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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, 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, Sisters, Henry James

Sisters

Henry James

Painting - 110 x 89.9 x 2.5 cm Painting - 43.3 x 35.4 x 1 inch

Sold

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

Painting, Random Thought, John Ali

Random Thought

John Ali

Painting - 122.9 x 89.9 x 2.5 cm Painting - 48.4 x 35.4 x 1 inch

€2,822

Painting, Solace, John Ali

Solace

John Ali

Painting - 91.4 x 101.6 x 2.5 cm Painting - 36 x 40 x 1 inch

€2,594

Painting, Garment of Hope, John Ali

Garment of Hope

John Ali

Painting - 122.9 x 89.9 x 2.5 cm Painting - 48.4 x 35.4 x 1 inch

€2,822

Painting, À Nous, Patricia Dubois

À Nous

Patricia Dubois

Painting - 81 x 81 x 5 cm Painting - 31.9 x 31.9 x 2 inch

€2,185 €1,967

Painting, Couple chat, FeiWoux Chan

Couple chat

FeiWoux Chan

Painting - 92 x 73 x 3 cm Painting - 36.2 x 28.7 x 1.2 inch

€3,000

Painting, She tarries, Ife Kalejaiye

She tarries

Ife Kalejaiye

Painting - 106.7 x 127 x 2.5 cm Painting - 42 x 50 x 1 inch

€3,641

Painting, Ecoute, Lise Vurpillot

Ecoute

Lise Vurpillot

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

€2,650

Painting, Xiong Mao, Lise Vurpillot

Xiong Mao

Lise Vurpillot

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

€3,700

Painting, El torero, Paco Rosselló

El torero

Paco Rosselló

Painting - 81 x 54 x 2 cm Painting - 31.9 x 21.3 x 0.8 inch

€4,000

Painting, Spring, Patricia Dubois

Spring

Patricia Dubois

Painting - 150 x 71 x 3.5 cm Painting - 59.1 x 28 x 1.4 inch

€2,916 €2,625

Painting, The roamer, Petya Deneva

The roamer

Petya Deneva

Painting - 130 x 130 x 3 cm Painting - 51.2 x 51.2 x 1.2 inch

€7,130 €6,417

Painting, Talk to me, Anna Waleron

Talk to me

Anna Waleron

Painting - 110 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 43.3 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch

€4,500

Painting, Goa, Lise Vurpillot

Goa

Lise Vurpillot

Painting - 150 x 120 x 2 cm Painting - 59.1 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch

€5,300

Painting, Forever blue, Lola Jamin

Forever blue

Lola Jamin

Painting - 36 x 51 x 0.1 cm Painting - 14.2 x 20.1 x 0 inch

€300

Painting, Dream it blue, Lola Jamin

Dream it blue

Lola Jamin

Painting - 51 x 36 x 0.1 cm Painting - 20.1 x 14.2 x 0 inch

€300

Painting, Cloud gazeur, Lola Jamin

Cloud gazeur

Lola Jamin

Painting - 51 x 36 x 0.1 cm Painting - 20.1 x 14.2 x 0 inch

€300

Painting, Art of Love, Mariana Gumeniuc

Art of Love

Mariana Gumeniuc

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

€22,810 €18,248

Painting, Hope, Bola Obatuyi

Hope

Bola Obatuyi

Painting - 121.9 x 91.4 x 2.5 cm Painting - 48 x 36 x 1 inch

€5,916

Painting, NELSON, Louis Souchet

NELSON

Louis Souchet

Painting - 65 x 65 x 2 cm Painting - 25.6 x 25.6 x 0.8 inch

€10,000

Painting, L'Inca, Eric Khellas

L'Inca

Eric Khellas

Painting - 70 x 60 x 4 cm Painting - 27.6 x 23.6 x 1.6 inch

€990

13/100

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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.