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Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

MODERN STYLE

The first decades of the 20th century were a period of artistic upheaval, with modern art movements including Cubism, Surrealism, Futurism and Dadaism questioning centuries of traditional views of what art should be. Using abstraction, experimental forms and interdisciplinary techniques, painters, sculptors, photographers, printmakers and performance artists all pushed the boundaries of creative expression.

Major exhibitions, like the 1913 Armory Show in New York City — also known as the “International Exhibition of Modern Art,” in which works like the radically angular Nude Descending a Staircase by Marcel Duchamp caused a sensation — challenged the perspective of viewers and critics and heralded the arrival of modern art in the United States. But the movement’s revolutionary spirit took shape in the 19th century.

The Industrial Revolution, which ushered in new technology and cultural conditions across the world, transformed art from something mostly commissioned by the wealthy or the church to work that responded to personal experiences. The Impressionist style emerged in 1860s France with artists like Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne and Edgar Degas quickly painting works that captured moments of light and urban life. Around the same time in England, the Pre-Raphaelites, like Edward Burne-Jones and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, borrowed from late medieval and early Renaissance art to imbue their art with symbolism and modern ideas of beauty.

Emerging from this disruption of the artistic status quo, modern art went further in rejecting conventions and embracing innovation. The bold legacy of leading modern artists Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dalí, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Marc Chagall, Piet Mondrian and many others continues to inform visual culture today.

Find a collection of modern paintings, sculptures, prints and other fine art on 1stDibs.

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Style: Modern
Period: 1920s
"Lilian"
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Jim’s of Lambertville is proud to offer this artwork by: Gershon Benjamin (1899-1985) An American Modernist of portraits, landscapes, still lives, and the urban scene, Gershon Benj...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor

Letters to Sardinia - Drawing by Filiberto Scarpelli - 1925
Located in Roma, IT
Letters to Sardinia is a modern artwork realized by Italian artist Filiberto Scarpelli  (Naples, 1870 - Rome, 1933).Four Separate artworks in one frame.  Original drawings realized i...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pen, Paper

Cafe Society: The Smoker, male portait Closerie des Lilas, Lost Generation Paris
By John Wentworth Russell
Located in Norwich, GB
A strong portrait, and a piece of history. It was confidently sketched in 1923, during the heyday of the "Lost Generation" in Paris, at the Closerie des Lilas - Ernest Hemingway's favourite haunt and home-from-home in the City. This historical café is where Hemingway first read The Great Gatsby with his friend F. Scott Fitzgerald and where he wrote most of The Sun Also Rises...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Graphite

Horses - Drawing by Alberto Ziveri - 1926
Located in Roma, IT
Horses is a drawing realized by Alberto Ziveri in the 1926. Ink, pencil and watercolor on paper. Hand-signed and dated. In good conditions.
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Paper, Watercolor

Akt mit Strümpfen
Located in Wien, 9
August Dressler is one of the painters of the New Objectivity. He is one of the lesser-known artists of the Weimar era, but he too, like his famous contemporaries Georg Grosz, John H...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor, Ink

Portrait of Alfred Hardiman, Graphite Sketch, Signed and Dated 1925
Located in London, GB
Graphite on paper, signed and dated Image size: 18 x 12 1/2 inches (46 x 32 cm) Mounted and framed The sitter for this portrait, Alfred Hardiman, was an English sculptor. Hardiman and Lyon were friends and met when they both attended the British School at Rome in the early 1920s. Hardiman won a London County Council Scholarship to the Royal College of Art in 1912, and three years later joined the Royal Academy School. After a period as an engineer's draughtsman in the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War, Hardiman resumed his studies and in 1920 was awarded the British Prix de Rome scholarship, spending two years at the British School at Rome. There he developed his style, a blend of naturalism and classicism influenced by Roman and Etruscan art and early fifth century Greek sculpture. Hardiman's best-known (but also most controversial) work is the Earl Haig Memorial on Whitehall in London. More universally admired are the heraldic lions flanking the main entrance to the City Hall, Norwich, a work which fully epitomises his style. He was appointed consultant sculptor to the building, having worked with one of the architects, Stephen Rowland Pierce, on the Haig Memorial. Hardiman also carved three large stone figures for the outside of the council chamber, and worked with other sculptors on the project including James Woodford and Eric Aumonier. Hardiman was elected Associate of the Royal Academy in 1936 and a full Academician in 1944. He became a fellow of the Royal Society of British Sculptors in 1938 and the following year received their silver medal for his statue of Haig. In 1946 he won a gold medal for his bronze fountain figure for the New Council House, College Green, Bristol, which however was never erected. In 1918 he married Violet, daughter of Herbert Clifton White, of London, and had two daughters. He died at Stoke Poges on 17th April 1949. Robert Lyon...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Graphite

