photorealism

[ foh-toh-ree-uh-liz-uhm ]

noun

, (sometimes initial capital letter)

1. a style of painting flourishing in the 1970s, especially in the U.S., England, and France, and depicting commonplace scenes or ordinary people, with a meticulously detailed realism, flat images, and barely discernible brushwork that suggests and often is based on or incorporates an actual photograph.

photorealism

/ ˌfəʊtəʊˈrɪəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. a style of painting and sculpture that depicts esp commonplace urban images with meticulously accurate detail

Derived Forms

• ˌphotoˈrealist, nounadjective

Other Words From

• photo·real·ist noun adjective
• photo·real·istic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of photorealism¹

First recorded in 1960–65; photo- + realism

Example Sentences

In the Met's production of "Grounded," a 2023 opera about a female fighter pilot who is forced by pregnancy to operate a drone remotely, the production team led by dramaturg Paul Cremo and producer Michael Mayer used projections to convey the surveillance of a drone, making a specific decision to avoid photorealism.

From Salon

“Bob came up at a time when many illustrators were influenced by Norman Rockwell’s techniques, so there was a certain photorealism,” Steven Heller, co-chair of the M.F.A. design department at the School of Visual Arts, said in a phone interview.

From New York Times

Following a series of canceled shows after he was accused of making inappropriate sexual comments to potential models, the late American painter Chuck Close, a master of photorealism, has a self-portrait on display at the Museum of Forbidden Art.

From Seattle Times

“I find observing birds changes how I draw them. Rather than attempt photorealism, I sketch as quickly as possible to capture the birdiness of my subject.”

From New York Times

"If you don't do that, it does not come across as photorealism," argues Mr Whitten.

From BBC