Oil Painting for Sale
Oil painting is a painting technique that involves mixing finely ground color pigments with a binding oil, typically linseed oil, though poppy seed oil is also used. Before applying the paint, the surface must be coated with a primer to ensure proper adhesion. This step is essential for the durability and versatility of the medium, allowing artists to paint on various surfaces such as wood, canvas, or metal.
The origins of oil painting trace back to the Middle Ages, but it was the Flemish painter Jan van Eyck who is often credited with refining the technique. His experiments led to new levels of transparency and depth in artworks, influencing other Flemish painters who helped spread the method. Oil painting soon replaced tempera, which relied on egg yolk as a binder, and became the dominant medium in European art.
During the 15th century, wooden panels gave way to stretched linen canvases mounted on frames, enabling artists to work on larger, more flexible surfaces. This transition, however, came with challenges, as oil paint contained toxic components and required skilled preparation. Despite this, the Renaissance saw a surge in its popularity, with Venetian painters like Titian and Flemish masters such as Rubens embracing the medium. Dutch painters, led by Rembrandt, further advanced oil painting techniques, making it a defining feature of Baroque and later artistic movements.
The 19th and 20th centuries cemented oil painting as the preferred medium for modern artists. Industrialization revolutionized its use, with the invention of pre-packaged paint tubes in France in 1840. This innovation played a key role in the emergence of Impressionism, allowing painters to work outdoors, capturing light and movement in ways never before possible. A century later, acrylic paint began to challenge oil painting due to its quick drying time and ease of use.
A fundamental rule in oil painting is the fat-over-lean principle, ensuring durability by applying layers with higher oil content over those with lower oil content. This method prevents cracking and enhances the painting's longevity. While traditional oil painting techniques continue to thrive, contemporary artists often experiment with unconventional approaches. Some painters leave the canvas unprimed to highlight its raw texture, while abstract artists such as Jackson Pollock abandoned classical methods altogether, using dripping techniques to create spontaneous, dynamic compositions.
Oil painting remains a cornerstone of the art world, with countless artists still using this historic technique to produce remarkable works. On Artsper, discover contemporary oil paintings by renowned artists such as Arman, Salvador Dalí, and Robert Combas, showcasing the timeless beauty and versatility of this celebrated medium.
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Watermelon and Pears
Alexander Shandor
Painting - 50 x 75 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 29.5 x 0.8 inch
€1,094
Yellow Abstraction
Zakhar Shevchuk
Painting - 80 x 100 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch
€2,150
Bateau, 7 personnages
Karine Bartoli
Painting - 73 x 92 x 2 cm Painting - 28.7 x 36.2 x 0.8 inch
€1,350
Topology of feelings - IV
Vladimir Kolosov
Painting - 40.6 x 30.5 x 0.6 cm Painting - 16 x 12 x 0.25 inch
€811
Saturnalia in a Ghost Town
Vladimir Kolosov
Painting - 137.2 x 137.2 x 1.9 cm Painting - 54 x 54 x 0.75 inch
€3,828
Le mas des garrigues
Pierrick Tual
Painting - 80 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch
€2,880
Girl & Red Flower
Miyuki Takanashi
Painting - 41 x 31.8 x 3 cm Painting - 16.1 x 12.5 x 1.2 inch
€700
Flaques de Printemps
Yuriy Demiyanov
Painting - 35 x 55 x 4 cm Painting - 13.8 x 21.7 x 1.6 inch
€600
Control Attempt #9
Dasha Buben
Painting - 100 x 80 x 1.8 cm Painting - 39.4 x 31.5 x 0.7 inch
€1,000
Winter in the mountains
Evgeny Chernyakovsky
Painting - 49.8 x 59.9 x 2.5 cm Painting - 19.6 x 23.6 x 1 inch
€711
Orpheus and Eurydice
Nataliia Svitlychna
Painting - 100 x 70 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch
€1,367
Reflets jaunes
Christine Desplanque
Painting - 40 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch
€540
Positive Energy L 1 / Oil
Peter Nottrott
Painting - 85 x 155 x 4 cm Painting - 33.5 x 61 x 1.6 inch
€2,790
Old Tattoo abstract
James Chiew
Painting - 140 x 140 x 4 cm Painting - 55.1 x 55.1 x 1.6 inch
€16,500
N° 994 Ce sont amis que vent emporte
R. Cavalié
Painting - 65 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
€500
Parti pris III
Agnès Tiollier
Painting - 81 x 100 x 2 cm Painting - 31.9 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch
€2,800 €2,520
Performance (American Vaudeville)
Vladimir Kolosov
Painting - 91.4 x 91.4 x 2.5 cm Painting - 36 x 36 x 1 inch
€2,101
Untitled Portrait Drawing No. 3
Mario Henrique
Painting - 110 x 77 cm Painting - 43.3 x 30.3 inch
€990
J'peux pas, j'ai piscine
Virginie Clement
Painting - 92 x 73 x 2 cm Painting - 36.2 x 28.7 x 0.8 inch
€800 €720
Blue waves in the ocean - calm navy seascape, water, sky
Nataliia Krykun
Painting - 150 x 150 x 4 cm Painting - 59.1 x 59.1 x 1.6 inch
€10,000
Michel Houellebecq
Jean-Michel Lourenço
Painting - 100 x 65 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 25.6 x 0.8 inch
€890
Jardin des oliviers
Pierrick Tual
Painting - 70 x 70 x 2 cm Painting - 27.6 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch
€2,400
Discover the styles & movements
Discover the selection of our experts
Méandres bleu et sable
Sophie Dumont
Painting - 60 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
€2,900
29 octobre 2019
Raymond Attanasio
Painting - 81 x 100 x 3 cm Painting - 31.9 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch
€2,000
Abstract Expression
Giorgio Lo Fermo
Painting - 37 x 27 x 0.5 cm Painting - 14.6 x 10.6 x 0.2 inch
€600
Parallel Universe/3
Viktoria Ganhao
Painting - 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch
€530
Geometrical shapes III
Aurélie Trabaud
Painting - 19 x 27 x 0.1 cm Painting - 7.5 x 10.6 x 0 inch
€580
Near the Gates of the Cathedral
Pavlenko Leonid
Painting - 65 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 25.6 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch
€690
Need help with Oil Painting for Sale ?
What is special about oil painting?
Oil painting allows for very efficient mixing of colors and tones. Due to its long drying time, it is possible to alter an oil painting days after the paint has been applied. Oil painting also allows for precision and a range of visual effects.
What's the difference between oil painting and acrylic?
Oil paint and acrylic paint are produced using different materials. While oil painting consists of pigments suspended in drying oils, acrylic paint is water-based. The main difference between the two is that acrylic paints can be thinned down with water, and dry faster than oil paints.
Is oil painting easier than watercolor?
It is easier to correct mistakes when working in oil paint as they are more opaque than watercolors and can be easily scraped off a surface.