Skip to main content

Portrait Paintings

to
4,688
10,731
2,060
11,917
7,760
5,872
3,795
1,673
1,562
672
479
399
271
259
14,461
7,884
7,549
1,725
6,732
6,612
Portrait Paintings For Sale
Confident Figure - Original Figurative Abstract Man in Purple Suit on Blue Wall
Confident Figure - Original Figurative Abstract Man in Purple Suit on Blue Wall

Confident Figure - Original Figurative Abstract Man in Purple Suit on Blue Wall

By Iqi Qoror

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Iqi Qoror's surreal figurative paintings are arresting in their earthy palettes offset by pops of fluorescent textile embroidery. His artworks revolve around questions of trust, inte...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Wool, Canvas, Thread, Mixed Media, Acrylic

Portrait of young Lady, c. 1656-58
Portrait of young Lady, c. 1656-58

Portrait of young Lady, c. 1656-58

By Sir Peter Lely

Located in Henley-on-Thames, England

Sir Peter Lely (Soest 1618-London 1680) Portrait of young Lady, c. 1656-58 Half-length, wearing pearls and a blue dress, with her shirt revealed Formerly identified as Elizabeth Clay...

Category

1650s Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Very Large Antique French Old Master Oil Painting after Rembrandt, self portrait
Very Large Antique French Old Master Oil Painting after Rembrandt, self portrait

Very Large Antique French Old Master Oil Painting after Rembrandt, self portrait

By Antique French

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Artist/ School: French School, 19th century, after the earlier work by Rembrandt Title: Self portrait of the artist Medium: oil on canvas, framed in antique gilt swept frame. Fra...

Category

19th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Fauvist 20th Century Oil - Self Portrait
Fauvist 20th Century Oil - Self Portrait

Fauvist 20th Century Oil - Self Portrait

Located in Corsham, GB

This striking 20th century Fauvist portrait of a man showcases bold colours and dynamic linework, brought to life through confident, painterly brushstrokes. Signed. On canvas laid to...

Category

20th Century Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

American School Modernist Navy Sailor Male Portrait Framed Nautical Oil Painting
American School Modernist Navy Sailor Male Portrait Framed Nautical Oil Painting

American School Modernist Navy Sailor Male Portrait Framed Nautical Oil Painting

Located in Buffalo, NY

Antique American modernist sailor portrait oil painting. Oil on board. Framed. Unsigned. Measuring: 9 by 14 inches overall, and 7.5 by 13 painting alone. Excellent condition, ready ...

Category

1930s Post-Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Reincarnation -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, African Artwork
Reincarnation -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, African Artwork

Reincarnation -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, African Artwork

By Ayandare Adeniran Ayanmuyiwa

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issued by the Gal...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

The Madonna with Christ Child & St. John Fine 18th Century Italian Old Master
The Madonna with Christ Child & St. John Fine 18th Century Italian Old Master

The Madonna with Christ Child & St. John Fine 18th Century Italian Old Master

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

The Madonna, Christ Child and St. John Italian School, 18th century oil on wood, framed in period gilt antique frame framed: 16 x 14.5 inches wood: 9 x 6.5 inches provenance: private...

Category

18th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Romantic 19th Century Oil - French Gentlemen with Legion of Honour
Romantic 19th Century Oil - French Gentlemen with Legion of Honour

Romantic 19th Century Oil - French Gentlemen with Legion of Honour

Located in Corsham, GB

A romantic 19th-century portrait of a distinguished French gentleman, standing proudly wearing his Legion of Honour medal, France's highest order of merit established by Napoleon Bon...

Category

19th Century Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Male Portrait (Casey, Burberry Shirt)
Male Portrait (Casey, Burberry Shirt)

Male Portrait (Casey, Burberry Shirt)

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Tim Doud (b.1971) Casey (Burberry) 2001-02 Oil on linen, 22 x 22 inches. Original gallery label on verso. Excellent condition. Tim Doud’s paintings and drawings address two se...

