![Painting, Serie noire, Didier Merlin](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2202568_1_grid.jpg)
Portrait Painting for Sale
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![Painting, Serie noire, Didier Merlin](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2202568_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Untitled (From People Series), Elene Melikidze](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2202428_1_grid.jpg)
Untitled (From People Series)
Elene Melikidze
Painting - 19 x 23.5 x 3 cm Painting - 7.5 x 9.3 x 1.2 inch
$201
![Painting, Guests, Elene Melikidze](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2202422_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Three, Elene Melikidze](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2202419_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, On the Boat, Elene Melikidze](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2202412_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Untitled 2, Elene Melikidze](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2199146_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Paradox2, Nicholas Robertson](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2186361_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Persephone, Nadia NL](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2185207_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, At Home, Nadia NL](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2185203_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, My New Indoor Plant, Nadia NL](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2185202_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Pandoras Jar (keeping Hope),, Nadia NL](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2185199_1_grid.jpg)
Pandoras Jar (keeping Hope),
Nadia NL
Painting - 61 x 48.3 x 1.3 cm Painting - 24 x 19 x 0.5 inch
$415
![Painting, Lush Garden, Nadia NL](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2185197_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Union of souls, Liana Asatryan](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2174693_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Love duo, Mathieu Questel](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2159866_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Pause musicale, Sylvie Eudes](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/933681_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Untitled, David Trajman](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2202542_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, J'ai le cafard, Arome](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2188373_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Retrato, Gabriela Loayza](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2188257_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Rien - série personnages, Eric Stein](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1378923_1_grid.jpg)
Rien - série personnages
Eric Stein
Painting - 70 x 70 x 4 cm Painting - 27.6 x 27.6 x 1.6 inch
$951
![Painting, Self Love, Poonam Choudhary](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/854388_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Marie, Ghislaine Ferreira](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/704808_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Sans titre, Samuel Bloch](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2198290_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Sans titre, Mohammad Ariyaei](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2187626_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, The blue hand, Dominique Dève](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2187601_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Tayssy, Sébastien Allart](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2158084_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Variations sur l'introportrait, David Jamin](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2141029_1_grid.jpg)
Variations sur l'introportrait
David Jamin
Painting - 116 x 89 x 2 cm Painting - 45.7 x 35 x 0.8 inch
$3,803
![Painting, Sitting Pretty, Zena Blackwell](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1527285_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Chaleur, Aurore Amberny](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1235403_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Blonde Brune Rousse, Ghislaine Ferreira](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/111727_1_grid.jpg)
Blonde Brune Rousse
Ghislaine Ferreira
Painting - 115 x 89 x 2 cm Painting - 45.3 x 35 x 0.8 inch
$1,376
![Painting, T33 - Vénézuelien, Martin](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/37650_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Lotta, Mary Noga](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2208694_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, The heart, Mary Noga](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2208693_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Hello You, Celio Koko](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2203270_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, The Veil #8, Elisa Bonotti](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2203063_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Fill your eyes, Isabelle Scheltjens](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2201919_1_grid.jpg)
Fill your eyes
Isabelle Scheltjens
Painting - 150 x 112 x 4 cm Painting - 59.1 x 44.1 x 1.6 inch
$21,810
![Painting, Break the silence, Isabelle Scheltjens](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2201918_1_grid.jpg)
Break the silence
Isabelle Scheltjens
Painting - 144 x 112 x 4.5 cm Painting - 56.7 x 44.1 x 1.8 inch
$21,810
![Painting, Hali, Isabelle Scheltjens](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2201917_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Summer in La Baule VI - Sun Bathing LA french school artist basel, Bazévian Delacapucinière](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2199385_1_grid.jpg)
Summer in La Baule VI - Sun Bathing LA french school artist basel
Bazévian Delacapucinière
Painting - 30 x 30 x 3.5 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1.4 inch
$503
![Painting, Summer in La Baule V - LA french school artist basel, Bazévian Delacapucinière](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2199384_1_grid.jpg)
Summer in La Baule V - LA french school artist basel
Bazévian Delacapucinière
Painting - 30 x 30 x 3.5 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1.4 inch
$503
