Portrait Paintings

Attributed to Pierre Paul Prud’hon (French, 1758-1823) 'La belle musicienne' Oil on canvas, oval Signed ‘P. P. Prudon’ (lower left) 28.3/4 x 23.1/2 in. (73 x 59.5 cm.) Pierre Paul Prud'hon is considered a prime example of early French Romanticism. He was born as the seventh and last child of a master tailor. At the age of 16 he was a pupil of the painter and sculptor Francois Devosge. After finishing his studies he moved to Paris, where he first worked for an engraver and became friends with the Baron of Joursanvault, who became his patron. He also made a friendship with the "incorruptible", the politician and revolutionary Maximilien de Robespierre. Despite important friendships and the care of some cardinals, Prud'hon plunges into loneliness and melancholy. He has a good reputation and produces allegorical paintings, but his attachment to Robespierre forces him to leave the French capital. He now lives in the Free County of Burgundy, where he makes portraits and illustrations for Pierre Didot, the owner of the printing house. After a few years he moved back to Paris and his career received a new impetus. In the Louvre, Prud'hon is provided with a studio in which he paints "La sagesse et la vérité descendant sur la terre" (Wisdom and Truth descend to earth) for one year, as well as some ceilings of the Louvre. The government assigns him a studio in the Sorbonne, where his wife Jeanne, whom he married at the age of 19, comes looking for him. To escape her, he asks the museum director for protection. In 1808 he wrote "La justice et la vengeance divine poursuivant le crime" (Justice and divine revenge pursue the crime). In the same year he is also named Knight of the Legion of Honour and is able to break with his grumpy wife once and for all. He soon reconnects with his student and painter of neoclassicism Constance Mayer. Pierre is commissioned to paint a portrait of the Empress and wife of Napoleon, Joséphine de Beauharnais, which can still be seen today in the Louvre. He also paints the small "Roi de Rome" (King of Rome). In 1816 the Academy of Fine Arts elected him a member, where he took over the armchair in the painting section of François-André Vincent. A few years later his depressed wife commits suicide, and full of pain Prud'hon finishes her last work "Une famille malheureuse" (Engl. An Unhappy Family) and exhibits it. He himself dies soon afterwards and is buried in Paris. Many renowned artists admire Prud'hon for his "clair-obscur", the chiaroscuro painting...

French artist of the first half 19th century oil painting on canvas, unframed canvas: 12.5 x 9.5 inches provenance: private collection, France condition: overall very good - aging signs...

Up for sale is a fabulous antique 19th-century or even earlier original oil painting on canvas depicting an interior scene with a seated female nude queen w...

This charming 18th century Old Master cartouche portrait oil painting is attributed to the circle of Philip Mercier. Painted circa 1740 the composition is a three quarter length portrait of a young girl holding a wicker basket of flowers. She is clothed in a white dress and beautiful blue silk shawl and is situated in a landscape. A very lovely British Old Master portrait oil painting. Provenance. Christies. Condition. Oil on canvas, 30 inches by 25 inches and in good condition. Frame. Housed in an ornate gilt carved 18th century frame, 38 inches by 33 inches and in good condition. Philippe Mercier (also known as Philip Mercier; 1689-1760) was a French painter and etcher, who lived principally and was active in England. He was born in Berlin of French extraction, the son of a Huguenot tapestry-worker. He studied painting at the Akademie der Wissenschaften of Berlin and later under Antoine Pesne, who had arrived in Berlin in 1710. Later, he travelled in Italy and France before arriving in London—"recommended by the Court at Hannover"—probably in 1716. He married in London in 1719 and lived in Leicester Fields. He was appointed principal painter and librarian to the Prince and Princess of Wales at their independent establishment in Leicester Fields, and while he was in favour he painted various portraits of...

Provenance : Arnold S. Kirkeby (1901-1962) Donated by Arnold S. Kirkeby to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1955, where it remained until its sale at Sotheby's, New York on Ja...