Category

Early 2000s Portrait Paintings

Materials

Linen, Oil

Tree Nymph in a Landscape - American Impressionist 1920's art oil painting
Tree Nymph in a Landscape - American Impressionist 1920's art oil painting

Tree Nymph in a Landscape - American Impressionist 1920's art oil painting

Located in Hagley, England

This gorgeous large American Impressionist oil painting is attributed to Lillian M. Genth. She was a favourite pupil of Whistlers whilst at an art school in Paris. She is best known for depicting female forms or nymphs in landscapes such as this, up until about 1928 when she focused on other topics. She had an estate in Connecticutt and would often paint models in the woods there. Although not initially accepted by Victorian Society, In 1908 her painting, The Lark, won her the Shaw Memorial Prize at the 83rd Annual Exhibition of the National Academy of Design. The Lark depicts a full female nude strolling through the woods with her head turned looking toward the sky as if she just heard a lark, as the title suggests. This painting successfully demonstrates Whistler’s influence on Genth through the integration of the nude form and the landscape. Our lovely painting's composition is of a nymph seated in a tree playing pipes with a blue sky as background, while sheep graze beyond her in a landscape. The dappled sunlight on her skin and hair are beautiful. This is a superb example of work by a female American Impressionist in the 1920's and visually stunning. Unsigned. Provenance: Berkshire estate. Christies London Condition. Oil on canvas, image size is 50 inches by 37 inches and in good condition. Frame. House an ornate gilt frame. Framed size is 57 inches by 44 inches and in good condition. Lillian Mathilde Genth (1876 – March 28, 1953) was an American impressionist artist. She is best known for her depiction of female nudes in landscape settings. However, in the middle of her career she swore off painting female nudes and began painting more conservative paintings inspired by her travels. In about 30 years Genth appeared in 233 exhibitions, and while well renowned for her paintings while alive, her story and artwork have been lost in the retelling of American art history. Lillian Mathilde Genth was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Matilda Caroline Rebscher and Samuel Adam. Genth began her art career by attending the Philadelphia School of Design for Women in Pennsylvania on scholarship. During her schooling years she worked to help support herself as a dress designer. At the Philadelphia School of Design for Women her primary teacher was Elliott Daingerfield. Daingerfield greatly influenced her style, which can be seen in the similar tonalist and coloristic qualities of her landscape scenes. Genth graduated from Philadelphia School of Design for Women in 1900. She received the William L. Elkins European fellowship for attainment in art from the Philadelphia School of Design, which sponsored her to paint in Europe for a year. During her time in Europe, Genth first settled in Paris, France in October 1900 where she enrolled in art classes at the Académie Carmen, an art school run by James McNeill Whistler. Whistler became a large influence on Genth’s work and she was known to be a favorite pupil of his. During one of Whistler’s visits to the school in 1900, he was so impressed by Genth’s work that he gave her a paint palette; an honor that she used and treasured for the rest of her career. This was an incredible compliment from Whistler, who rarely accepted women painters. Genth’s style is typically attributed to Whistler because of her paintings' tonalist qualities and because he taught her to see her paintings as a whole instead of in individual parts. After the Academie Carmen closed in 1901, Genth stayed in Europe for three more years. During this time she worked on painting landscapes, genre scenes, and waterfronts; her nudes would not begin for a few more years. In 1904 Genth returned to the United States and was living in New York City. It was at this point that her career began to flourish. In 1904 Genth showed at three exhibitions: the National Academy of Design, Art Club of Philadelphia, and Worcester Museum. In October of that same year she appeared in her first individual show at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Also in 1904 Genth received the Mary Shaw...

Category

1920s American Impressionist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Rene Leroy Large French Abstract Cubist Mixed Media Painting Framed
Rene Leroy Large French Abstract Cubist Mixed Media Painting Framed

Rene Leroy Large French Abstract Cubist Mixed Media Painting Framed

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Key Details Artist: Rene Leroy, French, born 1932 Title: Abstract / Cubist Composition Medium: Mixed media, material and oil on canvas, framed Size: Painting: 29 x 36 inches; framed:...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Large Portrait of Young French Girl, Signed Impressionist Oil
Large Portrait of Young French Girl, Signed Impressionist Oil

Large Portrait of Young French Girl, Signed Impressionist Oil

By Paul Morro

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

The Young Model Paul Morro, German circa 1960’s Oil painting on canvas, unframed Canvas size: 27 x 23.5 inches Portrait of a young girl, signed by the impressionist artist. Unfra...

Category

Mid-20th Century Impressionist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Antique Oil Painting Romantic Pastoral Scene 19th Century French Classical Art
Antique Oil Painting Romantic Pastoral Scene 19th Century French Classical Art

Antique Oil Painting Romantic Pastoral Scene 19th Century French Classical Art

Located in Palm Coast, FL

Elegant antique original oil painting on canvas depicting a romantic pastoral scene inspired by 19th-century European traditions. The composition portrays a young couple resting in a...

Category

19th Century Impressionist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Mid 19th Century Oil - Lady with Quill
Mid 19th Century Oil - Lady with Quill

Mid 19th Century Oil - Lady with Quill

Located in Corsham, GB

This fine mid-19th-century portrait, circa 1840, depicts a solemn-faced lady with dark hair parted at the centre. She wears a sombre mourning dress with a white lace collar and a sma...

