Black and White Portraits
The allure of black and white. Color can articulate reality and reflect realism, but taking it away focuses on contrast and the use of monochromatic tone to set an atmosphere that draws the viewer in. This increase in impact has been harnessed by photographers since the first successful black and white images were taken by Joseph Nicephore Niepce in the early 19th century, leading to further success in 1825 when he managed to produce a black and white image of a window. Naturally colored photographs would not be developed until 1891 when Lipmann Gabriel applied the phenomenon of optical light wave interface. And yet, the black and white photograph continued, particularly in portraiture. Why? Practically, black and white photographs have a longer archival shelf-life but artistically, color isn't needed to capture the emotion, depth, expression and indeed reality through dramatic tone and contrast of the figure in front of the lens. You only need to recant Dorothea Lange's widely circulated Migrant Mother (1936) to see how a single black and white portrait can become a symbol of plight. In our works, artists like Maud Bernos and James Sparshatt favor portraits devoid of color… portraits that draw you the viewer in and leave you to fall into their enduring monochromatic depths.
Save your search and find it in your favorites
Save your search to find it quickly
Saved search
Your search is accessible from the favorites tab > My favorite searches
Unsaved search
A problem occurred
Le repos des cavaliers sur la plage
Yves Brayer
Print - 49.5 x 64.5 cm Print - 19.5 x 25.4 inch
€300
Above the clouds #5
Cody Choi
Photography - 50.8 x 76.2 x 0.1 cm Photography - 20 x 30 x 0 inch
€616
Above the clouds #4
Cody Choi
Photography - 50.8 x 76.2 x 0.1 cm Photography - 20 x 30 x 0 inch
€616
La Paix
Hom Nguyen
Fine Art Drawings - 80 x 60 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch
€11,900
Méditation senteur d'eau
Sounya Whang
Painting - 75 x 84 x 0.1 cm Painting - 29.5 x 33.1 x 0 inch
€550
Méditation paysage neige
Sounya Whang
Painting - 49 x 34 x 0.1 cm Painting - 19.3 x 13.4 x 0 inch
€290
Homme linge 6 Petit prince
Sounya Whang
Painting - 80 x 60 x 0.1 cm Painting - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0 inch
€570
Sans titre (Un poème dans chaque livre Paul Eluard) Ref BDNW2916
Alberto Giacometti
Print - 44.5 x 32.5 cm Print - 17.5 x 12.8 inch
€9,500
Kid
Hom Nguyen
Fine Art Drawings - 80 x 60 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch
€12,900
Simone Veil
Hom Nguyen
Fine Art Drawings - 80 x 60 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
€12,900
Pulchrum foruM - Format M
Louis Blanc
Photography - 50 x 50 x 1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
€900
Pêcheur de rêve et son chat 38
Sounya Whang
Painting - 30 x 40 x 0.1 cm Painting - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0 inch
€235
Traces et signes illumination
Sounya Whang
Painting - 65 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
€395
Traces et signes illumination
Sounya Whang
Painting - 65 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
€395
Traces et signes illumination
Sounya Whang
Painting - 65 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
€395
Pêcheur de rêve et son chat 42
Sounya Whang
Painting - 30 x 40 x 0.1 cm Painting - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0 inch
€235
Pêcheur de rêve et son chat 44
Sounya Whang
Painting - 30 x 40 x 0.1 cm Painting - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0 inch
€235
Traces et signes illumination
Sounya Whang
Painting - 30 x 40 x 0.1 cm Painting - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0 inch
€235
Pêcheur de rêve et son chat 39
Sounya Whang
Painting - 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch
€235
Traces et signes illumination
Sounya Whang
Painting - 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch
€235
Traces et signes illumination
Sounya Whang
Painting - 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch
€235
Traces et signes illumination
Sounya Whang
Painting - 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch
€235
Traces et signes illumination
Sounya Whang
Painting - 30 x 40 x 0.1 cm Painting - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0 inch
€235
