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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, Drifting, tizlu

Drifting

tizlu

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

€1,800 €1,494

Painting, Drifting, tizlu

Drifting

tizlu

Painting - 80 x 40 x 5 cm Painting - 31.5 x 15.7 x 2 inch

€3,200 €2,400

Painting, Black and white, JM Robert

Black and white

JM Robert

Painting - 40 x 30 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

€900

Painting, Carpe diem, Patrick Cornée

Carpe diem

Patrick Cornée

Painting - 80 x 80 x 3 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 1.2 inch

€3,200 €2,880

Painting, Feu orange, Jéko

Feu orange

Jéko

Painting - 75 x 55 x 0.2 cm Painting - 29.5 x 21.7 x 0.1 inch

€1,500

Painting, Katsumi, Michelino Iorizzo

Katsumi

Michelino Iorizzo

Painting - 120 x 100 x 4 cm Painting - 47.2 x 39.4 x 1.6 inch

€9,200

Painting, Shine Girl, Gongas

Shine Girl

Gongas

Painting - 100 x 80 x 0.1 cm Painting - 39.4 x 31.5 x 0 inch

€450

Painting, Don’t fly away, Nora Ampova

Don’t fly away

Nora Ampova

Painting - 130 x 100 x 4.5 cm Painting - 51.2 x 39.4 x 1.8 inch

€2,645 €2,249

Painting, Shoten, Yoann Merienne

Shoten

Yoann Merienne

Painting - 120 x 90 x 3 cm Painting - 47.2 x 35.4 x 1.2 inch

€7,000

Painting, Althéïse, Yoann Merienne

Althéïse

Yoann Merienne

Painting - 160 x 120 x 3 cm Painting - 63 x 47.2 x 1.2 inch

€10,500

Painting, Mobile 2, Alexandre Akar

Mobile 2

Alexandre Akar

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

€1,800

Painting, Stranger 7, Samuil Velev

Stranger 7

Samuil Velev

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

€990 €891

Painting, Stranger 6, Samuil Velev

Stranger 6

Samuil Velev

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

€1,150 €1,035

Painting, South Sea, Yuliy Takov

South Sea

Yuliy Takov

Painting - 48 x 38 x 0.2 cm Painting - 18.9 x 15 x 0.1 inch

€1,465 €1,319

Painting, Green Umbrella, Hrasarkos

Green Umbrella

Hrasarkos

Painting - 89 x 116 x 0.1 cm Painting - 35 x 45.7 x 0 inch

€430 €387

Painting, Cadence, Muriel Deumie

Cadence

Muriel Deumie

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

€1,300

Painting, Innocence, Muriel Deumie

Innocence

Muriel Deumie

Painting - 130 x 89 x 1 cm Painting - 51.2 x 35 x 0.4 inch

€1,400

Painting, Résilience, Muriel Deumie

Résilience

Muriel Deumie

Painting - 89 x 116 x 2 cm Painting - 35 x 45.7 x 0.8 inch

€1,400

Painting, Frida Kahlo, Muriel Deumie

Frida Kahlo

Muriel Deumie

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

€2,000

Painting, Adesewa, Olalekan Odunbori

Adesewa

Olalekan Odunbori

Painting - 71.1 x 61 x 2.5 cm Painting - 28 x 24 x 1 inch

€1,684

Painting, Aïka, Muriel Deumie

Aïka

Muriel Deumie

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

€1,000

Painting, Couple 4, FeiWoux Chan

Couple 4

FeiWoux Chan

Painting - 116 x 81 x 3 cm Painting - 45.7 x 31.9 x 1.2 inch

€5,000

Painting, Sphère, Chantal Roux

Sphère

Chantal Roux

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

€1,600

Painting, La musicienne, Jia Juanli

La musicienne

Jia Juanli

Painting - 61 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 24 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

€9,500 €8,550

Painting, Guardian, Orioye Bukola

Guardian

Orioye Bukola

Painting - 91.4 x 91.4 x 2.5 cm Painting - 36 x 36 x 1 inch

€4,096

Painting, Sisterhood, Sara Margolin

Sisterhood

Sara Margolin

Painting - 85 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 33.5 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch

€399

Painting, Nocturne, Pierre Sojo

Nocturne

Pierre Sojo

Painting - 87 x 83 x 2 cm Painting - 34.3 x 32.7 x 0.8 inch

€3,200

Painting, Ariana, Noir Visualart

Ariana

Noir Visualart

Painting - 80 x 60 x 0.1 cm Painting - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0 inch

€390

Painting, Comfort Zone, John Ali

Comfort Zone

John Ali

Painting - 124 x 81 x 2.5 cm Painting - 48.8 x 31.9 x 1 inch

€2,822

Painting, Dialogue, John Ali

Dialogue

John Ali

Painting - 124 x 81 x 2.5 cm Painting - 48.8 x 31.9 x 1 inch

€2,822

12/100

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Discover the selection of our experts

Sculpture, König, Nando Kallweit

König

Nando Kallweit

Sculpture - 26 x 7 x 4 cm Sculpture - 10.2 x 2.8 x 1.6 inch

€709

Fine Art Drawings, Sun Day, tizlu

Sun Day

tizlu

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

€1,180 €944

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

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.