Category

Mid-19th Century Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Antique French Impressionist Self Portrait of Artist 1900's Oil Painting canvas
Antique French Impressionist Self Portrait of Artist 1900's Oil Painting canvas

Antique French Impressionist Self Portrait of Artist 1900's Oil Painting canvas

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Self Portrait of the Artist by René PIROLA (French, 1878 - 1912) stamped with artists mark oil on canvas, framed framed: 27 x 22 inches canvas: 26 x 21.5 inches Provenance: private ...

Category

Early 20th Century Post-Impressionist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

"Enchanted" Modernist Multicolor & Textured Abstract Portrait Painting on Canvas
"Enchanted" Modernist Multicolor & Textured Abstract Portrait Painting on Canvas

"Enchanted" Modernist Multicolor & Textured Abstract Portrait Painting on Canvas

By Gee Gee Collins

Located in New York, NY

A modernist depiction of a portrait executed with strong use of line and texture. This piece is filled with movement and beautiful brushwork, the use of color placement is enchanting...

Category

2010s Cubist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic

Cloud-Gazing Club
Cloud-Gazing Club

Cloud-Gazing Club

By Nataliya Bagatskaya

Located in Zofingen, AG

This artwork captures a surreal and serene moment, blending simplicity with mystery. A barefoot woman in a black dress stands on a vast, white, textured expanse, reminiscent of salt ...

Category

2010s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

Reading In the Gold Chair 2.0, Oil Painting
Reading In the Gold Chair 2.0, Oil Painting

Reading In the Gold Chair 2.0, Oil Painting

By Jesse Aldana

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A figure study in natural light finds a woman settled in a comfortable chair, posed in a triangle of strength. As she reads on her phone, vibrant light bounces ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Inner Peace: Contemporary Mixed Media on Canvas, Unframed
Inner Peace: Contemporary Mixed Media on Canvas, Unframed

Inner Peace: Contemporary Mixed Media on Canvas, Unframed

By Taiwo Odejinmi

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

Shipping Procedure FREE Shipping Worldwide Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authent...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media

Already Ascendant - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Africa
Already Ascendant - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Africa

Already Ascendant - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Africa

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

Already Ascendant reflects the fragile edge between hesitation and potential. It is a meditation on opportunity, choice, and the fleeting nature of decisive moments. Rich textures an...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

17th Century Dutch Old Master Oil Painting Oval Shape Figures in Tavern Interior
17th Century Dutch Old Master Oil Painting Oval Shape Figures in Tavern Interior

17th Century Dutch Old Master Oil Painting Oval Shape Figures in Tavern Interior

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Tavern Interior Dutch School, 17th century oil on metal, framed framed: 8 x 6.75 inches painting: 6 x 4.25 inches provenance: private collection condition: very good and sound condit...

Category

17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Fine 19th Century French Symbolist Oil Painting Portrait of Mythological Queen
Fine 19th Century French Symbolist Oil Painting Portrait of Mythological Queen

Fine 19th Century French Symbolist Oil Painting Portrait of Mythological Queen

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

The Queen by Diogène Ulysse Napoléon Maillart (French, 1840 – 1926) *see notes below oil painting on canvas, framed canvas: 42 x 30 inches framed: 45 x 33 inches condition: overall v...

Category

Late 19th Century Symbolist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Saint Sebastian Petrazzi Paint 17th Century Oil on canvas Old master Siena Art
Saint Sebastian Petrazzi Paint 17th Century Oil on canvas Old master Siena Art

Saint Sebastian Petrazzi Paint 17th Century Oil on canvas Old master Siena Art

Located in Riva del Garda, IT

Saint Sebastian Attributed to Astolfo Petrazzi (Siena, 1583–1665) Oil on canvas 88 x 64 cm. Framed 98 x 76 cm. The painting in question depicts an intense portrait of Sain...

Category

17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Fine British Mid 20th Century Oil Painting Portrait of a Society Lady
Fine British Mid 20th Century Oil Painting Portrait of a Society Lady

Fine British Mid 20th Century Oil Painting Portrait of a Society Lady

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Artist/ School: British School, indistinctly signed lower right, circa 1950's Title: Portrait of an Aristocratic Lady. The previous owner believed the sitter to be a member of the Q...

Category

Mid-20th Century Victorian Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

“Hon. George King, 1788” Pastel Portrait, Young Boy with Cricket Ball and Dog
“Hon. George King, 1788” Pastel Portrait, Young Boy with Cricket Ball and Dog

“Hon. George King, 1788” Pastel Portrait, Young Boy with Cricket Ball and Dog

By John Russell

Located in Yardley, PA

“Hon. George King, 1788” by John Russell (1745-1806) Regarded as Britain’s foremost pastellist, John Russell is well known for his portraits of the wealthy middle class. In particul...

