photorealism

American  

[foh-toh-ree-uh-liz-uhm] / ˌfoʊ toʊˈri əˌlɪz əm /

Sometimes photo realism

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.

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photorealism British  

/ ˌfəʊtəʊˈrɪəˌlɪzəm /

noun

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

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Other Word Forms

• photorealist
  noun
• photorealistic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of photorealism

First recorded in 1960–65; photo- + realism

Example Sentences

Since most scenes occur in the forest glade, the artists at Pixar have created strikingly rendered settings which, while aiming for photorealism, also have a fantastical glow to them, highlighting the inherent magic of nature.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

“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 • Jul. 21, 2023

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

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2023

Mr. Gertsch’s mastery at photorealism also intertwined with a photojournalist’s sensibility of storytelling.

From Washington Post • Dec. 23, 2022

On the plus side, Linda was smart to go deliberately abstract here, shunning the attempted photorealism of her peers for something with a little more artistic licence.

From The Guardian • Sep. 23, 2020