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
Les Vacances V
James Sparshatt
Photography - 100 x 116 x 2 cm Photography - 39.4 x 45.7 x 0.8 inch
€2,419
I want to break free - Green heart
Sagrasse
Sculpture - 35 x 35 x 6 cm Sculpture - 13.8 x 13.8 x 2.4 inch
€440
The last ice cream - Blue
Sagrasse
Sculpture - 30 x 11 x 11 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 4.3 x 4.3 inch
€350
Les Vacances IV
James Sparshatt
Photography - 100 x 116 x 2 cm Photography - 39.4 x 45.7 x 0.8 inch
€2,419
Les Vacances III
James Sparshatt
Photography - 100 x 116 x 2 cm Photography - 39.4 x 45.7 x 0.8 inch
€2,419
Les Vacances II
James Sparshatt
Photography - 100 x 116 x 2 cm Photography - 39.4 x 45.7 x 0.8 inch
€2,419
Les Vacances I
James Sparshatt
Photography - 100 x 116 x 2 cm Photography - 39.4 x 45.7 x 0.8 inch
€2,419
Corazon y alma
James Sparshatt
Photography - 40 x 50 x 1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
€850
Bayou dreaming
James Sparshatt
Photography - 60 x 85 x 0.1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 33.5 x 0 inch
€1,675
Bluesman on Beale
James Sparshatt
Photography - 40 x 50 x 1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
€825
Quartier de l'Albacin, Grenade
Yves Brayer
Painting - 19 x 24 x 2.5 cm Painting - 7.5 x 9.4 x 1 inch
€4,700
Spring amidst the beech
James Sparshatt
Photography - 60 x 85 x 0.1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 33.5 x 0 inch
€1,427
The house on the marsh
James Sparshatt
Photography - 60 x 85 x 0.1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 33.5 x 0 inch
€1,427
Frosted reeds
James Sparshatt
Photography - 60 x 85 x 0.1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 33.5 x 0 inch
€1,427
La dama de la plaza
James Sparshatt
Photography - 35 x 35 x 1 cm Photography - 13.8 x 13.8 x 0.4 inch
€862
La celebracion
James Sparshatt
Photography - 40 x 50 x 1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
€986
Self portrait #1
Cody Choi
Photography - 75 x 50 x 1.5 cm Photography - 29.5 x 19.7 x 0.6 inch
€3,722
The last ice cream-Violet
Sagrasse
Sculpture - 30 x 11 x 11 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 4.3 x 4.3 inch
€350