Category

1780s Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Paper, Pastel

Mid Century Impressionist Painting Portrait of a Green Eyed Brunette Lady
Mid Century Impressionist Painting Portrait of a Green Eyed Brunette Lady

Mid Century Impressionist Painting Portrait of a Green Eyed Brunette Lady

By Suzanne Dinkes

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Artist/ School: Suzanne Dinkés (French, 1895 - 1984) Medium: signed and dated 47' oil on board, unframed Size : 14 x 10.5 inches Double sided Provenance: private collection, France ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Chroma-Q- 21st Century Contemporary portrait Painting
Chroma-Q- 21st Century Contemporary portrait Painting

Chroma-Q- 21st Century Contemporary portrait Painting

By Tania Rivilis

Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant

Tania Rivilis Chroma-Q 41 x 29 cm framed (included in price) 44 x 32 cm Oilpaint on wood panel Tania Rivilis (b. 1986) 2022 winner of the 'William Locke Price' ( £ 30.000 ) from ...

Category

2010s Contemporary Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

Huge Antique Oil Painting Oval Portrait of Mary Magdalene Holding Ointment Jar
Huge Antique Oil Painting Oval Portrait of Mary Magdalene Holding Ointment Jar

Huge Antique Oil Painting Oval Portrait of Mary Magdalene Holding Ointment Jar

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Portrait of Mary Magdalene with an Ointment Jar Spanish School, early 20th century, unsigned after the earlier 16th century painting by Jan van Scorel oil on panel, framed framed: 4...

Category

Early 20th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Antique Continental Old Master oil after Murillo, fine gilt frame
Antique Continental Old Master oil after Murillo, fine gilt frame

Antique Continental Old Master oil after Murillo, fine gilt frame

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Artist/ School: 18th/ 19th century Continental School, after Murillo Title: Figures eating Grapes Medium: signed oil painting on metal, framed. Size:...

Category

19th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Hans Kerber (Austria b. 1920) Original Oil Painting, Man with Guitar, Framed
Hans Kerber (Austria b. 1920) Original Oil Painting, Man with Guitar, Framed

Hans Kerber (Austria b. 1920) Original Oil Painting, Man with Guitar, Framed

Located in Palm Coast, FL

Bring warmth and charm into your home with this delightful original oil painting by Austrian artist Hans Kerber (b. 1920–?), portraying an elderly gentleman joyfully holding a guitar...

Category

Late 20th Century Impressionist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Mid-17th-Century French School, Portrait Of A Member Of The De Belot Family
Mid-17th-Century French School, Portrait Of A Member Of The De Belot Family

Mid-17th-Century French School, Portrait Of A Member Of The De Belot Family

Located in Cheltenham, GB

This distinguished mid-17th-century French oil painting depicts a member of the de Belot de Villette et de Chevigney family wearing a richly embroidered black doublet decorated with ...

Category

1650s French School Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Gentle Hold -21st Century, Contemporary Figurative Portrait, Modern Africa Women
Gentle Hold -21st Century, Contemporary Figurative Portrait, Modern Africa Women

Gentle Hold -21st Century, Contemporary Figurative Portrait, Modern Africa Women

By Elijah Olanase

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique; it is not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Arti...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Sitting Pretty - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Surrealism, Fashion
Sitting Pretty - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Surrealism, Fashion

Sitting Pretty - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Surrealism, Fashion

By Oniudele Gold

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About the Artist...

Category

2010s American Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Large Vintage American Modernist Cubist Portrait Original MCM Oil Painting
Large Vintage American Modernist Cubist Portrait Original MCM Oil Painting

Large Vintage American Modernist Cubist Portrait Original MCM Oil Painting

Located in Buffalo, NY

Vintage American modernist oil painting. Oil on canvas. Unsigned. Measuring: 34 by 22 inches overall. Excellent condition, ready to hang and enjoy.

Category

1970s Abstract Expressionist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Signed French Impressionist Oil Painting Portrait of a Man seated in Library
Signed French Impressionist Oil Painting Portrait of a Man seated in Library

Signed French Impressionist Oil Painting Portrait of a Man seated in Library

By Antique French

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Artist/ School: French School, indistinctly signed, dated 1910 Title: Portrait of a man seated in a library room of books. Medium: signed oil painting on canvas, unframed canvas...

