This page is about realism in art, philosophy, and politics. For only the political theory, see
Realism theory.
The Stone Breakers was a painting by
Gustave Courbet, done in 1849. It was lost in a fire, in 1945.
Realism is a way of portraying or thinking about reality. The word "realism" is used in many liberal arts in many different ways (such as in music, painting, and philosophy). It usually means trying to be true to reality. This is where the word "realistic" comes from. Realism is usually seen as an opposite of romanticism and idealism. It is also sometimes seen as an opposite of liberalism and classicism. It is used mainly to describe the way that some artists treat making art. These artists try to focus on the world as it really is, without unrealistic or supernatural ideas.