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.
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Schnappschuss 1706
Baurjan Aralov
Painting - 70 x 50 x 3 cm Painting - 27.6 x 19.7 x 1.2 inch
$1,431
A Girl with Chanel Earring
Sahara
Painting - 125 x 100 x 2 cm Painting - 49.2 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch
$656 $380
Yellow flowers
Irina Bast
Painting - 80 x 100 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch
$1,500 $1,425
The Journey of a Lifetime
Malwina Jagora
Painting - 80 x 120 x 1 cm Painting - 31.5 x 47.2 x 0.4 inch
$3,874
Woman Hiking up her Dress
Christian Frederiksen
Painting - 40 x 25 x 0.1 cm Painting - 15.7 x 9.8 x 0 inch
$1,121
Paris, Moulin Rouge La Goulue
Aimé Venel
Painting - 50 x 65 x 0.2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 25.6 x 0.1 inch
$1,788
When the world is in your hands
MKate
Painting - 45 x 35 x 2 cm Painting - 17.7 x 13.8 x 0.8 inch
$700
Illuminating Hope
Roseleen Labazacchy
Painting - 66 x 50.8 x 2.5 cm Painting - 26 x 20 x 1 inch
$2,250
Girl at the table
Butkovsky Nikolai
Painting - 40 x 35 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 13.8 x 0.8 inch
$787
Dues noies assegudes i gran flor
Jordi Traperho
Painting - 61 x 50 cm Painting - 24 x 19.7 inch
$1,133
Framed Color Face II
Jens-Christian Wittig
Painting - 50.8 x 50.8 x 2.5 cm Painting - 20 x 20 x 1 inch
$4,500
Les petites variations n°30 bis
Daniela Meza Sigala
Painting - 10.5 x 8.5 x 0.5 cm Painting - 4.1 x 3.3 x 0.2 inch
$715
Embrace the Stillness
Alexandra Beshko
Painting - 25 x 25 x 2 cm Painting - 9.8 x 9.8 x 0.8 inch
$750
Exoplanet #39 (Portrait of a Pupil) (Abduction)
Barbara Fragogna
Painting - 50 x 45 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 17.7 x 0.8 inch
$2,861
Femme au tuyau - série portrait de femme
Karine Azoulay (1kazou)
Painting - 90 x 90 x 2 cm Painting - 35.4 x 35.4 x 0.8 inch
$1,788
When Silence Dances - 21st Century, Figurative, African, Women, Body Writing
Jethro King Oluwatosin
Painting - 121.9 x 91.4 x 2.5 cm Painting - 48 x 36 x 1 inch
$1,850
Selfportrait Blue
Valentine Dardel
Painting - 120 x 80 x 6 cm Painting - 47.2 x 31.5 x 2.4 inch
$2,790
Big Doll, Orient Express, LV Tribute
Rachel Bergeret
Painting - 150 x 93 x 3 cm Painting - 59.1 x 36.6 x 1.2 inch
$22,054
French Cancan / Moulin Rouge
Patricia Molinaro
Painting - 120 x 160 x 2 cm Painting - 47.2 x 63 x 0.8 inch
$5,007
Beyond This Earth (Life Within) - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Nature
Gbelekale Azeez
Painting - 73.7 x 88.9 x 2.5 cm Painting - 29 x 35 x 1 inch
$2,450
Fur coat by Yves Salomon
Yulia Belasla
Painting - 120 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 47.2 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch
$3,000 $2,700
Beauty For Ashes -21st Century
Iyiola Odunayo
Painting - 91.4 x 61 x 2.5 cm Painting - 36 x 24 x 1 inch
$2,250
Portrait of a personality
Alexander Lazarkov
Painting - 60 x 50 x 2.3 cm Painting - 23.6 x 19.7 x 0.9 inch
$1,931
Massavo the Makokean 2
Lazarus Massavo
Painting - 101.6 x 76.2 x 2.5 cm Painting - 40 x 30 x 1 inch
$2,000
4 Orchestres
Pierre-François Grimaldi
Painting - 60 x 60 x 4 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 1.6 inch
$4,530
Oris 4 (série de 40 têtes)
Kevin-Ademola Sangosanya
Painting - 49 x 33 cm Painting - 19.3 x 13 inch
$1,788
La ciudad de los condenados
Victor Coll
Painting - 116 x 89 x 2 cm Painting - 45.7 x 35 x 0.8 inch
$1,788
La fille de Kazan - Portrait de femme
Anthony Shagan
Painting - 61 x 46 x 4 cm Painting - 24 x 18.1 x 1.6 inch
$2,325
Sisters in Harmony -21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa Women
Sola Ojo
Painting - 88.9 x 76.2 x 2.5 cm Painting - 35 x 30 x 1 inch
$1,950
Look And Sanity (Beautiful Representation)
Abdulateef Salaudeen
Painting - 91.4 x 91.4 x 2.5 cm Painting - 36 x 36 x 1 inch
$2,350
Jojo la croqueuse d'hommes
Annick Bonnet Dupeyron
Painting - 65 x 54 x 2 cm Painting - 25.6 x 21.3 x 0.8 inch
$715
While I Wait 1 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Women, Love
Olaniyi Timothy
Painting - 91.4 x 61 x 2.5 cm Painting - 36 x 24 x 1 inch
$1,850
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L'esprit Déchaîné (hand-painted)
tizlu
Painting - 50 x 35 x 2.2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 13.8 x 0.9 inch
$1,764
Top Elite Faschions
Shepard Fairey (Obey)
Print - 61 x 46 x 0.2 cm Print - 24 x 18.1 x 0.1 inch
$656
Degas Danseur de Ballet
Martín Duque
Sculpture - 44 x 16 x 20 cm Sculpture - 17.3 x 6.3 x 7.9 inch
$1,168
Maiko in Springtime Kyoto
Takashi Murakami
Print - 50 x 50 x 0.1 cm Print - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0 inch
$2,896
Love and Flowers - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa, Women
Taiwo Odejinmi
Painting - 91.4 x 61 x 2.5 cm Painting - 36 x 24 x 1 inch
$2,450
Need help with Portrait Painting for Sale ?
What is meant by portrait painting?
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.
What art style is a portrait?
A portrait can be created in various different art styles and forms, including sculpture, painting and drawing.
What makes a good portrait?
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.