Realism in Art Timeline

Later in his career, the Pre-Raphaelite Ford Madox Brown's work became more traditionally Realist. This development is exemplified by The Last of England, made from 1852 to 1855, and Work, made in 1855 and 1863.

Ford Madox Brown's The Last of England, made from 1852 to 1855, exemplified the more traditionally Realist direction of his later work.

Ford Madox Brown's Work, made in 1855 and 1863, exemplified the more traditionally Realist character of his later career.

Active a decade earlier than the work at The Graphic, Frederick Walker followed a similar trajectory from printing to Realist painting. He became influential on Herkomer's work and on other British artists later in the 19th century.

Thomas Eakins, one of the early American Realists, spent time in Paris from 1866 to 1869. His experience connected American Realism with European artistic developments.

Winslow Homer, one of the early American Realists, spent time in Paris in 1867. His Paris experience formed part of the international context of American Realism.

Image source: Winslow Homer

Hubert von Herkomer and Ford Madox Brown worked together at The Graphic from 1872 to 1876. They produced woodcut images for the illustrated newspaper.

The woodcut images produced by Herkomer and Brown for The Graphic drew attention to social issues and poverty in the United Kingdom.

Robert Henri attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art in 1886. Teaching there was heavily influenced by Thomas Eakins' Realist style, although Eakins had been forced to resign shortly before Henri began.

Image source: Robert Henri

Although Thomas Eakins was forced to resign just before Robert Henri started at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, Eakins' Realist style heavily influenced the academy's teaching and Henri's artistic formation.

Image source: Thomas Eakins

The Macchiaioli artist group formed in Italy between 1853 and 1860. The group was influenced by Realism after some of its members traveled to Paris.

When not painting in the Tuscan countryside, members of the Macchiaioli spent time in Florence and at the Caffé Michelangiolo. It was a common meeting place for thinkers and artists in the mid-19th century.

Some members of the Macchiaioli traveled to Paris between 1853 and 1860 and encountered influences that shaped the group's relationship to the Realist art style.

The Hague School was a group of Realist artists based in The Hague, Netherlands, between 1860 and 1900. The group became associated with landscape painting and Dutch subjects.

The Hague School was influenced by the Barbizon School's landscape painting, French naturalism, and French Realism. It combined these influences with themes drawn from 17th-century Dutch masters.

Vassili Vereschagin's art also reflected his travels in India. These experiences contributed to the geographic range of his Realist subjects.

Vassili Vereschagin was known for art depicting warfare. His work expanded Realist subject matter to include the direct consequences and settings of military conflict.

Ilya Repin became known not only for paintings of peasants but also for themes of revolution. These subjects placed social and political experience within Russian Realist art.

Ilya Repin painted Barge Haulers on the Volga from 1870 to 1873. The work depicted peasants and exemplified the socially attentive subjects associated with Russian Realism.

Russian Realism became associated with artists such as Ilya Repin and Vassili Vereschagin. Their subjects included peasants, revolution, warfare, and travel.

Vincent van Gogh was instructed by Mauve and originally painted in the Realist style. His early development therefore included a period shaped by Realist instruction.

Image source: Vincent van Gogh

When Vincent van Gogh visited Paris in 1886, he was influenced by Impressionist artworks. This encounter marked a change from the Realist style of his earlier work.