What is photorealism

To understand the features of this style, it is necessary — to begin with — to refer to the photorealism art definition. So what are the key characteristics of photorealism in art? Several of them can be distinguished:

high plausibility of photorealism art examples;
detailed images;
the meticulousness of photorealism artworks.

Sometimes the public does not understand the difference between super-realism and other — similar — styles and trends in art. Therefore, it will be appropriate not only to define photorealism in art but also to draw a line of demarcation between:

Photorealism vs hyperrealism: sometimes these terms are even considered identical. However, photorealism is a style that draws the line between art and reality, as photography itself is art. Hyperrealism pushes the artist to erase the border between the real object and its copy as much as possible. That is, in the case of photorealism, the artist makes a copy of a copy, and if we take into account hyperrealism, the artist seeks to depict the object in such a way that it is difficult to distinguish it from the original.
Photorealism vs realism: realism does not aim to perfectly copy the object — unlike photorealism. Realism only motivates the artist to portray reality as believably as possible. On such canvases, we see an image similar to the original but transformed with the help of artistic techniques. In this case, we are faced with the artist’s vision, with subjectivism. However, realism is never based on photography. In the style of photorealism, objectivism is taken as a basis.

Famous photorealism artworks

The most famous hyperrealism artworks are cityscapes, still lifes, and scenes of everyday life. At first glance, it may seem banal and even primitive. But photographic realism aims not to shock or surprise the audience with the originality of the plots. Here, the key place is occupied by the technique of performing the work. However, interest in routine and everyday life brings photorealistic works closer to pop art.

Among the popular photorealism artists, the following names can be mentioned: Robert Bechtle, Ben Shonzeithe, Richard Estes, Glennray Tutor, John Bader and others. The term “photorealism” itself was, in turn, introduced by the art dealer Louis Meisel. However, he was not a photorealist artist. He can rather be called a critic, expert and connoisseur of art in general. Photorealism is a direction opposed to abstraction, expressionism and overly emotional expressions in art.

Buy photorealism artworks

In our gallery, you can not only dive into photorealism history but also find work for your office or home. We offer our visitors a huge selection of photorealism art for sale to add to your collection. In the same way, artists who have already made a name for themselves or are just beginning their creative journey have the opportunity to enter the vortex of the art market and sell their works profitably.

Photorealism Artworks for Sale