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 PasquaRobert CombasGuangyu Dai and Erró on Artsper.

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Painting, Skyblue Sun, tizlu

Skyblue Sun

tizlu

Painting - 50 x 20 x 2.5 cm Painting - 19.7 x 7.9 x 1 inch

€1,100

Painting, Drifting, tizlu

Drifting

tizlu

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

€3,200

Painting, Pistacchio Sun, tizlu

Pistacchio Sun

tizlu

Painting - 50 x 20 x 2.5 cm Painting - 19.7 x 7.9 x 1 inch

€1,100

Painting, Amy, Martin

Amy

Martin

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

€780

Painting, Katare XXL, Asko

Katare XXL

Asko

Painting - 132 x 112 x 0.1 cm Painting - 52 x 44.1 x 0 inch

€1,130

Painting, I Love You, Seaty

I Love You

Seaty

Painting - 110 x 95 x 2 cm Painting - 43.3 x 37.4 x 0.8 inch

€11,500

Painting, Portrait 3, Asko

Portrait 3

Asko

Painting - 100 x 70 x 0.1 cm Painting - 39.4 x 27.6 x 0 inch

Sold

Painting, Lily, Albena Vatcheva

Lily

Albena Vatcheva

Painting - 100 x 20 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 7.9 x 0.8 inch

€999 €950

Painting, At home, Albena Vatcheva

At home

Albena Vatcheva

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

€1,199 €1,140

Painting, Super Marsu I, David Cumps

Super Marsu I

David Cumps

Painting - 100 x 120 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch

€2,900

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, Elle, Albena Vatcheva

Elle

Albena Vatcheva

Painting - 46 x 38 x 2 cm Painting - 18.1 x 15 x 0.8 inch

€899 €855

Painting, Heading Home II, Jo Moore

Heading Home II

Jo Moore

Painting - 76.2 x 38.1 x 3.8 cm Painting - 30 x 15 x 1.5 inch

Sold

Painting, Nevia, Irene Raspollini

Nevia

Irene Raspollini

Painting - 50 x 50 x 1 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

€707

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 €1,040

Painting, Skull, M.Cros

Skull

M.Cros

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

€2,200

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 €1,260

Painting, Scoop 2, Agathe Wagner

Scoop 2

Agathe Wagner

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

€1,000

Painting, Transformation, Muriel Deumie

Transformation

Muriel Deumie

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

€1,300 €1,170

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 €1,260

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 €1,600

Painting, Le baiser, Agnès Salle

Le baiser

Agnès Salle

Painting - 100 x 73 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 28.7 x 0.8 inch

€1,750

Painting, Elyna, Flu

Elyna

Flu

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

€1,600

Painting, Kamala, Flu

Kamala

Flu

Painting - 60 x 60 x 3 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 1.2 inch

€1,000

Painting, Freelance., Igor Shulman

Freelance.

Igor Shulman

Painting - 44.7 x 59.7 x 2.5 cm Painting - 17.6 x 23.5 x 1 inch

€1,738

Painting, The past., Igor Shulman

The past.

Igor Shulman

Painting - 69.9 x 69.9 x 5.1 cm Painting - 27.5 x 27.5 x 2 inch

Sold

Painting, Cash Prize, Flu

Cash Prize

Flu

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

€1,900

Painting, Inès, Albena Vatcheva

Inès

Albena Vatcheva

Painting - 20 x 20 x 2 cm Painting - 7.9 x 7.9 x 0.8 inch

€199

Painting, Anna, Albena Vatcheva

Anna

Albena Vatcheva

Painting - 20 x 20 x 2 cm Painting - 7.9 x 7.9 x 0.8 inch

€199

Painting, In stride, Ablade Glover

In stride

Ablade Glover

Painting - 101 x 72 x 8 cm Painting - 39.8 x 28.3 x 3.1 inch

€20,122

Painting, Falling, Kevin Brewerton

Falling

Kevin Brewerton

Painting - 96.5 x 177.8 x 2.5 cm Painting - 38 x 70 x 1 inch

€4,482

Painting, Untitled, Kevin Brewerton

Untitled

Kevin Brewerton

Painting - 96.5 x 177.8 x 2.5 cm Painting - 38 x 70 x 1 inch

€4,482

12/100
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.