Category

Early 20th Century Impressionist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

One Mind With Many Thoughts - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Women
One Mind With Many Thoughts - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Women

One Mind With Many Thoughts - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Women

By Elijah Olanase

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

Sometimes, our thoughts can be the enemy. We need to be careful about our thoughts because we can lose ourselves. Life can be tough, filled with challenges and difficulties, but it's...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Hoopoe Bird Oil Painting on Canvas, Expressionist Style, Unframed
Hoopoe Bird Oil Painting on Canvas, Expressionist Style, Unframed

Hoopoe Bird Oil Painting on Canvas, Expressionist Style, Unframed

By Elena Lukina

Located in Zofingen, AG

"Hoopoe: The Crowned Messenger" is a definitive masterpiece by Elena Lukina, capturing the regal and ancient essence of one of nature’s most enigmatic archetypes. Part of the artist’...

Category

2010s Expressionist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Cardboard

“Fishermen” by C. Stoitzner - Oil on Canvas - 37.5x58cm
“Fishermen” by C. Stoitzner - Oil on Canvas - 37.5x58cm

“Fishermen” by C. Stoitzner - Oil on Canvas - 37.5x58cm

By Konstantin Stoitzner

Located in Geneva, CH

Arwork sold with frame (81.5 x 60.5 x 7.5 cm) Konstantin Stoitzner (1863–1933) was an Austrian painter renowned for his landscapes, genre scenes, portraits, and still lifes. Born ...

Category

Early 20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

19th Century French Portrait of a Nun Large Oil Painting 1898
19th Century French Portrait of a Nun Large Oil Painting 1898

19th Century French Portrait of a Nun Large Oil Painting 1898

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Portrait of a Nun by Joseph Albert, signed and dated to the back, 1898 oil painting on canvas, unframed canvas: 24 x 18 inches provenance: private collection, England condition: ove...

Category

Late 19th Century Victorian Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Cherubs and Beauty, Romantic Oil Painting on Canvas, 18th Century
Cherubs and Beauty, Romantic Oil Painting on Canvas, 18th Century

Cherubs and Beauty, Romantic Oil Painting on Canvas, 18th Century

Located in Cotignac, FR

I8th century allegorical oil on canvas, a female figure and cherubs. The work is not signed and is probably an overdoor or trumeau from a larger decorative room scheme. It is present...

Category

18th Century Romantic Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Portrait of a Girl in a Chair, Signed Pastel, 1920´s
Portrait of a Girl in a Chair, Signed Pastel, 1920´s

Portrait of a Girl in a Chair, Signed Pastel, 1920´s

Located in Stockholm, Stockholm

An enchanting oval portrait capturing a young girl, curled up in an oversized Louis XIV armchair. She wears a deep blue dress, her dark hair neatly arranged and held in place by two ...

Category

1920s Romantic Portrait Paintings

Materials

Paper, Pastel

Portrait Paintings for Sale on 1stDibs

An elegant and sophisticated decorative touch in any living space, portrait paintings have remained popular throughout the years and are widely loved pieces of art for display in many homes today.

Portrait paintings are at least as old as ancient Egypt, where realistic, lifelike depictions of the recently deceased — commonly known as “mummy portraits” — were painted on wooden panels and affixed to mummies as part of the burial tradition.

For centuries, painters have used portraiture as a means of expressing a subject’s nobility, societal status and authority. Portraits were given as gifts in Renaissance Europe, and a portrait artist might have been commissioned to help mark a significant occasion such as a wedding or a promotion to high office. Prior to the advent of photography, which eventually replaced painted portraits as a quicker and more efficient way of capturing a person’s essence, the subject of a portrait had to sit for hours until the painter had finished. And during the 18th century in particular, if an artist commissioned for a portrait struggled with how to adequately memorialize and capture a subject’s likeness, sometimes a portrait painting wasn’t completed for up to a year.

Whether it’s part of the gallery-style approach to your living-room or dining-room walls or merely inspiration as you devise an eye-grabbing color scheme in your home, a portrait painting is a timeless decorative object for any interior. A landscape painting or sculpture might give you the kind of insight into a specific region of the world or a different culture that you can ascertain only through art. Similarly, when you take the time to learn about the subject of a portrait painting that you bring into your home — the sitter’s history, the relationship between the sitter and the artist should one exist, the story of how the portrait came to be — that work can become intensely personal in addition to its place as an object for an art-hungry corner of your apartment or house.

On 1stDibs, visit a vast collection of famous portrait paintings or works by emerging artists. Search by medium to find the right portrait paintings for your home in oil paint, synthetic resin paint and more. Find portrait paintings in a variety of styles, too, including contemporary, Impressionist and Pop art, or search by artist to find unique works created by painters such as Mark Beard, Steve Kaufman and Montse Valdés.