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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, The Last Apple, Nomo N

The Last Apple

Nomo N

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

$3,338

Painting, Blessed Remnants, Nomo N

Blessed Remnants

Nomo N

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

$3,338

Painting, Waiting, Elena Naushirvanova

Waiting

Elena Naushirvanova

Painting - 78 x 54 x 0.2 cm Painting - 30.7 x 21.3 x 0.1 inch

$1,192 $1,073

Painting, Louisa Rococco, Also

Louisa Rococco

Also

Painting - 25 x 22 x 4 cm Painting - 9.8 x 8.7 x 1.6 inch

$477 $429

Painting, Anne, Philippe Pasqua

Anne

Philippe Pasqua

Painting - 130 x 80 x 0.2 cm Painting - 51.2 x 31.5 x 0.1 inch

$14,306

Painting, Touchée, Cécile Desserle

Touchée

Cécile Desserle

Painting - 130 x 97 x 2 cm Painting - 51.2 x 38.2 x 0.8 inch

$5,007

Painting, Dolce vita, Damien Berrard

Dolce vita

Damien Berrard

Painting - 81 x 116 x 2.5 cm Painting - 31.9 x 45.7 x 1 inch

$4,172 $2,921

Painting, Marguerite, Kouka

Marguerite

Kouka

Painting - 123 x 59 x 0.1 cm Painting - 48.4 x 23.2 x 0 inch

Sold

Painting, Lila, Mariana Gumeniuc

Lila

Mariana Gumeniuc

Painting - 91 x 122 x 2 cm Painting - 35.8 x 48 x 0.8 inch

$4,233 $3,810

Painting, La source, Pierre Sojo

La source

Pierre Sojo

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

$5,959

Painting, Setosa, Enrica Ciffo

Setosa

Enrica Ciffo

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

$954 $858

Painting, Untitle, Elena Naushirvanova

Untitle

Elena Naushirvanova

Painting - 78 x 54 x 0.2 cm Painting - 30.7 x 21.3 x 0.1 inch

$1,192 $1,073

Painting, Johnny Depp, Martin

Johnny Depp

Martin

Painting - 100 x 100 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 inch

Sold

Painting, Daba, Dada Wa

Daba

Dada Wa

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

Sold

Painting, Jeanne , Robert Sgarra

Jeanne

Robert Sgarra

Painting - 165 x 115 x 4 cm Painting - 65 x 45.3 x 1.6 inch

Sold

Painting, Segnora, Damian Tirado

Segnora

Damian Tirado

Painting - 150 x 60 x 1 cm Painting - 59.1 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch

Sold

Painting, Purple rain, Chehade

Purple rain

Chehade

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

Sold

Painting, 13 + 1, Akiza

13 + 1

Akiza

Painting - 40 x 40 x 3 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 1.2 inch

Sold

Painting, A Way of Life, Raïa

A Way of Life

Raïa

Painting - 48 x 35 x 1 cm Painting - 18.9 x 13.8 x 0.4 inch

Sold

Painting, Bird in the Wind, Raïa

Bird in the Wind

Raïa

Painting - 30 x 30 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 inch

Sold

Painting, Retrato, Enrique Pichardo

Retrato

Enrique Pichardo

Painting - 150 x 150 x 1 cm Painting - 59.1 x 59.1 x 0.4 inch

$3,991

Painting, Saphia, Sébastien Allart

Saphia

Sébastien Allart

Painting - 150 x 50 x 2.5 cm Painting - 59.1 x 19.7 x 1 inch

$2,980

Painting, Gabylla, Sébastien Allart

Gabylla

Sébastien Allart

Painting - 100 x 100 x 2.5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 1 inch

$3,815

Painting, Astarté, Mina Mond

Astarté

Mina Mond

Painting - 50 x 50 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 inch

$596

Painting, Le chariot, Mina Mond

Le chariot

Mina Mond

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

$715

Painting, Maya, Sébastien Allart

Maya

Sébastien Allart

Painting - 130 x 97 x 2.5 cm Painting - 51.2 x 38.2 x 1 inch

$4,530

Painting, Walkyrie, Mina Mond

Walkyrie

Mina Mond

Painting - 35 x 34 x 0.8 cm Painting - 13.8 x 13.4 x 0.3 inch

$477

Painting, Alison, Sébastien Allart

Alison

Sébastien Allart

Painting - 130 x 97 x 2.5 cm Painting - 51.2 x 38.2 x 1 inch

$4,530

Painting, Orphéa, Sébastien Allart

Orphéa

Sébastien Allart

Painting - 100 x 81 x 2.5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 31.9 x 1 inch

$3,338

Painting, Mr.Hope King, MrHope

Mr.Hope King

MrHope

Painting - 40 x 20 x 4 cm Painting - 15.7 x 7.9 x 1.6 inch

$179 $161

Painting, Colorful Woman, Hom Nguyen

Colorful Woman

Hom Nguyen

Painting - 145 x 97 x 4 cm Painting - 57.1 x 38.2 x 1.6 inch

$28,015

14/100

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Sculpture, König, Nando Kallweit

König

Nando Kallweit

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

$811

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

$1,407 $1,125

Print, Untiteled, JM Robert

Untiteled

JM Robert

Print - 65 x 50 x 1 cm Print - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

$954

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.