Oil Painting for Sale
Oil painting is a painting technique that involves mixing finely ground color pigments with a binding oil, typically linseed oil, though poppy seed oil is also used. Before applying the paint, the surface must be coated with a primer to ensure proper adhesion. This step is essential for the durability and versatility of the medium, allowing artists to paint on various surfaces such as wood, canvas, or metal.
The origins of oil painting trace back to the Middle Ages, but it was the Flemish painter Jan van Eyck who is often credited with refining the technique. His experiments led to new levels of transparency and depth in artworks, influencing other Flemish painters who helped spread the method. Oil painting soon replaced tempera, which relied on egg yolk as a binder, and became the dominant medium in European art.
During the 15th century, wooden panels gave way to stretched linen canvases mounted on frames, enabling artists to work on larger, more flexible surfaces. This transition, however, came with challenges, as oil paint contained toxic components and required skilled preparation. Despite this, the Renaissance saw a surge in its popularity, with Venetian painters like Titian and Flemish masters such as Rubens embracing the medium. Dutch painters, led by Rembrandt, further advanced oil painting techniques, making it a defining feature of Baroque and later artistic movements.
The 19th and 20th centuries cemented oil painting as the preferred medium for modern artists. Industrialization revolutionized its use, with the invention of pre-packaged paint tubes in France in 1840. This innovation played a key role in the emergence of Impressionism, allowing painters to work outdoors, capturing light and movement in ways never before possible. A century later, acrylic paint began to challenge oil painting due to its quick drying time and ease of use.
A fundamental rule in oil painting is the fat-over-lean principle, ensuring durability by applying layers with higher oil content over those with lower oil content. This method prevents cracking and enhances the painting's longevity. While traditional oil painting techniques continue to thrive, contemporary artists often experiment with unconventional approaches. Some painters leave the canvas unprimed to highlight its raw texture, while abstract artists such as Jackson Pollock abandoned classical methods altogether, using dripping techniques to create spontaneous, dynamic compositions.
Oil painting remains a cornerstone of the art world, with countless artists still using this historic technique to produce remarkable works. On Artsper, discover contemporary oil paintings by renowned artists such as Arman, Salvador Dalí, and Robert Combas, showcasing the timeless beauty and versatility of this celebrated medium.
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Des Signes dans la rue
László Mester de Parajd
Painting - 80 x 80 x 3 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 1.2 inch
€1,600
Les Calanques, encore une fois la mer
Gérard Ricard
Painting - 50 x 50 x 1 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
€1,100
BD Henry IV, Cadillac 1932
Henry Marcaillou
Painting - 60 x 30 x 4 cm Painting - 23.6 x 11.8 x 1.6 inch
€1,000
Músic, musa i noisette
Ramon Moscardó
Painting - 30 x 30 x 4 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1.6 inch
€950
The strong and the free
Eileen Murray
Painting - 51 x 61 x 4 cm Painting - 20.1 x 24 x 1.6 inch
€1,580
Winter Landscape with Sheep
Brian King
Painting - 39.9 x 59.9 x 2.5 cm Painting - 15.7 x 23.6 x 1 inch
€1,850
RYU Minja 1978 Monde Temples World Collection MMCA Museum Modern Contemporary Art Seoul
Min Ja Ryu
Painting - 51 x 43 x 1 cm Painting - 20.1 x 16.9 x 0.4 inch
€9,550
Landscape. Villa Borghese (Rome, Italy)
Giulio Turcato
Painting - 44 x 52 x 0.1 cm Painting - 17.3 x 20.5 x 0 inch
€19,000
Portrait Head 083 Pop - Italian School NSWE
Dario Moschetta
Painting - 80 x 60 x 3 cm Painting - 31.5 x 23.6 x 1.2 inch
€1,600
Portrait of leopard
Pierre-Yves Blasco
