Realist Paintings

Ordinary people and everyday work, painted plainly and at full scale.

1840s–1880s. 255 paintings here, dated 1808 to 1922, with works by Winslow Homer, Gustave Courbet, Thomas Eakins and Eastman Johnson. They suit the living room, bedroom and guest room most often.

Showing 1 to 48 of 255 paintings

Close to us, a young man and three boys sit or recline in a small sailboat that tips to our left on a choppy dark green sea in this horizontal painting.

Winslow Homer Breezing Up (A Fair Wind), 1873-1876 National Gallery of Art

Painting of two fishermen in small wooden boat on rocky seas.

Winslow Homer The Herring Net, 1885 Art Institute of Chicago

Dark portrait of an older light-skinned women with dark hair in a black dress and white collar, her hair pinned up. Her face is in partial shadow.

Thomas Eakins Portrait of Mary Adeline Williams, 1899 Art Institute of Chicago

Panoramic View of the Alps, Les Dents du Midi, Gustave Courbet, 1877, oil on fabric

Gustave Courbet Panoramic View of the Alps, Les Dents du Midi, 1877 Cleveland Museum of Art

The Champion Single Sculls (Max Schmitt in a Single Scull), Thomas Eakins, 1871, oil on canvas

Thomas Eakins The Champion Single Sculls (Max Schmitt in a Single Scull), 1871 The Met

The Gulf Stream, Winslow Homer, 1899; reworked by 1906, oil on canvas

Winslow Homer The Gulf Stream, 1899; reworked by 1906 The Met

The Veteran in a New Field, Winslow Homer, 1865, oil on canvas

Winslow Homer The Veteran in a New Field, 1865 The Met

Haystacks: Autumn, Jean-François Millet, ca. 1874, oil on canvas

Jean-François Millet Haystacks: Autumn, ca. 1874 The Met

Young Ladies of the Village, Gustave Courbet, 1851–52, oil on canvas

Gustave Courbet Young Ladies of the Village, 1851–52 The Met

Painting of four figures in blue, red, brown dresses playing croquet.

Winslow Homer Croquet Scene, 1866 Art Institute of Chicago

Dark portrait of older woman in black dress with lace collar, flowers.

Gustave Courbet Mère Grégoire, 1855, reworked 1857–59 Art Institute of Chicago

Opulently dressed light-skinned man and woman drink at a small table. A mirror behind them reflects a crowd. Her blue dress and dark hat dominate.

William Glackens At Mouquin's, 1905 Art Institute of Chicago

In a beige room, a group of light-skinned men of various ages and a young boy clap as a figure in tattered clothing at center, his back to the viewer, dances and holds a tin cup in the air.

William Sidney Mount Bar-room Scene, 1835 Art Institute of Chicago

Dozens of figures in a brown field filled with discarded corn silks form two rows and sit across from each other husking corn, a farm in the background.

Eastman Johnson Husking Bee, Island of Nantucket, 1876 Art Institute of Chicago

Fur Traders Descending the Missouri, George Caleb Bingham, 1845, oil on canvas

George Caleb Bingham Fur Traders Descending the Missouri, 1845 The Met

The Horse Fair, Rosa Bonheur, 1852–55, oil on canvas

Rosa Bonheur The Horse Fair, 1852–55 The Met

A plucked chicken, a few stray feathers remaining, hangs upside-down by one foot, illuminated. Behind it the metal hinges and wood panels of a door are visible.

William Michael Harnett For Sunday's Dinner, 1888 Art Institute of Chicago

Still life painting of strawberries, nuts, lemon, and porcelain vessels.

Raphaelle Peale Still Life—Strawberries, Nuts, &c., 1822 Art Institute of Chicago

Large, dark painting of Jesus sitting with three standing soldiers.

Édouard Manet Jesus Mocked by the Soldiers, 1865 Art Institute of Chicago

The Biglin Brothers Turning the Stake, Thomas Eakins, 1873, oil on canvas

Thomas Eakins The Biglin Brothers Turning the Stake, 1873 Cleveland Museum of Art

Joan of Arc, Jules Bastien-Lepage, 1879, oil on canvas

Jules Bastien-Lepage Joan of Arc, 1879 The Met

The Two Disciples at the Tomb, Henry Ossawa Tanner, c. 1906, oil on canvas

Henry Ossawa Tanner The Two Disciples at the Tomb, c. 1906 Art Institute of Chicago

Mrs. Charles Gifford Dyer (Mary Anthony), John Singer Sargent, 1880, oil on canvas

John Singer Sargent Mrs. Charles Gifford Dyer (Mary Anthony), 1880 Art Institute of Chicago

