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Portrait Drawing for Sale

Portraiture has existed for many centuries. The Greeks produced portraits for funeral and religious rituals; they aimed to “bring back to life those who have passed away." In the Roman era, portraits were often reserved for the ruling figures of society; for example, a warrior would have his portrait painted to illustrate his bravery during a battle. In Europe, it is only during the late Middle Ages and Renaissance that Italian and Flemish painters started to practice the art of portraiture.

In the 14th and 15th centuries, painters created works commissioned by wealthy patrons. Painters sketched out preliminary freehand drawings, which were often then approved by the patron, before beginning to work on their oil paint or, later, watercolor. Facial features were sometimes improved to the detriment of realism, although some painters were known for their ability to reproduce their models' expressions. Some artists worked in great detail while others focussed more heavily on trying to capture the real personality of their model.

For much of its history, portrait not only told a story but it also conveyed a message of power, promoting a well-controlled image to the wider population and establishing the sitter's authority through its circulation. For example, Florentine elites would use paintings and drawings as a mean of controlling their image and establishing their authority. Portraits were a way for someone to live on long after their death. Today we find the faces of aristocracies and the European bourgeoisie in many museums, immortalized by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci or Rembrandt.

The results obtained through drawing depended largely on the tools and materials used. Red chalk was very popular (especially at the beginning of the 16th century) to represent the facial features and the warmth of the skin, while charcoal produced harder lines and pastel created a softer, colorful touch. Artists adapted their technique depending on the subject and the emotion they wanted to convey. The commercialisation of pencils in the nineteenth century made it a popular medium for artists and amateurs alike. Pencil art became more popular and the tool was often used for sketching portraits.

One thing is certain; capturing facial expressions is a demanding art form and the art of portraiture requires a lot of practice. Drawing a face down to its finest details may take hours to obtain the desired result: a protruding jaw, the shape of a skull, thick brows, smiling eyes, dilated pupils… Even more difficult, are children's portraits? It can be difficult to get them to stay still for long. The artist has to be skilled enough to immortalise these men, women and children full of life.

Gradually, sketched portraits became less and less realistic but increasingly daring and experimental in terms of colour. On Artsper, discover drawings by Jean Cocteau, Julien Calot, Alice de Miramon, Philippe Pasqua, Sabine Danzé, Bahareh Navabi and Stéphanie Stindel.

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Fine Art Drawings, L'envol, Ray Smith

L'envol

Ray Smith

Fine Art Drawings - 27 x 37 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 10.6 x 14.6 x 0 inch

€1,000

Fine Art Drawings, Gentle, Rossella Mercedes

Gentle

Rossella Mercedes

Fine Art Drawings - 30.5 x 20 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12 x 7.9 x 0 inch

€280

Fine Art Drawings, Donna 1, Rossella Mercedes

Donna 1

Rossella Mercedes

Fine Art Drawings - 25.5 x 25.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 10 x 10 x 0 inch

€170

Fine Art Drawings, Estefania, Xavi Figueras

Estefania

Xavi Figueras

Fine Art Drawings - 66 x 94 cm Fine Art Drawings - 26 x 37 inch

€2,600

Fine Art Drawings, Sketch Club babe., JP Malot

Sketch Club babe.

JP Malot

Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 29.71 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.3 x 11.7 x 0.4 inch

€300

Fine Art Drawings, L’échange, Karim Benchebra

L’échange

Karim Benchebra

Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 60 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0 inch

€2,710

Fine Art Drawings, Santo Rocco, Federica Frati

Santo Rocco

Federica Frati

Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 30 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch

€350

Fine Art Drawings, Nude Woman, Jim Lagasse

Nude Woman

Jim Lagasse

Fine Art Drawings - 35.6 x 27.9 x 2.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14 x 11 x 1 inch

€446

Fine Art Drawings, Nu III, Catherine Muguet

Nu III

Catherine Muguet

Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

€290

Fine Art Drawings, Ils sont nus, Isabelle De Luca

Ils sont nus

Isabelle De Luca

Fine Art Drawings - 66 x 86 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 26 x 33.9 x 0.1 inch

€1,000

Fine Art Drawings, N° 868 Détente 2, R. Cavalié

N° 868 Détente 2

R. Cavalié

Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 65 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 25.6 x 0.1 inch

€220

Fine Art Drawings, N° 858 Trea 2, R. Cavalié

N° 858 Trea 2

R. Cavalié

Fine Art Drawings - 46 x 51 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 18.1 x 20.1 x 0.1 inch

€220

Fine Art Drawings, The thinker, Zakhar Shevchuk

The thinker

Zakhar Shevchuk

Fine Art Drawings - 28 x 20 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11 x 7.9 x 0 inch

€300

Fine Art Drawings, The Dream, Michael Bastow

The Dream

Michael Bastow

Fine Art Drawings - 100 x 70 cm Fine Art Drawings - 39.4 x 27.6 inch

€5,300

Fine Art Drawings, Carmen #3, José Pirès

Carmen #3

José Pirès

Fine Art Drawings - 24 x 10 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.4 x 3.9 x 0.2 inch

