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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, Lecture, Michel Sementzeff

Lecture

Michel Sementzeff

Painting - 46 x 55 x 1 cm Painting - 18.1 x 21.7 x 0.4 inch

€1,100

Painting, Amor indio, Maritza Bernal

Amor indio

Maritza Bernal

Painting - 101 x 76 x 2 cm Painting - 39.8 x 29.9 x 0.8 inch

€2,000

Painting, Laura, Joanna Wojtowicz

Laura

Joanna Wojtowicz

Painting - 75 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 29.5 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

€1,600

Painting, L’inconnu, Viza

L’inconnu

Viza

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

€1,800

Painting, Andy Warhol, Russel Young

Andy Warhol

Russel Young

Painting - 158.8 x 120.7 x 2 cm Painting - 62.5 x 47.5 x 0.8 inch

€36,457

Painting, Nageur, Michel Lablais

Nageur

Michel Lablais

Painting - 42 x 32 x 6 cm Painting - 16.5 x 12.6 x 2.4 inch

€1,200

Painting, Arlequin, Michel Gourlier

Arlequin

Michel Gourlier

Painting - 60 x 51 x 3 cm Painting - 23.6 x 20.1 x 1.2 inch

€800

Painting, More Like This, Sena Tues

More Like This

Sena Tues

Painting - 50.8 x 40.6 x 2.5 cm Painting - 20 x 16 x 1 inch

€1,686

Painting, Inside on paper, Bright Toh

Inside on paper

Bright Toh

Painting - 89.9 x 69.9 x 2.5 cm Painting - 35.4 x 27.5 x 1 inch

€2,096

Painting, Ajoke, Theophilus Madaki

Ajoke

Theophilus Madaki

Painting - 104.1 x 81.3 x 2.5 cm Painting - 41 x 32 x 1 inch

€1,823

Painting, Madonna, Ora

Madonna

Ora

Painting - 115 x 89 x 2 cm Painting - 45.3 x 35 x 0.8 inch

€2,900

Painting, Dada Awuru, Victor Morawo

Dada Awuru

Victor Morawo

Painting - 83.8 x 58.4 x 2.5 cm Painting - 33 x 23 x 1 inch

€2,461

Painting, Bebo, Valido

Bebo

Valido

Painting - 92 x 61 x 3 cm Painting - 36.2 x 24 x 1.2 inch

€3,500

Painting, Woman in gold, Eden

Woman in gold

Eden

Painting - 100 x 80 x 0.3 cm Painting - 39.4 x 31.5 x 0.1 inch

€4,860

Painting, Hey Laura, Yulia Holi

Hey Laura

Yulia Holi

Painting - 90 x 70 x 2 cm Painting - 35.4 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch

€1,276

Painting, Solidarity, Dennis Onofua

Solidarity

Dennis Onofua

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

€4,557

Painting, Blue Sky, Mubaraq Yusuf

Blue Sky

Mubaraq Yusuf

Painting - 101.6 x 76.2 x 2.5 cm Painting - 40 x 30 x 1 inch

€2,461

Painting, Odoziaku, Paschal Ugwu

Odoziaku

Paschal Ugwu

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

€2,096

Painting, Marilyn, Imogen Morris

Marilyn

Imogen Morris

Painting - 65.3 x 65.3 x 3.4 cm Painting - 25.7 x 25.7 x 1.3 inch

€1,847

Painting, Chaleur, Aurore Amberny

Chaleur

Aurore Amberny

Painting - 65 x 50 x 0.1 cm Painting - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch

€800

Painting, Psyché, Mohamed Lekleti

Psyché

Mohamed Lekleti

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

€7,000

Painting, Beyond self, Devajyoti Ray

Beyond self

Devajyoti Ray

Painting - 60 x 73 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 28.7 x 0.8 inch

€500

Painting, Lady with Headband, Roland

Lady with Headband

Roland

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

€4,900

Painting, Le souffle, André Teleki

Le souffle

André Teleki

Painting - 33 x 24 x 1 cm Painting - 13 x 9.4 x 0.4 inch

€1,100

15/100

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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

€710

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

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

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.