Portrait - Drawing by Mino Maccari - 1928
Located in Roma, IT
Portrait is a Pen Drawing realized by Mino Maccari (1924-1989) in 1928. Hand-signed on the lower margin. Good condition on a little paper. Mino Maccari (Siena, 1924-Rome, June 16...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ballpoint Pen

Tiger, Lion, Panther, Wolf, Bear, Cat Predator Silhouette Illustration
Located in Miami, FL
Pioneering Woman Illustrator Margery Stocking Hart draws a pen-and-ink story depicting a round table of predators encircling a vulnerable bunny rabbit. ...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Pen

Portrait - Original Black Marker Pen Drawing - 1929
Located in Roma, IT
Portrait is an original Pen Drawing realized by an unknown artist in 1929. Good condition on a yellowed paper, another sketch of a nude woman on the...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Permanent Marker

Story of a Boy - Pen Drawing by Filiberto Scarpelli - 1910
Located in Roma, IT
Story of a Boy is a modern artwork realized in 1910 by the Italian artist Filiberto Scarpelli (Naples, 1870 - Rome, 1933). Two Original drawings realized in China ink on paper. ...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Pen

Story of a Boy - Pen Drawing by Filiberto Scarpelli - 1925
Located in Roma, IT
The King of Sardinia is a modern artwork realized in 1925 by the Italian artist Filiberto Scarpelli (Naples, 1870 - Rome, 1933). Three drawings rea...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper

Costume for Aida - Tempera and Watercolor - 1920s
Located in Roma, IT
Costume for Aida is a drawing in tempera and watercolor on brownish paper realized in 1920 ca. by an Anonymous Italian artist of the early 20th Century. In very good condition. The...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor, Tempera

Portrait of a man by Hans Berger - Pastel on paper 37x50 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Work on paper
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pastel

Winter landscape - Drawing by Emilio Longoni - 1920s
Located in Roma, IT
Mixed media artwork (tempera, watercolor and pencil) on cardboard by Emilio Longoni. Hand signed by the artist on the lower right margin. Includes gilded frame.
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor, Tempera, Pencil

Un Lecteur d'Henri Dordeaux - Drawing by Norbert Meyre - 1924
Located in Roma, IT
Un Lecteur d'Henri Dordeaux is an original Pen and Pencil Drawing realized by Norbert Meyre in 1924. The little artwork on a yellowed paper is in good c...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor, Pen

Portrait - Charcoal Drawing by Mino Maccari - 1920s
Located in Roma, IT
Portrait of a Man is an original modern artwork realized in the first decades of the XX Century by the Italian artist Mino Maccari (Siena, 1898 - Rome, 1989). Original charcoal draw...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Charcoal

Portrait of Woman - Original Drawing in pencil by Carl Bertold - 1929
Located in Roma, IT
Portrait of woman is an original drawing in pencil realized by Carl Bertold in 1929. Hand-signed on the lower right and dated. Good conditions on aged p...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pencil