€420

Fine Art Drawings, Carmen #2, José Pirès

Carmen #2

José Pirès

Fine Art Drawings - 24 x 18 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.4 x 7.1 x 0.2 inch

€480

Fine Art Drawings, Version rock, Isabelle Hirtzig

Version rock

Isabelle Hirtzig

Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch

€215

Fine Art Drawings, Endormie, Thalia Dalecky

Endormie

Thalia Dalecky

Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 40 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

€320

Fine Art Drawings, Morphée, Thalia Dalecky

Morphée

Thalia Dalecky

Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 40 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

€320

Fine Art Drawings, N° 790 Etirement, R. Cavalié

N° 790 Etirement

R. Cavalié

Fine Art Drawings - 64 x 43 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.2 x 16.9 x 0.1 inch

€200

Fine Art Drawings, N° 758 Novelette, R. Cavalié

N° 758 Novelette

R. Cavalié

Fine Art Drawings - 43 x 35 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.9 x 13.8 x 0.1 inch

€180

Fine Art Drawings, N° 755 Etude VII, R. Cavalié

N° 755 Etude VII

R. Cavalié

Fine Art Drawings - 39 x 60 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.4 x 23.6 x 0.1 inch

€230

Fine Art Drawings, N° 757 Ondine., R. Cavalié

N° 757 Ondine.

R. Cavalié

Fine Art Drawings - 49 x 39 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.3 x 15.4 x 0.1 inch

€160

Fine Art Drawings, Friends, Anthony Roaland

Friends

Anthony Roaland

Fine Art Drawings - 46 x 32 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 18.1 x 12.6 x 0 inch

€400

Fine Art Drawings, Smiling Boy, Anthony Roaland

Smiling Boy

Anthony Roaland

Fine Art Drawings - 41.5 x 30 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.3 x 11.8 x 0 inch

€380

Fine Art Drawings, Smiling Boy, Anthony Roaland

Smiling Boy

Anthony Roaland

Fine Art Drawings - 41.5 x 30 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.3 x 11.8 x 0 inch

€390 €312

Fine Art Drawings, N666, Maria Vanishvili

N666

Maria Vanishvili

Fine Art Drawings - 40.5 x 29.9 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.9 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

€300

Fine Art Drawings, N222, Maria Vanishvili

N222

Maria Vanishvili

Fine Art Drawings - 61 x 43 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 24 x 16.9 x 0.1 inch

€360

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 1, Boshra Mustafa

Untitled 1

Boshra Mustafa

Fine Art Drawings - 26 x 26 x 1.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 10.2 x 10.2 x 0.6 inch

€939

Fine Art Drawings, Rêves, Thalia Dalecky

Rêves

Thalia Dalecky

Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 40 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

€340

Fine Art Drawings, Love me II, Lilit Soghomonyan

Love me II

Lilit Soghomonyan

Fine Art Drawings - 28 x 19 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11 x 7.5 x 0 inch

€420

Fine Art Drawings, Love me I, Lilit Soghomonyan

Love me I

Lilit Soghomonyan

Fine Art Drawings - 28 x 18.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11 x 7.3 x 0 inch

€430

Fine Art Drawings, Nude, Jean-Raymond Delpech

Nude

Jean-Raymond Delpech

Fine Art Drawings - 60 x 40 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0 inch

€400 €300

Fine Art Drawings, Nude, Jean-Raymond Delpech

Nude

Jean-Raymond Delpech

Fine Art Drawings - 60 x 40 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0 inch

€300 €225

Fine Art Drawings, Nudes, Jean-Raymond Delpech

Nudes

Jean-Raymond Delpech

Fine Art Drawings - 56 x 45 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 22 x 17.7 x 0 inch

€300 €225

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Painting, L'esprit Déchaîné, tizlu

L'esprit Déchaîné

tizlu

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

€1,680

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

€1,400

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

Painting, Orlando, Galya Popova

Orlando

Galya Popova

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

€2,400

Need help with Portrait Drawing ?
What are some tips for drawing a realistic portrait?

To draw a realistic portrait, start with a good reference photo, pay attention to proportions, use shading to create depth, and focus on capturing the subject's unique features. Practice regularly and don't be afraid to make mistakes.

How do you choose the right materials for portrait drawing?

When choosing materials for portrait drawing, consider the surface texture, color, and weight of the paper, as well as the type and quality of the pencils or charcoal. Opt for high-quality materials that allow for precision and detail, and experiment with different combinations to find what works best for your style and technique.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when drawing a portrait?

When drawing a portrait, it's important to avoid common mistakes such as not paying attention to proportions, neglecting to capture the subject's unique features, and using too much or too little shading. Additionally, it's important to take breaks and step back to assess the overall composition.