 16.5 x 14/5 x 1"
Framed in a simple black frame, matting and UV protected conservation clear glass
Jake recalls the session: “I travelled from NYC to London in February 2004 to do a press shoot with Amy Winehouse. It was a classic February day: cold, wet, foggy and dark by about 4pm. We met at her flat and went to a few of her local haunts: a cafe, a launderette, Primrose Hill. The record company were very hands off and didn’t pressure us to do any particular set ups. We just went with the flow. She was really entertaining: funny, smart and cooly indiscreet. I am a huge jazz fan and I remember we talked about music, London and New York.”
Jake grew...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Giclée
Photorealist black and white photography for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Photorealist black and white photography 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. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Alex Sher, Allan Tannenbaum, Jake Chessum, and Kevin Cummins. Frequently made by artists working with Pigment Print, and Archival Pigment Print 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 black and white photography, so small editions measuring 5.5 inches across are also available. Prices for black and white photography 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 $11 and tops out at $200,247, while the average work sells for $1,815.