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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Twin Brother
Oshorenoya David Francis
Painting - 46 x 29.7 x 2.5 cm Painting - 18.1 x 11.7 x 1 inch
€1,235
Inner Light
Kayimahe Ishmael Zed
Painting - 89.9 x 80 x 2.5 cm Painting - 35.4 x 31.5 x 1 inch
€2,241
My Beloved Business
Esther Oyeyemi
Painting - 81.3 x 71.1 x 2.5 cm Painting - 32 x 28 x 1 inch
€2,058
The moment of the eternal everything
William Oxer F.R.S.A.
Painting - 40.6 x 27.9 x 2.5 cm Painting - 16 x 11 x 1 inch
€1,738
First Contact 2 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Motherhood, Acrylic Dip
Bello Adedoyin
Painting - 91.4 x 76.2 x 2.5 cm Painting - 36 x 30 x 1 inch
€1,372
Association Day 2 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Women, Africa Home
Morakinyo Femi
Painting - 121.9 x 121.9 x 2.5 cm Painting - 48 x 48 x 1 inch
€4,116
Lady in Pearl -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Women, Beautiful
Jayeola Joshua
Painting - 91.4 x 76.2 x 2.5 cm Painting - 36 x 30 x 1 inch
€2,058
The colors of my mind
Alessandro Casetti
Painting - 120 x 140 x 3 cm Painting - 47.2 x 55.1 x 1.2 inch
€5,100
Reflection - 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Fashion, Women
Tolulope Adigbo
Painting - 91.4 x 61 x 2.5 cm Painting - 36 x 24 x 1 inch
€2,149
La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life) - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Africa
Olajide Kuti
Painting - 88.9 x 104.1 x 2.5 cm Painting - 35 x 41 x 1 inch
€1,646
Joie - Série portrait graphique
Violeta Mouysset dite Mvili
Painting - 80 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch
€1,000
Never Back Down - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Women, Africa
Awofadeju Solomon
Painting - 61 x 50.8 x 2.5 cm Painting - 24 x 20 x 1 inch
€1,555
Boy in Wonderland 2
Samson Olatubosun
Painting - 76.2 x 61 x 2.5 cm Painting - 30 x 24 x 1 inch
€1,692
Coupling in Istropolis
Konstantinos Papaioannou
Painting - 100 x 70 x 0.2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 27.6 x 0.1 inch
€1,300
Series of paintings Summer vibes Second Feelin
Victor Sheleg
Painting - 100.1 x 39.9 x 2.5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 15.7 x 1 inch
€3,220
Girl with a Cat
David Popiashvili
Painting - 43 x 30.5 x 4 cm Painting - 16.9 x 12 x 1.6 inch
€1,463
Les deux amis et l'oiseau
Rebecca de Cachard
Painting - 60 x 60 x 3 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 1.2 inch
€1,800
Sisters - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa Women, Modern
Muideen Abdulkadir
Painting - 121.9 x 91.4 x 2.5 cm Painting - 48 x 36 x 1 inch
€2,058
Dialogue (Ancestral Conversation)
Oladimeji Alabi
Painting - 121.9 x 91.4 x 2.5 cm Painting - 48 x 36 x 1 inch
€3,979
The Village Musician
Alexander Ishchenko
Painting - 80 x 60 x 2.5 cm Painting - 31.5 x 23.6 x 1 inch
€1,829
Three Muses
Sophia Dobreva – Nolita
Painting - 80 x 60 x 1.5 cm Painting - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.6 inch
€1,435
Comfort Zone
Anastasia Gladkova (Naska)
Painting - 76 x 76 x 3.5 cm Painting - 29.9 x 29.9 x 1.4 inch
€1,829
Thread of Companionship
Toheeb Ibrahim
Painting - 76.2 x 76.2 x 2.5 cm Painting - 30 x 30 x 1 inch
€1,418
Catechismo Classe 2
Matteo Fieno
Painting - 80 x 100 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch
€2,400
Ra’ah (Shepherd)
Merenini Williams
Painting - 81.3 x 63.5 x 2.5 cm Painting - 32 x 25 x 1 inch
€1,646
Paris, Déambulation 3
Anne Niewiadomski
Painting - 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
€650
Beauté énigmatique
Denis Osso
Painting - 60 x 60 x 3.5 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 1.4 inch
€570 €456
Alors Nino tu marches ?
Clément Herrmann
Painting - 20.3 x 30.5 x 0.3 cm Painting - 8 x 12 x 0.1 inch
€800
Sweet and Sour
Ganiyat Abdulazeez
Painting - 121.9 x 91.4 x 2.5 cm Painting - 48 x 36 x 1 inch
€2,927
Untitled
Larissa De Jesus Negron
Painting - 34.3 x 27.9 x 2 cm Painting - 13.5 x 11 x 0.8 inch
€2,744
Portrait - The Game of Life
Guoyi Liu
Painting - 150 x 100 x 4 cm Painting - 59.1 x 39.4 x 1.6 inch
€12,800
Coluche
Jean-Pierre Blanchard
Painting - 162 x 130 x 3 cm Painting - 63.8 x 51.2 x 1.2 inch
€2,500 €2,000
My Imperfection Gaze - 21st Century, Contemporary, Surrealism, African Woman
Akanji Bolaji
Painting - 114.3 x 55.9 x 2.5 cm Painting - 45 x 22 x 1 inch
€1,784
I Also Have A Rose - 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Impasto, Floral Women
Dan Uduak-obong
Painting - 119.9 x 118.1 x 2.5 cm Painting - 47.2 x 46.5 x 1 inch
€2,241
One Woman, One Dog
Steven Boksenbaum
Painting - 30.5 x 22.9 x 3.8 cm Painting - 12 x 9 x 1.5 inch
€617
Przywilej (privilege)
Bartlomiej Zalucki
Painting - 100 x 100 x 1 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.4 inch
€2,850
Girl drinking an egg
Kateryna Krivchach
Painting - 80 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
€777
I’ll be with her when the roses bloom again
Filippa Bjerling
Painting - 103 x 73 x 2.5 cm Painting - 40.6 x 28.7 x 1 inch
€2,300
Discover the styles & movements
Discover the selection of our experts
Top Elite Faschions
Shepard Fairey (Obey)
Print - 61 x 46 x 0.2 cm Print - 24 x 18.1 x 0.1 inch
€550
Degas Danseur de Ballet
Martín Duque
Sculpture - 44 x 16 x 20 cm Sculpture - 17.3 x 6.3 x 7.9 inch
€980
Love and Flowers - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa, Women
Taiwo Odejinmi
Painting - 91.4 x 61 x 2.5 cm Painting - 36 x 24 x 1 inch
€2,241
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.