Painting - 80 x 60 x 3 cm Painting - 31.5 x 23.6 x 1.2 inch
€1,200
Ariel View, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Howard Danelowitz
Painting - 101.6 x 152.4 x 5.1 cm Painting - 40 x 60 x 2 inch
€20,051
Salle d'attente à l'hospice
Jörg Hermle
Painting - 33 x 46 x 3 cm Painting - 13 x 18.1 x 1.2 inch
€1,350
Into the valley
Ingegerd K Westin
Painting - 90 x 90 x 2 cm Painting - 35.4 x 35.4 x 0.8 inch
€4,400
La Ville des Chats
Carmen Carpena
Painting - 50.8 x 60.96 x 2 cm Painting - 20 x 24 x 0.8 inch
€2,800
Woman in red, triptych
Diana Fuchs
Painting - 80 x 180 x 3 cm Painting - 31.5 x 70.9 x 1.2 inch
€4,557
Words Out there AJ17
Angelina Davydova
Painting - 42 x 32 x 0.1 cm Painting - 16.5 x 12.6 x 0 inch
€1,650
Looking for inspiration
Anna Voronina
Painting - 100 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch
€1,458
Parchemin rouge
Benjamin II Vautier
Painting - 41 x 33 x 0.5 cm Painting - 16.1 x 13 x 0.2 inch
€921
Interwoven Existence: The Symphony of Nature and Humanity
Anastasya Lyulina
Painting - 90 x 120 x 2 cm Painting - 35.4 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch
€1,367 €1,230
Integration of Personality
Khachik Yeghikyan
Painting - 150 x 200 x 2 cm Painting - 59.1 x 78.7 x 0.8 inch
€4,800
Druid forests 11.7
Milly Martionou
Painting - 180 x 140 x 4 cm Painting - 70.9 x 55.1 x 1.6 inch
€27,500
Vis-à-vis et bas-fond
Christophe Vilar
Painting - 100 x 81 x 5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 31.9 x 2 inch
€5,000
Wild rose 1
Osimeh Godstand Ederibhalo
Painting - 101.6 x 106.7 x 2.5 cm Painting - 40 x 42 x 1 inch
€2,479
Bateau à marée basse 2
Gérard Desgranges
Painting - 54 x 73 x 4 cm Painting - 21.3 x 28.7 x 1.6 inch
€600
Woman with tied up
Ruperto Salvatierra Lazarte
Painting - 82 x 77 cm Painting - 32.3 x 30.3 inch
€1,250
Urban Scene with Bougainvillea
Shirley Padureanu
Painting - 70 x 100 x 25 cm Painting - 27.6 x 39.4 x 9.8 inch
€2,864
Monochrome 58
Leo Leo Vardanyan
Painting - 64 x 44 x 0.3 cm Painting - 25.2 x 17.3 x 0.1 inch
€1,449
Promenade avec mon chat sur les épaules
William Goliasch
Painting - 128 x 69 x 2 cm Painting - 50.4 x 27.2 x 0.8 inch
€1,997
Composition abstraite
Pinchas (Maryan) Burstein
Painting - 65 x 50 x 0.1 cm Painting - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€10,000
Reality Isn't What It Used To Be
Idorenyin Umana
Painting - 76.2 x 76.2 x 2.5 cm Painting - 30 x 30 x 1 inch
€1,366
Discover the styles & movements
Discover the selection of our experts
Méandres bleu et sable
Sophie Dumont
Painting - 60 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
€2,900
Parallel Universe/3
Viktoria Ganhao
Painting - 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch
€530
29 octobre 2019
Raymond Attanasio
Painting - 81 x 100 x 3 cm Painting - 31.9 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch
€2,000
Abstract Expression
Giorgio Lo Fermo
Painting - 37 x 27 x 0.5 cm Painting - 14.6 x 10.6 x 0.2 inch
€600
Geometrical shapes III
Aurélie Trabaud
Painting - 19 x 27 x 0.1 cm Painting - 7.5 x 10.6 x 0 inch
€580
Near the Gates of the Cathedral
Pavlenko Leonid
Painting - 65 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 25.6 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch
€690
Need help with Oil Painting for Sale ?
What is special about oil painting?
Oil painting allows for very efficient mixing of colors and tones. Due to its long drying time, it is possible to alter an oil painting days after the paint has been applied. Oil painting also allows for precision and a range of visual effects.
What's the difference between oil painting and acrylic?
Oil paint and acrylic paint are produced using different materials. While oil painting consists of pigments suspended in drying oils, acrylic paint is water-based. The main difference between the two is that acrylic paints can be thinned down with water, and dry faster than oil paints.
Is oil painting easier than watercolor?
It is easier to correct mistakes when working in oil paint as they are more opaque than watercolors and can be easily scraped off a surface.