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 PasquaRobert CombasGuangyu Dai and Erró on Artsper.

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Painting, Johhny Depp, Tonny Baars

Johhny Depp

Tonny Baars

Painting - 120 x 80 cm Painting - 47.2 x 31.5 inch

€7,950

Painting, Tendresse, Vincent Magni

Tendresse

Vincent Magni

Painting - 150 x 110 x 2 cm Painting - 59.1 x 43.3 x 0.8 inch

€7,500

Painting, Study, Justin Liam O'Brien

Study

Justin Liam O'Brien

Painting - 30.48 x 22.86 x 2 cm Painting - 12 x 9 x 0.8 inch

€18,548

Painting, Frida&co, Lucie Emmanuelle

Frida&co

Lucie Emmanuelle

Painting - 100 x 60 x 2.5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 23.6 x 1 inch

€1,050

Painting, the last punk, Snach-ka

the last punk

Snach-ka

Painting - 180 x 180 x 4.5 cm Painting - 70.9 x 70.9 x 1.8 inch

€9,700

Painting, Frank, Garry Anderson

Frank

Garry Anderson

Painting - 30 x 20 cm Painting - 11.8 x 7.9 inch

€10,000

Painting, Isadora, Van Belle

Isadora

Van Belle

Painting - 80 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch

€3,900

Painting, Vuitton Forever, DAZ

Vuitton Forever

DAZ

Painting - 79 x 71 x 1 cm Painting - 31.1 x 28 x 0.4 inch

€2,600

Painting, African Woman(Pink), N. Gail

African Woman(Pink)

N. Gail

Painting - 160 x 140 x 4 cm Painting - 63 x 55.1 x 1.6 inch

€3,550 €2,840

Painting, Natural spirit, La Face

Natural spirit

La Face

Painting - 81 x 116 x 2 cm Painting - 31.9 x 45.7 x 0.8 inch

€11,000

Painting, Face, Konstantinos Tsachas

Face

Konstantinos Tsachas

Painting - 43.5 x 50 x 2.2 cm Painting - 17.1 x 19.7 x 0.9 inch

€1,600

Painting, Lea, Claudia Kaka

Lea

Claudia Kaka

Painting - 90 x 80 cm Painting - 35.4 x 31.5 inch

€2,300

Painting, To be Queen, Paco Roum

To be Queen

Paco Roum

Painting - 100 x 100 x 3 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch

€4,955

Painting, Anas, Yasmina Nysten

Anas

Yasmina Nysten

Painting - 160 x 160 x 4 cm Painting - 63 x 63 x 1.6 inch

€8,000

Painting, Tres Marie, Astolfo Funes

Tres Marie

Astolfo Funes

Painting - 90 x 147 x 4 cm Painting - 35.4 x 57.9 x 1.6 inch

€4,200

Painting, Red Thread#3, Eunjoo Kim

Red Thread#3

Eunjoo Kim

Painting - 33.4 x 24.2 x 5 cm Painting - 13.1 x 9.5 x 2 inch

€750

Painting, Trâman, Dje Ozval

Trâman

Dje Ozval

Painting - 80 x 80 x 1 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 0.4 inch

€695

Painting, Untitled, Sara Shamma

Untitled

Sara Shamma

Painting - 120 x 100 x 4 cm Painting - 47.2 x 39.4 x 1.6 inch

€14,000

Painting, Tong Story, Christian Guy

Tong Story

Christian Guy

Painting - 90 x 70 x 2.5 cm Painting - 35.4 x 27.6 x 1 inch

€3,100

Painting, Devil wears prada, ProArtX

Devil wears prada

ProArtX

Painting - 124.5 x 100 x 2 cm Painting - 49 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

€3,950

Painting, Mum, Ambi

Mum

Ambi

Painting - 100 x 170 x 3 cm Painting - 39.4 x 66.9 x 1.2 inch

€5,900

Painting, L'amour, Kevin Yrin

L'amour

Kevin Yrin

Painting - 119 x 105 x 3 cm Painting - 46.9 x 41.3 x 1.2 inch

€2,950

Painting, Icon Betty, Tommy

Icon Betty

Tommy

Painting - 45 x 30 x 1 cm Painting - 17.7 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

€2,400

Painting, Janie, C. Leg

Janie

C. Leg

Painting - 90 x 90 x 4 cm Painting - 35.4 x 35.4 x 1.6 inch

€2,800

Painting, Les Chapeaux, Anna Wode

Les Chapeaux

Anna Wode

Painting - 50 x 100 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

€8,000

Painting, Désignée, Royal Izbrina

Désignée

Royal Izbrina

Painting - 76.2 x 76.2 x 3 cm Painting - 30 x 30 x 1.2 inch

€6,850

Painting, Zenn zan, Froget Gael

Zenn zan

Froget Gael

Painting - 100 x 100 x 3.5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 1.4 inch

€3,370

Painting, She, Constanza Mulder

She

Constanza Mulder

Painting - 100 x 120 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch

€4,500

Painting, Sirvienta, Helí García

Sirvienta

Helí García

Painting - 97 x 146 x 2 cm Painting - 38.2 x 57.5 x 0.8 inch

€4,650

Painting, Louiza, Inès Ivanovitch

Louiza

Inès Ivanovitch

Painting - 29 x 21.5 x 0.1 cm Painting - 11.4 x 8.5 x 0 inch

€230

Painting, Shape of pebbles, Akie Abe

Shape of pebbles

Akie Abe

Painting - 22.8 x 15.9 x 3 cm Painting - 9 x 6.3 x 1.2 inch

€122

Painting, Sans titre, Moshi Moshi

Sans titre

Moshi Moshi

Painting - 100 x 160 x 2.5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 63 x 1 inch

€2,500

Painting, Divine Code, Blanca Plata

Divine Code

Blanca Plata

Painting - 76 x 61 x 3 cm Painting - 29.9 x 24 x 1.2 inch

€5,800

Painting, Still Nature, Anna Witek

Still Nature

Anna Witek

Painting - 100 x 60 x 1 cm Painting - 39.4 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch

€2,995

Painting, Angst, Ciprian Mihailescu

Angst

Ciprian Mihailescu

Painting - 60 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch

€3,000

Painting, Museum, Slav Nedev

Museum

Slav Nedev

Painting - 59.9 x 136.9 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 53.9 x 0.8 inch

€5,101

Painting, 2007, Berto

2007

Berto

Painting - 100 x 100 x 5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 2 inch

€5,000

Painting, Rehma, Kavi

Rehma

Kavi

Painting - 91 x 61 x 2 cm Painting - 35.8 x 24 x 0.8 inch

€5,850

Painting, Stuckpixel II, Natja Jander

Stuckpixel II

Natja Jander

Painting - 125 x 125 x 6.1 cm Painting - 49.2 x 49.2 x 2.4 inch

€6,019

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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.