Realist Figurative Photography
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
Self Portrait on Holiday in Athens, Greece (Slim Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Legendary photographer Slim Aarons relaxes in a self portrait shot in Athens, near the Acropolis.
Slim Aarons said, "I love a solo holiday. It tends to refresh the part of oneself that is most depleted by modern life — patience.
"Let me dispel a few myths. You will be lonely. No: you won’t. My solo travels in Paris have brought many perfect hours of being alone but not a moment of loneliness. People who depend on other people are often in hiding from themselves. Two and a quarter million people live in the City of Light: you will see many of them and you will pass them in the street, but when you see Notre Dame after dark and walk home and perhaps stop to have a drink in the Marais, you can feel that the only thing that is missing from your experience is the common dependency on someone to distract your attention.
"I’ve had solo pints of Guinness in the pubs of County Kerry and County Cork. I’ve walked across the sage- and juniper-scented maquis of Corsica on a spring day, where you can still find the world of Napoleon’s childhood. More than once I went to the Isle of Iona in the Scottish Hebrides...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Esther Williams, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This mid-1950s portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features American swimmer and actress Esther Williams (1921 - 2013) lounging on a trampoline.
This ...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons
Leonard Dalsemer, Lyford Cay
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Leonard Dalsemer and his family at their villa in Lyford Cay, New Providence Island, April 1974.
40 x 60 inches
$3950
30 x 40 inches
$3350
20 x 30 inche...
Category
1970s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Bermuda Beach, Estate Edition
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A woman on a beach in Bermuda, 1957.
48 x 48 inches
$4500
40 x 40 inches
$3950
30 x 30 inches
$3350
20 x 20 inches
$2500
Complimentary dealer shipping to your framer, worldwide....
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons
Madame Jean Serpieri
(Slim Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Madame Jean Serpieri sits in the ballroom of the Tour La Reine near Athens, wearing a gown which belonged to the wife of Otto, the first king of modern Greece...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Skiing Waiters, Vermont, Estate Edition, Mid-Century Modern Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This early 1960s landscape photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features three skiing waiters on a ski slope, with the man in the f...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Capote At Home, New York, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This late 1950s portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features the author Truman Capote (1924 - 1984) relaxing with a book and a cigarette in his clutter...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Skiing Waiters, Vermont, Estate Edition, Mid-Century Modern Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This early 1960s landscape photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features three skiing waiters on a ski slope, with the man in the foreground carrying a bird on a...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Cee Zee Guest
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Cee Zee Guest
Mrs F C Winston Guest (1920 - 2003) (aka Cee Zee Guest) reclines on a garden chair in front of the Grecian temple pool on her ocean-front estate, Villa Artemis, Palm ...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Surfing Brothers
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Freddie and Howard Cushing surfing with friends at Bailey's Beach (the Spouting Rock Beach Association) in Newport. Their father introduced the sport to the club in the 1930's.
Comp...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Borneo 4: photograph of sleeping man at yellow cafe table, Southeast Asia
Located in Bryn Mawr, PA
This photograph is from among Vincent Dixon's series created in Borneo, Myanmar, Paris, Pushkar, Los Angeles, New York, London, Miami, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Milan, Barcelona, Madrid,...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper, Archival Pigment
Kneeling Boy: black
white photo of Havana, Cuba w/ tree in arched doorway
By Ron Tarver
Located in Bryn Mawr, PA
This black & white photograph of a child and a tree growing in an open courtyard of Havana, Cuba as seen through an arched doorway is part of artist Ron...
Category
Early 2000s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Slim Aarons
Bahamas Signpost
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Slim Aarons
Bahamas Signpost
1964
C print
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the estate.
A signpost in Nassau points the way to...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons
Lido Life, Venice
Mid-century Modern Photography
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Lido Life, Venice
1957
C print
Signature stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the Slim Aarons estate.
A waiter ...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Slim Aarons
Westin Excelsior, Venice
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Portofino
1957
C print
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the estate.
The Westin Excelsior Hotel on the Lido in Venice, 1957. (...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Lake Tahoe Ladies
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Caption:A group of young women in their bathing suits on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, 1959.
Slim Aarons worked mainly for society publications, taking pictures of the rich and fa...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons
Lake Tahoe Ladies
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Caption: A group of young women in their bathing suits on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, 1959.
Slim Aarons worked mainly for society publications, taking pictures of the rich and f...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons
Verbier Skier
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Slim Aarons
Verbier Skier
1964
C print
Estate edition of 150
A blonde skier on the slopes at Verbier, February 1964.
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certific...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons
Verbier Skier
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Slim Aarons
Verbier Skier
1964
C print
Estate edition of 150
A blonde skier on the slopes at Verbier, February 1964.