![Painting, Refracted Visage 3, Niall Pickvance](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2197056_1_grid.jpg)
Refracted Visage 3
Niall Pickvance
Painting - 80 x 60 x 3 cm Painting - 31.5 x 23.6 x 1.2 inch
$2,405
![Painting, Refracted Visage 2, Niall Pickvance](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2197055_1_grid.jpg)
Refracted Visage 2
Niall Pickvance
Painting - 80 x 60 x 3 cm Painting - 31.5 x 23.6 x 1.2 inch
$2,405
![Painting, Tête de pote, MAM](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2194285_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Game, Juan-Manuel Pajares](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2190363_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Sobriety, Stephen Nadja](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2190023_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Shanti, Stephen Nadja](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2190022_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Weronika, Stephen Nadja](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2190020_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Justyna, Stephen Nadja](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2190019_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Madonna, Maria Trattner](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2189700_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Too many questions, Gillian Brin](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2188440_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Face, Timon Kai Jonathan](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2187059_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Stranger, Timon Kai Jonathan](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2187057_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Future., Painting, Oil on Canvas, canvas art, stretched, Karina Antonczak](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1771086_1_grid.jpg)
Future., Painting, Oil on Canvas, canvas art, stretched
Karina Antonczak
Painting - 70.1 x 100.1 x 2.5 cm Painting - 27.6 x 39.4 x 1 inch
$1,260
![Painting, Ultraviolence, RIV](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1483572_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Les Pieds dans les nuages, Francine Van Hove](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1472877_1_grid.jpg)
Les Pieds dans les nuages
Francine Van Hove
Painting - 89 x 116 cm Painting - 35 x 45.7 inch
$26,060
![Painting, Elvis Presley, Martin](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/132925_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Mon ami le chat, Albena Vatcheva](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2213606_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, La muse, Albena Vatcheva](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2213602_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, La muse, Albena Vatcheva](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2213138_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Couple, Albena Vatcheva](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2212994_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Overthink: je m'écris, Marie-Chloé Duval](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2194258_1_grid.jpg)
Overthink: je m'écris
Marie-Chloé Duval
Painting - 101.6 x 152.4 x 2.5 cm Painting - 40 x 60 x 1 inch
$3,450
![Painting, A l’Ecoute, Michel Probst](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2190930_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Évolution, Michel Probst](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2190925_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Fourure, Eric Doisy](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2187401_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Mujer rojo y azul, José Ramón Lozano](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2183458_1_grid.jpg)
Mujer rojo y azul
José Ramón Lozano
Painting - 60 x 70 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch
$3,579
![Painting, Working day, David Jamin](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2144990_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Sheep, Menashe Kadishman](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2016390_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Sheep, Menashe Kadishman](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1963512_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Mother's love, Liana Asatryan](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1882659_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Variations en bleu sur fond noir, David Jamin](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1330911_1_grid.jpg)
Variations en bleu sur fond noir
David Jamin
Painting - 80 x 80 x 2.5 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 1 inch
$2,796 $2,349
![Painting, Conversation II, Wissam Beydoun](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1149456_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Félicité, Irene Mahon](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1122756_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Baptême, Michaël Brack](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/684390_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Late Night V, Ruslana Levandovska](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2209984_1_grid.jpg)
Late Night V
Ruslana Levandovska
Painting - 50.8 x 61 x 1.9 cm Painting - 20 x 24 x 0.75 inch
$6,000
![Painting, Queen Elizabeth II, Arnaud Dromigny](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2203570_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Prudence, Yining Zhao](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2203334_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Tatiana, Yining Zhao](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2203319_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, La tricoteuse, Moreno Pincas](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2198533_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, L'enturbannée, Moreno Pincas](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2198532_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, La danseuse, Moreno Pincas](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2198529_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, If you could read my mind, Vikki Drummond](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2196593_1_grid.jpg)
If you could read my mind
Vikki Drummond
Painting - 51 x 51 x 4 cm Painting - 20.1 x 20.1 x 1.6 inch
$537
