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, Orange tulips, Galya Popova

Galya Popova

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

$833

Painting, La sportive, Sylvie Eudes

Sylvie Eudes

Painting - 25 x 25 x 4 cm Painting - 9.8 x 9.8 x 1.6 inch

$952

Painting, Banksy’s genie, Onemizer

Onemizer

Painting - 114.3 x 71.1 x 0.3 cm Painting - 45 x 28 x 0.1 inch

$3,500

Painting, Sensuality, Julien Raynaud

Julien Raynaud

Painting - 80 x 20 x 5 cm Painting - 31.5 x 7.9 x 2 inch

$1,059

Painting, Sysiphe, Levalet

Levalet

Painting - 64 x 54 x 3.5 cm Painting - 25.2 x 21.3 x 1.4 inch

$2,855

Painting, Rouge, Tanya Lytko

Tanya Lytko

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

$2,142

Painting, Moviegoer, Dima Filatov

Dima Filatov

Painting - 73 x 121 x 0.5 cm Painting - 28.7 x 47.6 x 0.2 inch

$952

Painting, Fashion, Nathalie Cubéro

Nathalie Cubéro

Painting - 50 x 40 x 0.25 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch

$654

Painting, Hope, Asko

Asko

Painting - 100 x 70 x 0.1 cm Painting - 39.4 x 27.6 x 0 inch

$714

Painting, Black 911, Fabien Novarino

Fabien Novarino

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

$2,261

Painting, Le Sacre, Flavien Couche

Flavien Couche

Painting - 100 x 75 x 3 cm Painting - 39.4 x 29.5 x 1.2 inch

$952

Painting, Les bonbons, Robert Combas

Robert Combas

Painting - 54 x 64 x 2 cm Painting - 21.3 x 25.2 x 0.8 inch

$46,400

Painting, Panther love, Eznop

Eznop

Painting - 50 x 40 x 0.3 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch

$714

Painting, Lena, Lianne Kocks

Lianne Kocks

Painting - 40 x 30 x 4 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 1.6 inch

$952

Painting, Untitled, Guy Ghazanchyan

Guy Ghazanchyan

Painting - 31 x 20 x 0.3 cm Painting - 12.2 x 7.9 x 0.1 inch

$595

Painting, Toy Boat, Maria Reznik

Maria Reznik

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

$714 $678

Painting, Hand Grenade, Robert Saller

Robert Saller

Painting - 115 x 140 x 2 cm Painting - 45.3 x 55.1 x 0.8 inch

$9,756

Painting, Esa Noche, John Mejia

John Mejia

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

$4,521

Painting, Portrait #02, Koba

Koba

Painting - 24 x 30 x 2 cm Painting - 9.4 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

$226

Painting, Grey Panther, Mosko

Mosko

Painting - 20 x 20 cm Painting - 7.9 x 7.9 inch

$535

Painting, Portrait I, Dasz Panda

Dasz Panda

Painting - 50 x 40 x 4 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 1.6 inch

$773

Painting, Untitled, Barbara Kroll

Barbara Kroll

Painting - 49.8 x 69.9 x 0.3 cm Painting - 19.6 x 27.5 x 0.1 inch

$820

Painting, Anaïs, Louis Treserras

Louis Treserras

Painting - 60 x 120 x 5 cm Painting - 23.6 x 47.2 x 2 inch

$7,614

Painting, Three times green, Aron Kroes

Aron Kroes

Painting - 100 x 90 x 4 cm Painting - 39.4 x 35.4 x 1.6 inch

Price upon request

Painting, Casino, Valerie Le Meur

Valerie Le Meur

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

$2,736 $2,463

Painting, 20 déc. 87, Bernard Noël

Bernard Noël

Painting - 59.5 x 39.5 x 0.1 cm Painting - 23.4 x 15.6 x 0 inch

$952

Painting, Mare, Ludovica Cholet

Ludovica Cholet

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

$2,201

Painting, Rade, Philippe Pasqua

Philippe Pasqua

Painting - 330 x 220 x 10 cm Painting - 129.9 x 86.6 x 3.9 inch

$142,769

Painting, Marina, Virginia Benedicto

Virginia Benedicto

Painting - 30 x 30 x 2.5 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1 inch

$702

Painting, The Hug, Wencke Uhl

Wencke Uhl

Painting - 90 x 70 x 2 cm Painting - 35.4 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch

$2,200

Painting, Sans titre, Jo Di Bona

Jo Di Bona

Painting - 29 x 20 x 0.3 cm Painting - 11.4 x 7.9 x 0.1 inch

$1,428

Painting, Le duel, Keymi

Keymi

Painting - 60 x 30 x 3 cm Painting - 23.6 x 11.8 x 1.2 inch

$1,309

Painting, Dinner, Sargis Zaqaryan

Sargis Zaqaryan

Painting - 50 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

$593

Painting, Deux sœurs, Albena Vatcheva

Albena Vatcheva

Painting - 34.5 x 34.5 x 2 cm Painting - 13.6 x 13.6 x 0.8 inch

$684

Painting, Sara, Xavi Figueras

Xavi Figueras

Painting - 20 x 20 x 1 cm Painting - 7.9 x 7.9 x 0.4 inch

$952

Painting, Fusion 2, Sabine Louriac

Sabine Louriac

Painting - 65 x 50 x 0.3 cm Painting - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch

$619

Painting, State Your Name, Snik

Snik

Painting - 45 x 90 x 1 cm Painting - 17.7 x 35.4 x 0.4 inch

$1,785

Painting, Niamey, Seaty

Seaty

Painting - 105 x 90 cm Painting - 41.3 x 35.4 inch

$11,659

Painting, Le Mat, Artiste Ouvrier

Artiste Ouvrier

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

$2,142

Painting, Dance, Andriy Klishyn

Andriy Klishyn

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

$595

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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.