Photorealism
Art movement reproducing photographs with meticulous realism.
Photorealism is a genre of art encompassing painting, drawing, and other graphic media in which an artist studies a photograph and attempts to reproduce the image as realistically as possible in another medium. The term also refers to a specific art movement of American painters that began in the late 1960s and early 1970s, evolving from Pop Art and as a counter to Abstract Expressionism and Minimalist art movements. The movement emerged as a full-fledged development in the United States during this period, with its practitioners using photographs to gather visual information for their works. This reliance on the camera was seen by some as an acceptance of Modernism, yet it initially drew intense criticism, even though artists had employed visual aids since the fifteenth century. The invention of photography in the nineteenth century had already transformed art: it made portrait and scenic artists feel inferior, drove many to take up photography as a career, and freed other artists to experiment, marking a break in the long history of trying to replicate observed scenes. By the time Photorealism arose, photography had become the primary means of reproducing reality, while abstraction dominated the art world. Realism had been minimized by modernist critics and Abstract Expressionism, though it had seen a resurgence in the 1930s. Photorealists were more influenced by Pop Art than by traditional realists like Edward Hopper, and they reacted against Abstract Expressionism. Both Pop Art and Photorealism responded to the overwhelming abundance of photographic media, but whereas Pop artists highlighted the absurdity of commercial imagery, Photorealists sought to reclaim and exalt the value of an image. The movement is often wrongly compared to trompe-l'œil, as Photorealist paintings do not attempt to fool the viewer into thinking they are real objects; the viewer remains aware they are looking at a painting. The term "Photorealism" was coined by Louis K. Meisel in 1969 and first appeared in print in 1970 in a Whitney Museum catalogue. It is also known as Super-Realism, New Realism, Sharp Focus Realism, or hyperrealism. Meisel later developed a five-point definition for the movement’s originators: they must use the camera and photograph to gather information; employ mechanical or semi-mechanical means to transfer that information to the canvas; possess the technical
- field
- Painting, drawing, graphic media, sculpture
- nationality
- Primarily American, with later international practitioners
- known_for
- Reproducing photographs with high realism, often using mechanical transfer methods
- also_labeled
- Super-Realism, New Realism, Sharp Focus Realism, hyperrealism
Lore & Background
Photorealism is a genre of art in which an artist studies a photograph and then attempts to reproduce the image as realistically as possible in another medium, such as painting or drawing. The term can refer broadly to artworks in many media, but it also denotes a specific American art movement that began in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The movement evolved from Pop Art and arose as a counter to Abstract Expressionism and Minimalism. Photorealists use a camera and photograph to gather information, and they transfer this image to the canvas using mechanical or semi-mechanical means, such as projecting a slide or employing a grid. The finished work must appear photographic, requiring high technical skill to simulate reflections and geometric precision. The resulting style is tight and precise, often freezing change and movement in time. The viewer is always aware they are looking at a painting, distinguishing the work from trompe-l'œil, which aims to fool the eye. The movement was met with intense criticism when it gained momentum, as artists admitted to using photographs, despite such devices having been used since the fifteenth century. The word Photorealism was coined by Louis K. Meisel in 1969 and first appeared in print in 1970. It is also sometimes labeled Super-Realism, New Realism, Sharp Focus Realism, or hyperrealism.
Reader's Guide
Photorealism emerged as a reaction to the overwhelming abundance of photographic media by the mid-20th century, which threatened to lessen the value of imagery in art. While Pop artists pointed out the absurdity of much imagery, Photorealists sought to reclaim and exalt the value of an image. The movement's significance lies in its technical precision and its challenge to the dominance of abstraction, though it was often wrongly compared to trompe-l'œil. The first generation of American Photorealists included Richard Estes, Ralph Goings, Chuck Close, and others, who tackled mundane subjects in traditional genres. The movement has since internationalized, with European artists emerging from the mid-1990s onward.
Did You Know?
- Photorealism is sometimes labeled as Super-Realism, New Realism, Sharp Focus Realism, or hyperrealism.
- The association of photorealism with trompe-l'œil is a wrongly attributed comparison made by many critics of the 1970s and 1980s.
- Duane Hanson and John DeAndrea are sculptors associated with photorealism for their lifelike sculptures, called Verists.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Photorealism?
Photorealism is an art genre in which an artist studies a photograph and then recreates that image with extreme fidelity in a different medium such as paint, ink, or sculpture. As a named movement, it emerged in the United States during the late 1960s and early 1970s, growing out of Pop Art and deliberately positioning itself against Abstract Expressionism and Minimalism.
How do Photorealists actually build their images?
Artists typically start from a photograph and use projection or other mechanical transfer techniques to lay down an accurate compositional base before layering paint or ink to match the source's detail. The goal is a finished piece—whether a painting, drawing, or sculpture—that reads as sharp and precise as the original photo.
How is Photorealism different from Hyperrealism?
Although the two labels are sometimes used interchangeably, Photorealism specifically names the late-1960s-to-1970s American movement focused on faithfully reproducing a photographic image. Hyperrealism, which developed afterward, often pushes past what the camera captured, adding details that exceed the source photograph's fidelity.
Why does Photorealism matter in the broader story of art?
It challenged the postwar assumption that abstraction was the only serious contemporary direction by proving that meticulous, photo-based representation could still be a vital artistic pursuit. The movement also broadened the field beyond painting into drawing and sculpture and eventually spread well past its American origins to international practitioners.
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