Peasants Bringing Home a Calf Born in the Fields, Jean-François Millet, 1864, oil on canvas

Jean-François Millet Peasants Bringing Home a Calf Born in the Fields, 1864 Art Institute of Chicago

Cliffs on the Sea Coast: Small Beach, Sunrise (Falaise au bord de la mer, vu Petite Plage, soleil levant), Gustave Courbet, 1865, oil on canvas

Gustave Courbet Cliffs on the Sea Coast: Small Beach, Sunrise (Falaise au bord de la mer, vu Petite Plage, soleil levant), 1865 Art Institute of Chicago

Mrs. Charles Deering (Marion Denison Whipple), John Singer Sargent, 1888, oil on canvas

John Singer Sargent Mrs. Charles Deering (Marion Denison Whipple), 1888 Art Institute of Chicago

The Brook of Les Puits-Noir, Gustave Courbet, c. 1855, oil on canvas

Gustave Courbet The Brook of Les Puits-Noir, c. 1855 Art Institute of Chicago

The Rock of Hautepierre, Gustave Courbet, c. 1869, oil on canvas

Gustave Courbet The Rock of Hautepierre, c. 1869 Art Institute of Chicago

Study for "William Rush Carving His Allegorical Figure of the Schuylkill River", Thomas Eakins, 1876–77, oil on canvas mounted on board

Thomas Eakins Study for "William Rush Carving His Allegorical Figure of the Schuylkill River", 1876–77 Art Institute of Chicago

Wooded Landscape, Gustave Courbet, 1860–65, oil on canvas

Gustave Courbet Wooded Landscape, 1860–65 Art Institute of Chicago

The Valley of Les Puits-Noir, Gustave Courbet, 1868, oil on canvas

Gustave Courbet The Valley of Les Puits-Noir, 1868 Art Institute of Chicago

An Alpine Scene, Gustave Courbet, 1874, oil on canvas

Gustave Courbet An Alpine Scene, 1874 Art Institute of Chicago

The Keeper of the Flock, Jean-François Millet, 1871–74, oil on canvas

Jean-François Millet The Keeper of the Flock, 1871–74 Art Institute of Chicago

Mount Washington, Winslow Homer, 1869, oil on canvas

Winslow Homer Mount Washington, 1869 Art Institute of Chicago

In the Auvergne, Jean-François Millet, c. 1866–69, oil on canvas

Jean-François Millet In the Auvergne, c. 1866–69 Art Institute of Chicago

Coast of Maine, Winslow Homer, 1893, oil on canvas

Winslow Homer Coast of Maine, 1893 Art Institute of Chicago

Rêverie (Portrait of Gabrielle Borreau), Gustave Courbet, 1862, oil on paper, mounted on canvas

Gustave Courbet Rêverie (Portrait of Gabrielle Borreau), 1862 Art Institute of Chicago

Early Morning After a Storm at Sea, Winslow Homer, 1900–1903, oil on canvas

Winslow Homer Early Morning After a Storm at Sea, 1900–1903 Cleveland Museum of Art

Mme L . . . (Laure Borreau), Gustave Courbet, 1863, oil on fabric

Gustave Courbet Mme L . . . (Laure Borreau), 1863 Cleveland Museum of Art

Monsieur Martin, Jean-François Millet, 1840, oil on fabric

Jean-François Millet Monsieur Martin, 1840 Cleveland Museum of Art

The Artist's Wife and His Setter Dog, Thomas Eakins, ca. 1884–89, oil on canvas

Thomas Eakins The Artist's Wife and His Setter Dog, ca. 1884–89 The Met

Carmelita Requena, Thomas Eakins, 1869, oil on canvas

Thomas Eakins Carmelita Requena, 1869 The Met

James MacAlister (Sketch), Thomas Eakins, ca. 1895, oil on canvas

Thomas Eakins James MacAlister (Sketch), ca. 1895 The Met

Mrs. Mary Arthur, Thomas Eakins, 1900, oil on canvas

Thomas Eakins Mrs. Mary Arthur, 1900 The Met

Pushing for Rail, Thomas Eakins, 1874, oil on canvas

Thomas Eakins Pushing for Rail, 1874 The Met

Signora Gomez d'Arza, Thomas Eakins, 1901–2, oil on canvas

Thomas Eakins Signora Gomez d'Arza, 1901–2 The Met

The Writing Master, Thomas Eakins, 1882, oil on canvas

Thomas Eakins The Writing Master, 1882 The Met

Harvest Scene, Winslow Homer, ca. 1873, oil on canvas

Winslow Homer Harvest Scene, ca. 1873 The Met

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