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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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Painting, Envy, Emma Uber

Envy

Emma Uber

Painting - 10.2 x 10.2 x 5.1 cm Painting - 4 x 4 x 2 inch

€788

Painting, Sevilla, Claudia Coccina

Sevilla

Claudia Coccina

Painting - 40 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

€800

Painting, Out of Blue, David Kracov

Out of Blue

David Kracov

Painting - 64 x 68 x 30 cm Painting - 25.2 x 26.8 x 11.8 inch

€4,000

Painting, Living fancy, Diana Rosa

Living fancy

Diana Rosa

Painting - 76.2 x 121.9 x 5.1 cm Painting - 30 x 48 x 2 inch

€3,014

Painting, Water keeper, DB Waterman

Water keeper

DB Waterman

Painting - 119.9 x 89.9 x 4.1 cm Painting - 47.2 x 35.4 x 1.6 inch

€4,568

Painting, Nariz amarilla, Juan Mozos

Nariz amarilla

Juan Mozos

Painting - 120 x 120 x 3 cm Painting - 47.2 x 47.2 x 1.2 inch

€2,000

Painting, Stranger 1, Samuil Velev

Stranger 1

Samuil Velev

Painting - 70 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

€910

Painting, Ksenia, Igor Galan

Ksenia

Igor Galan

Painting - 90 x 30 x 2 cm Painting - 35.4 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

€2,400

Painting, Vallejo, Philippe Viejo

Vallejo

Philippe Viejo

Painting - 75 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 29.5 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

€2,200

Painting, Spring, Chaiyapong Hongtong

Spring

Chaiyapong Hongtong

Painting - 140 x 100 x 2 cm Painting - 55.1 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

€1,950

Painting, Boule à neige, Britt

Boule à neige

Britt

Painting - 60 x 50 x 1 cm Painting - 23.6 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

€1,000

Painting, Emprise, Roméo Temwa

Emprise

Roméo Temwa

Painting - 80 x 65 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 25.6 x 0.8 inch

€2,100

Painting, Regard 1, Evok

Regard 1

Evok

Painting - 100 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch

€1,200

Painting, Touro Preto, Philippe Dias

Touro Preto

Philippe Dias

Painting - 80 x 80 x 2.5 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 1 inch

€1,650 €1,485

Painting, Hayu, Roby Dwi Antono

Hayu

Roby Dwi Antono

Painting - 100.5 x 80.5 x 2.54 cm Painting - 39.6 x 31.7 x 1 inch

€73,730

Painting, Paseo, José Pirès

Paseo

José Pirès

Painting - 60 x 60 x 3 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 1.2 inch

€1,450

Painting, Sans-titre, Pascal Doury

Sans-titre

Pascal Doury

Painting - 114.5 x 10 x 1 cm Painting - 45.1 x 3.9 x 0.4 inch

€1,800

Painting, Winter night, Ewa Dura

Winter night

Ewa Dura

Painting - 30 x 21 x 1 cm Painting - 11.8 x 8.3 x 0.4 inch

€1,600

Painting, Fountain, Edo Kaaij

Fountain

Edo Kaaij

Painting - 130 x 110 x 4 cm Painting - 51.2 x 43.3 x 1.6 inch

€7,200

Painting, Summer, Ivan Afronskiy

Summer

Ivan Afronskiy

Painting - 40 x 50 x 3 cm Painting - 15.7 x 19.7 x 1.2 inch

€2,200

Painting, Citrus Glow, Anna Kober

Citrus Glow

Anna Kober

Painting - 70 x 70 x 2 cm Painting - 27.6 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch

€909

Painting, L'anonyme 1, Jean Le Gac

L'anonyme 1

Jean Le Gac

Painting - 49 x 58 x 0.1 cm Painting - 19.3 x 22.8 x 0 inch

€1,000

Painting, Jacques Brel, HMI

Jacques Brel

HMI

Painting - 100 x 80 x 4 cm Painting - 39.4 x 31.5 x 1.6 inch

€1,650

Painting, Untitled, David Whitfield

Untitled

David Whitfield

Painting - 70 x 50 x 3 cm Painting - 27.6 x 19.7 x 1.2 inch

€4,950

Painting, Spinario, Roman Durcek

Spinario

Roman Durcek

Painting - 25 x 20 x 1.5 cm Painting - 9.8 x 7.9 x 0.6 inch

€2,400

Painting, Shadowmaker, Ralph Verano

Shadowmaker

Ralph Verano

Painting - 66 x 55.9 x 0.8 cm Painting - 26 x 22 x 0.3 inch

€603

Painting, Smoke, Emilie Crépin

Smoke

Emilie Crépin

Painting - 70 x 70 x 2 cm Painting - 27.6 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch

€600

Painting, Crewmen, Nicholas Robertson

Crewmen

Nicholas Robertson

Painting - 80 x 54.6 x 0.5 cm Painting - 31.5 x 21.5 x 0.2 inch

€700

Painting, Avant, Anna Camille

Avant

Anna Camille

Painting - 43 x 28 x 3 cm Painting - 16.9 x 11 x 1.2 inch

€1,000

9/100

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Discover the selection of our experts

Painting, No Need To Hide, tizlu

No Need To Hide

tizlu

Painting - 40 x 40 x 1.5 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.6 inch

€1,180 €992

Fine Art Drawings, We Need You!, tizlu

We Need You!

tizlu

Fine Art Drawings - 60 x 40 x 1.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0.6 inch

€1,600 €1,440

Print, Untiteled, JM Robert

Untiteled

JM Robert

Print - 65 x 50 x 1 cm Print - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

€800

Painting, Balloon girl, Mr Brainwash

Balloon girl

Mr Brainwash

Painting - 76 x 56 x 1 cm Painting - 29.9 x 22 x 0.4 inch

€8,000

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.