Portrait - Pencil Drawing - 1925
Located in Roma, IT
Portrait is an original pencil drawing on ivory-colorated paper, realized by Anonymous Artist of 20th Century. In very good conditions. Image Dimensions: 21 x 15.5 cm. Signed R.A o...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pencil

Le Nouveau Napoleon - Original Pen Drawing by Emile Rouff - 1929
Located in Roma, IT
Le Nouveau Napoleon is an original pen drawing realized by Emile Rouff in 1929. The little picture is in good conditions on a yellowed paper. Some pencil...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pen

Self-portrait - Charcoal Drawing by M. Maccari - 1929 ca
Located in Roma, IT
Self-portrait of Mino Maccari is an original modern artwork realized by the Italian artist Mino Maccari (Siena, 1898 - Rome, 1989). Original drawing in pencil on paper. Hand-signed...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Pencil

Wisdom - Original Pen Drawing by Filiberto Scarpelli - 1920 ca
Located in Roma, IT
Wisdom is an original drawing in pen on paper, realized in 1920 ca. by Filiberto Scarpelli (Naples, 1870 - Rome, 1933). Published on Italian magazine "la guerra dell’asino". Includ...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pen

Generals - Original China Ink by Filiberto Scarpelli - 1920s
Located in Roma, IT
Generals is an original modern artwork realized in the first half of the 20th Century by the Italian artist Filiberto Scarpelli (Naples, 1870 - Rome, 1933). Original drawing realize...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink

Circus girl reclining
Located in Miami, FL
Signed and dated center right, Seam down center where two sheets attached is original. Some slight surface smudging outside figure area .
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Carbon Pencil

"Contemplation"
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Jim’s of Lambertville is proud to offer this artwork by: Gershon Benjamin (1899-1985) An American Modernist of portraits, landscapes, still lives, and the urban scene, Gershon Benj...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Graphite

"Isadora Duncan (Orange), " Pen, Ink, & Watercolor signed by Abraham Walkowitz
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Isadora Duncan (Orange)" is an original pen & ink, graphite, and watercolor piece on cream paper by Abraham Walkowitz. The artist signed the piece in the lower center. The drawing d...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Paper, Watercolor, Graphite

"Isadora Duncan (Blue), " Pen, Ink, & Watercolor signed by Abraham Walkowitz
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Isadora Duncan (Blue)" is an original mixed media drawing created by Abraham Walkowitz. It is made with pen & ink, graphite, and watercolor piece on cream paper. The artist signed t...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink, Watercolor, Graphite

Woman Laughing - Original Pastel by Michel Simonidy - 1920s
Located in Roma, IT
Woman laughing is an original artwork by Michel Simonidy. Mixed media, pastel drawing, and tempera on paper. Hand-signed by the artist on the lower right. Includes passepartout. St...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pastel

Untitled
Located in New York, NY
Tobey's work resembles Abstract Expressionism and Asian calligraphy.
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Charcoal

The Portrait - Drawing - 1929
Located in Roma, IT
The Portrait is an original drawing in China ink on paper realized by an anonymous artist in 1929, applied on a greyish Passepartout. hand-signed, illegible, and dated on the lower....
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink

Portugal, Young Girl with Fishes - Original color drawing, Signed
Located in Paris, FR
Mily POSSOZ Young Girl with Fishes, 1928 Original pencil and charcoals derawing Signed bottom right Dated 1928 On paper 42 x 34 cm at view (c. 17 x 13 in) Presented in a wood frame ...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Charcoal, Pencil, Color Pencil

Modern portrait drawings and watercolors for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Modern portrait drawings and watercolors available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add portrait drawings and watercolors created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of orange, blue, yellow, green and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Mino Maccari, Alberto Ziveri, Pierre Georges Jeanniot, and Devie Elzafon. Frequently made by artists working with Pencil, and Paint and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Modern portrait drawings and watercolors, so small editions measuring 2.09 inches across are also available. Prices for portrait drawings and watercolors made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $55 and tops out at $425,000, while the average work sells for $403.

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