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certific...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons
Lake Tahoe Ladies
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Caption: A group of young women in their bathing suits on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, 1959.
Slim Aarons worked mainly for society publications, taking pictures of the rich and f...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons
Lake Tahoe Ladies
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Caption: A group of young women in their bathing suits on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, 1959.
Slim Aarons worked mainly for society publications, taking pictures of the rich and f...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons
Verbier Skier
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Slim Aarons
Verbier Skier
1964
C print
Estate edition of 150
A blonde skier on the slopes at Verbier, February 1964.
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certific...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons
Lake Tahoe Ladies
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Caption: A group of young women in their bathing suits on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, 1959.
Slim Aarons worked mainly for society publications, taking pictures of the rich and f...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons
Pool At Porto Rotondo
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Slim Aarons
Pool At Porto Rotondo
1982
C print
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the estate.
A sw...
Category
1980s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons
Skiing Waiters
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Three skiing waiters on a ski slope, with the man in the foreground carrying a bird on a tray, the second man carrying a wine in an ice bucket and the third carrying a menu, circa 19...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons
Portofino Harbor
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Portofino
1955
C print
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the estate.
Yachts moored in the Italian fishing village of Portofino...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Slim Aarons
Verbier Skier
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Slim Aarons
Verbier Skier
1964
C print
Estate edition of 150
A blonde skier on the slopes at Verbier, February 1964.
Estate stamped and hand numbered...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons
Skiers at Verbier
(Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Skiers at Verbier, 1964
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the estate.
Slim Aarons (1916-2006) worked mainly for society publica...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons
Boating In Antigua
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
American actor Hugh O'Brian (left) hoists the sail on a dinghy, Antigua, West Indies, 1961.
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Acrylic Polymer, Lambda
Slim Aarons
Skiing Waiters
(Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Slim Aarons
Skiing Waiters, 1960
C print
Edition of 150
Caption: Three skiing waiters on a ski slope, with the man in the foreground carrying a bird on a tray, the second man carri...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons, El Venero
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
El Venero, the Moorish villa of Hector and Chico de Ayala in Marbella, Spain, 1971.
Slim Aarons worked mainly for society publications, taking pictures of t...
Category
1970s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons, Lake Tahoe Ladies
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
A group of young women in their bathing suits on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, 1959.
Slim Aarons worked mainly for society publications, taking pictures of the rich and famous bot...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons, Poolside In Sotogrande
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Bathers round a pool in Sotogrande, Spain, August 1975
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the estate.
Slim Aarons (1916-2006) ...
Category
1970s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
El Venero, Marbella, Spain (Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
El Venero, the Moorish villa of Hector and Chico de Ayala in Marbella, Spain, 1971.
Slim Aarons worked mainly for society publications, taking pictures of the rich and famous both b...
Category
1970s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Madame Jean Serpieri
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
December 1961—Madame Jean Serpieri sits in the ballroom of the Tour La Reine near Athens, wearing a gown which belonged to the wife of Otto, the f...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Coconut Cocktail (Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Teddy Stauffer and a friend share a drink from a coconut shell, Acapulco, Mexico, 1952.
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the est...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Vuccino and Rava in Capri (Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Carla Vuccino, wearing a swimming cap, and a sunbathing Marina Rava, both wearing bikini as they sit on the rear of a boat, on the waters off the coast of the island of Capri, Italy,...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Annevoie (Slim Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
1980, Jean and Christiane de Montpellier d'Annevoie float across the moat of their home, Annevoie, Belgium.
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authe...
Category
1970s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Intoxicated Skid Row Bowery Homeless, Gritty Street Photography
Located in Miami, FL
Enter the Wood Chipper. Before the Bowery was a trendy destination, it was America's most famous Skid Row. Vagrant flophouses, 10-dollar prostitutes, dive bars, and what used to be ...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Biblioteca Palatina - Parma
Located in New York, NY
Biblioteca Palatina - Parma, 2012
The Biblioteca Palatina (also known as Reale Biblioteca Parmense, Biblioteca Nazionale, Bibliothèque Imperiale, Bibliothèque de la Ville de Parme...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
C Print
Price Upon Request
Staring At The Sea #2
By Weng Fen (Weng Peijun)
Located in New York, NY
The transitional phases and changes in China since its opening up in the 1980′s, both physically and emotionally, have been the source of inspiration for Weng Fen (b. 1961) and his w...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
C Print
Price Upon Request
Realist figurative photography for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Realist figurative 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. If you’re looking to add figurative photography 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, red, pink and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Slim Aarons, Ron Tarver, Graham Nash, and Milton Rogovin. Frequently made by artists working with Digital Print, and Lambda 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 Realist figurative photography, so small editions measuring 8 inches across are also available. Prices for figurative 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 $105 and tops out at $75,000, while the average work sells for $3,000.
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