![Painting, The daydreamer, Vikki Drummond](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2196592_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, The peek, Vikki Drummond](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2196591_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Tant qu'il y aura des fleurs, David Jamin](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2166242_1_grid.jpg)
Tant qu'il y aura des fleurs
David Jamin
Painting - 30 x 30 x 2.5 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1 inch
$749
![Painting, Angela con vestido, Enrique Pichardo](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2160446_1_grid.jpg)
Angela con vestido
Enrique Pichardo
Painting - 150 x 100 x 1 cm Painting - 59.1 x 39.4 x 0.4 inch
$2,927
![Painting, Sofía con guantes, Enrique Pichardo](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2160109_1_grid.jpg)
Sofía con guantes
Enrique Pichardo
Painting - 150 x 100 x 1 cm Painting - 59.1 x 39.4 x 0.4 inch
$2,927
![Painting, Shopping, David Jamin](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2107050_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Retrato en fondo rojo, Enrique Pichardo](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2005617_1_grid.jpg)
Retrato en fondo rojo
Enrique Pichardo
Painting - 200 x 130 x 5 cm Painting - 78.7 x 51.2 x 2 inch
$5,162
![Painting, Retrato en fondo azul, Enrique Pichardo](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2005614_1_grid.jpg)
Retrato en fondo azul
Enrique Pichardo
Painting - 180 x 130 x 5 cm Painting - 70.9 x 51.2 x 2 inch
$4,646
![Painting, Our Situation Shouldn't Define Us, Emmanuel Ojebola](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1739457_1_grid.jpg)
Our Situation Shouldn't Define Us
Emmanuel Ojebola
Painting - 152.4 x 121.9 x 2.5 cm Painting - 60 x 48 x 1 inch
$5,600
![Painting, Liberté de penser, Cécile Desserle](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1458726_1_grid.jpg)
Liberté de penser
Cécile Desserle
Painting - 70 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
$2,013
![Painting, Robe dentelle, Cécile Duchêne-Malissin](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/646551_1_grid.jpg)
Robe dentelle
Cécile Duchêne-Malissin
Painting - 81 x 68 x 3 cm Painting - 31.9 x 26.8 x 1.2 inch
$1,678
![Painting, Structure de la folie II, Julie Ruelle](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2209566_1_grid.jpg)
Structure de la folie II
Julie Ruelle
Painting - 116 x 75 x 3 cm Painting - 45.7 x 29.5 x 1.2 inch
$2,796
![Painting, Structure de la folie, Julie Ruelle](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2209445_1_grid.jpg)
Structure de la folie
Julie Ruelle
Painting - 116 x 75 x 3 cm Painting - 45.7 x 29.5 x 1.2 inch
$2,796
Discover the styles & movements
Discover the selection of our experts
Portrait Painting for Sale
Portraiture is one of the most important subjects in painting. The discipline has changed significantly over time and has a fascinating history.
In antiquity, portraits were exclusively reserved for gods and the most influential people in society. Paintings and statues representing the bodies of the deceased were erected to decorate tombs in Egypt. They weren't realistic but rather had a very standardized way of representing each part of the body.
In contrast to the Egyptians, painters and sculptors in Greece, who had a more in depth knowledge of the human anatomy, were more concerned about realism. Many portrait paintings from this period were done on vases and depicted gods and mythological scenes.
In the Middle Ages, most portraits paintings were commissioned and featuring the most important people of the time; they were painted into religious scenes to emphasize their piety and faith, along with their social status. Once these works of art had been painted, they were often donated to churches and monasteries.
The Renaissance marked a renewal for the arts and portrait painting was no exception. At the beginning of this period, artists were unconcerned about lifelike, realistic work. Sitters or the subjects represented were identifiable through the use of symbolic objects and the inclusion of their name.
Giotto revolutionized portraiture by imitating sculpture. He began to paint shadows, the subjects' expressions, effects of depth and began to use foreshortening. His knowledge soon began to spread.
Brunelleschi then introduced the idea of perspective in architecture, a concept which Masaccio adapted to painting. Italy became the center of portrait painting and the most important Italian families (including the Médici family) commissioned artwork by the best painters. Competition between these painters led them to innovate and led them to produce some of the greatest artworks in history. The most famous is undoubtedly the Mona Lisa by Leonardo de Vinci.
In Northern Europe during the 16th century, Flemish art was restricted by iconoclasm during the Reformation, a period during the depiction of religious figures was banned. Artists turned to courtly art which was particularly popular during the following centuries. A century earlier, Flemish art had marked a turning point with Jan Van Eyck, the inventor of oil painting (the preferred painting technique of Renaissance painters) and master of detailed realism, who influenced an entire generation of Flemish painters.
Over the following centuries, portrait painting continued to be an art form for the elite of society, but painters grew increasingly concerned about depicting realistic figures and communicating the sitter's inner world and emotions. The 20th century saw a growing trend: subjects were not painted to look beautiful (sometimes to their great dismay).
At the end of the 19th century, Impressionist painters became less reliant on sculpted models and sculpture's influence. They left their studios and painted portraits outside, “en plein air." They captured the light as they saw it and painted groups of people together rather than in in several stages.
Modern and contemporary art of the 20th century saw anything go when it came to portraits. Artists like Gustav Klimt, Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin and Lucien Freud turned traditional techniques and codified rules on their heads and developed their own unique styles.
Discover portraits by Philippe Pasqua, Robert Combas, Guangyu Dai and Erró on Artsper.
A portrait painting is a painted artwork that depicts a person. A portrait painting usually depicts the upper body of a sitter, for example from the shoulders up.
A portrait can be created in various different art styles and forms, including sculpture, painting and drawing.
A portrait can be considered a good work of art for a variety of reasons, including its handling of light, tone and color, its likeness to the person it represents, or its expression of emotion.