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Portrait Photography for Sale

In the 1830s, Nièpce discovered the process for setting images onto pewter plates. In 1833, upon Nièpce's death, Louis Daguerre and François Arago continued his experiments and invented the daguerreotype, a process which created a printed image on a silver plate that had been exposed to light. Photography was born.

Similarly to how portrait painting had dominated artistic output in previous centuries, portrait photography was to become the pillar of the Second French Empire's photographic industry. Lenses with a shorter focal length, which enabled reduced exposure times, gradually appear on the market. The required equipment was expensive and difficult to handle. Some photographers, called daguerreotypists, decided to open their own photography studios to make a profit from their endeavours. The daguerreotype process was temperamental, and photographers had to take their pictures with great precision and attention to detail. They welcomed many people into their studios and customers choose how they wished to be photographed from catalogue of poses. Originally only accessible to the bourgeoisie, lower prices resulting from the growing number of studios eventually attracted a wider customer base. This phenomenon infuriated the poet Charles Baudelaire who was frustrated by the sense of narcissism sparked by the daguerreotypists.

Despite his protests, the egotistical trend only grew with the emergence of 'carte de visite' portraits (small photographs, the size of today's business cards). These were the brainchild of Adolphe Eugène Disdéri came up with the idea of producing portraits akin to visiting cards in 1859. He printed eight portraits in a variety of poses onto a single plate and once developed they could be cut up into eight distinct “visiting cards". Very popular with the bourgeoisie, they highlighted the sitters' social status. 'Carte de visite' portraits featuring celebrities were also sold to customers, who could subsequently add them to their albums.

The photographer Nadar was one of the first to demonstrate a conscious artistic approach to producing these portraits. He emphasised facial expressions and ensured the sitter was comfortable and at ease before taking the photograph. He photographed the era's greatest thinkers and artists, including Honoré de Balzac, George Sand, and Victor Hugo. He even managed to reconcile Baudelaire with portraiture.

At the end of the 19th century, the art of photography started to enter the mainstream, with the arrival of the Kodak company. The use of the camera, and the taking of portraits, became everyday occurrences. A century later, it was the invention of the digital camera which challenged the status quo. Whereas before alterations could only be made to photographs when they were being taken or developed, with the digital camera editing became easier, quicker and more convenient. Digital photography has given photographers much more freedom when it comes to editing and new methods and techniques are constantly being explored.

Some of the photographers who have left their mark on the last century include: Cindy Sherman, who excelled in self-portraits, Annie Leibovitz, who captured celebrities, the wacky duo, Pierre and Gilles, as well as Diane Arbus, Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton and Bettina Rheims.

So, do portraits help us to learn more about each other, to remember, to invent, to act, or to reconnect with ourselves? Find out on Artsper, by exploring the works of Formento & Formento, Naomi Vona, Ahmed Bennani, Chou Ching Hui, Samuel Cueto, Brno del Zou, Ren Hang, Markus + Indrani, Jerome Liebling as well as Annina Roescheisen.

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Photography, Others, Héléna Palazzi

Others

Héléna Palazzi

Photography - 89 x 71 x 0.1 cm Photography - 35 x 28 x 0 inch

€900

Photography, Skull, Cyrille Charro

Skull

Cyrille Charro

Photography - 30 x 30 x 1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

€500

Photography, Le guide, Gérard Rancinan

Le guide

Gérard Rancinan

Photography - 125 x 125 x 1.5 cm Photography - 49.2 x 49.2 x 0.6 inch

€20,000

Photography, Bard, Marcin Weron

Bard

Marcin Weron

Photography - 45.7 x 40.6 cm Photography - 18 x 16 inch

€800

Photography, No title, Philippe Pasqua

No title

Philippe Pasqua

Photography - 200 x 156 x 1 cm Photography - 78.7 x 61.4 x 0.4 inch

€15,000

Photography, DeliRiUs, Louis Blanc

DeliRiUs

Louis Blanc

Photography - 70 x 70 x 0.1 cm Photography - 27.6 x 27.6 x 0 inch

€1,750

Photography, The Dreamer, Maria Semmer

The Dreamer

Maria Semmer

Photography - 60 x 90 cm Photography - 23.6 x 35.4 inch

€1,900

Photography, Square Dance, Art Grafts

Square Dance

Art Grafts

Photography - 50.8 x 40.6 cm Photography - 20 x 16 inch

€600

Photography, Black Oil 2, Andrea Zvadova

Black Oil 2

Andrea Zvadova

Photography - 64 x 49 x 0.1 cm Photography - 25.2 x 19.3 x 0 inch

€700

Photography, N 3, Carlotta Baldazzi

N 3

Carlotta Baldazzi

Photography - 60 x 40 x 0.3 cm Photography - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch

