Portrait Painting
A penetrating, introspective gaze, and a subtle smile - da Vinci's Mona Lisa is probably one of the most famous portraits in art history. However, many other artists have immortalised themselves through impressive portrait paintings. With us, you can discover the art of portraiture by contemporary artists!
Portraits as Artworks - Visible and Invisible Details
The first artistic portraits were already created in ancient times. However, back then, portrait paintings were exclusively reserved for rulers or famous personalities. This remained unchanged until the Middle Ages. Only those with the appropriate status and financial means could afford to have their own likeness captured on canvas forever. Classic portraits from this and later epochs include not only the Mona Lisa but also Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring, van Gogh's Self-Portrait with Straw Hat, or Klimt's Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer.
In the course of time, the image of the portrait changed: From being a pure status symbol with a memorial function, portrait paintings became complex works and open to interpretation. Portraits no longer merely display the visible details of a face or a person but also convey nuances of the hidden personality within. For the observer, portrait artworks offer a glimpse into the soul of the person, narrating secrets in which one can deliberately lose themselves.
Modern Portrait Painting with Abstract Self-Portraits and Realistic Studies
Paintings with portraits have become rarer today. Instead of capturing one's own face or the likeness of a loved one on canvas, modern times have turned to the technical possibilities of (digital) photography. Nevertheless, many artists still utilise the diverse techniques of painting to create impressive, touching, amusing, or thought-provoking portrait paintings. They embrace the entire range of stylistic possibilities - Abstract Expressionism, Photorealism, Pop Art, or Surrealism. There are no boundaries when it comes to materials and media either: Coloured pencils and ink, oil and acrylic, as well as watercolour and airbrush are equally suitable for creating individual, double, or group portraits.
Buy Portrait Paintings - Immerse into the Secrets of a Stranger's Soul
When gazing at a portrait, we automatically wonder about the person behind the face we see. What thoughts does this person have? What experiences have they had? Although we usually cannot answer any of these questions, we feel connected to the person portrayed in the painting. We cannot resist the fascination of their gaze, repeatedly studying the details of their face, and mentally embarking on a journey into the innermost self of a complete stranger. Discover the secrets of the portraits by Dagmar Jacobs, Philip Langen or Michael Bajer and order these and other works by contemporary artists from us directly from the studio. With certificates of authenticity.