€560

Photography, Kilian, Alexis Berg

Kilian

Alexis Berg

Photography - 30 x 30 cm Photography - 11.8 x 11.8 inch

€530

Photography, Dolce Vita, Yves Hayat

Dolce Vita

Yves Hayat

Photography - 24 x 36 cm Photography - 9.4 x 14.2 inch

€2,200

Photography, Touch me I, Jiayi Yu

Touch me I

Jiayi Yu

Photography - 30 x 42 x 0.3 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0.1 inch

€600 €570

Photography, Cowboy, Stuart Redler

Cowboy

Stuart Redler

Photography - 122 x 88 x 0.1 cm Photography - 48 x 34.6 x 0 inch

€2,660

Photography, Nuit rouge, Philippe Martins

Nuit rouge

Philippe Martins

Photography - 90 x 90 x 0.5 cm Photography - 35.4 x 35.4 x 0.2 inch

€850

Photography, Autoportrait, Jean Le Gac

Autoportrait

Jean Le Gac

Photography - 75 x 50 x 1 cm Photography - 29.5 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

€700

Photography, Crying girl, Feng Wang

Crying girl

Feng Wang

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

€800

Photography, Les champs, Clara Delaporte

Les champs

Clara Delaporte

Photography - 60 x 90 x 2 cm Photography - 23.6 x 35.4 x 0.8 inch

€2,100

Photography, Luna, YouNs

Luna

YouNs

Photography - 254 x 254 x 12.7 cm Photography - 100 x 100 x 5 inch

€7,500

Photography, Julien, Gor Avetisyan

Julien

Gor Avetisyan

Photography - 101 x 66 x 7 cm Photography - 39.8 x 26 x 2.8 inch

€1,800

Photography, Tan Lines, Miles Aldridge

Tan Lines

Miles Aldridge

Photography - 134 x 180 cm Photography - 52.8 x 70.9 inch

€16,000

Photography, Medusa Me, Elizabeth Sher

Medusa Me

Elizabeth Sher

Photography - 57 x 57 x 0.4 cm Photography - 22.4 x 22.4 x 0.2 inch

€500

Photography, Björk, Renaud Monfourny

Björk

Renaud Monfourny

Photography - 40 x 30 cm Photography - 15.7 x 11.8 inch

€1,500

Photography, Madonna, Kristina Trudorudo

Madonna

Kristina Trudorudo

Photography - 35 x 27.5 x 0.3 cm Photography - 13.8 x 10.8 x 0.1 inch

€1,100

Photography, Mar II, Irene Cruz

Mar II

Irene Cruz

Photography - 27 x 40 cm Photography - 10.6 x 15.7 inch

€560

Photography, Mark Ronson, Noa Grayevsky

Mark Ronson

Noa Grayevsky

Photography - 10.752 x 8.847 x 0.3 cm Photography - 4.2 x 3.5 x 0.1 inch

€1,500

Photography, Sight, Arnaud Ele

Sight

Arnaud Ele

Photography - 118.8 x 84 x 0.1 cm Photography - 46.8 x 33.1 x 0 inch

€800

Photography, Épreuve 3, Zakari Babel

Épreuve 3

Zakari Babel

Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.5 cm Photography - 14.2 x 9.4 x 0.2 inch

€60

Photography, Le circassien, Michel Verna

Le circassien

Michel Verna

Photography - 30 x 45 x 0.2 cm Photography - 11.8 x 17.7 x 0.1 inch

€500

Photography, Vigilant, Monica Denevan

Vigilant

Monica Denevan

Photography - 40 x 50 cm Photography - 15.7 x 19.7 inch

€1,670

Photography, Open Bitch, Léa Bon

Open Bitch

Léa Bon

Photography - 52.8 x 79.8 x 0.3 cm Photography - 20.8 x 31.4 x 0.1 inch

€2,347

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Discover the selection of our experts

Painting, L'esprit Déchaîné, tizlu

L'esprit Déchaîné

tizlu

Painting - 50 x 35 x 2.2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 13.8 x 0.9 inch

€1,800

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

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, Orlando, Galya Popova

Orlando

Galya Popova

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

€2,400

Need help with Portrait Photography ?
What makes a portrait photograph?

A portrait photograph can be a photograph of a person's head and shoulders, but it can also be of an animal or of a different section of the subject's body such as their feet. Portrait photographs in art often tell or hint something about its subject to the viewer, such as an aspect of their personality, but still contain an element of mystery. 

What are the three major types of portrait photography?

The three major types of portrait photography are posed portraits, candid or anonymous portraits, and conceptual portraits. The last type, conceptual or creative portraits, can be experimental and abstract, and may not represent an image close to a traditional portrait.

What are the six styles of portrait photography?

The six main types of portrait photography are fine art portraits, traditional portraits (for example posed portraits taken at school), lifestyle portraits, group portraits, street portraits and glamour portraits.