This charming British Victorian portrait oil painting is by noted artist Charles Sillem Lidderdale. Painted in 1872 it is a half length portrait of a beautiful young woman leaning he...

Oil on canvas Image size: 30 1/4 x 25 inches (77 x 63 cm) Original hand carved gilt frame Provenance Private Estate, England This is a very fine example of Kneller's work in the early 18th century. Here, the emphasis is placed directly on the sitter's alluring femininity, with this being enhanced by the falling hair around her shoulder. This looseness of focus is created with a free fluidity of brushstrokes. He has used a Rembrandt-esque technique of subtle tones in the face, and we can see how Kneller often allowed the bluer ground layer to show through when suggesting the darker flesh tones.The painterly technique seen here is an excellent demonstration of Kneller’s style. The bold handling of the flesh tones is Kneller at his most emphatic, while the sizeable areas of dark grey ground we see are indicative of his method of painting quickly, developed by this stage in his career to cope with the many demands of a large circle of patrons. The same effect is used for the shadows in the face: rather than paint darker colours on top of the pink flesh tones, as most artists would have done, Kneller instead painted in the reverse order, using the ground layer for his dark shadows, and then painting the lighter colours on top. Often he worked with an almost dry brush in strong firm strokes. Here the flesh tones have been rapidly, almost roughly painted, with bold areas of impasto giving way to areas where almost no paint has been applied at all, a trick that allowed Kneller to use the blue-grey ground layer to show darker flesh tones. Godfrey Kneller...

Portrait Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Stafford (1593-1641), 17th Century Circle of Anthonius VAN DYCK (1599-1641) Fine 17th century English School Old Master portrait of Anthonius...

Portrait Of Matilda Currie, aged 28, Wearing an elaborate Bonnet, 19th Century British School Large 19th Century British Victorian School portrait of Matilda Currie aged 28 wearin...

This Neoclassical oil on canvas painting of Moses, signed by Antoine Etex and dated around 1862, stands as a captivating tribute to classical artistry and biblical history. Antoine E...

Hercules At The Funeral Pyre at Mount Oeta, 18th Century follower of GUIDO RENI (BOLOGNA 1575-1642) 18th Century Italian Old Master depiction of Hercules at his funeral pyre, Moun...

Rick Borens' piece showcases a Native American chief standing in front of a landscape Dimensions without Frame: H: 20in x W: 31.5 in. Artist Bi...

Unsigned. Beautifully presented in a Florentine frame with delicate shell ornamentation. On canvas.

Octave GALLIAN (1855-1918) "Portrait of Elegant" , oil painting on canvas signed and dated 1895 lower right. Magnificent portrait depicting a young woman with deep dark eyes and rave...

Portrait of a Lady as Venus ATTRIBUTED TO PIERRE GOBERT (1662-1744) FRENCH SCHOOL AROUND 1720 OIL ON CANVAS: H. 55.51 in, W. 42.91 in. IMPORTANT 18TH CENTURY GILTWOOD FRAME (RE-GILT)...

French school late 18th Century Portrait of a young man oil on metal 10.2 x 7.7 cm Framed under glass : 24.4 x 21.8 cm This small portrait painting, quite original in its technique...

Ferdinand Fagerlin (1825-1907) Sweden Portrait of Alice Ritter, The Artists Wife oil on canvas signed with monogram painted 1862 canvas size 27.95...

Italian painter (18th century) - Portrait of a gentleman with an aphorism. 92 x 68cm. Oil on canvas, unframed. - Iscribed on the book: "In the world there are more crazy men than ...

Portrait of Anna Maria Porter, early 19th Century attributed to THOMAS BARBER (1768-1843) Early 19th century portrait of Anna Maria Porter, oil on canvas attributed to Thomas Porte...

English School, Portrait of a Scholar, Oil on Canvas, early 19th century, signed indistinctly and dated lower left, ornate giltwood frame. Image: 51.25" H x 40.5" W; frame: 57" H x 4...

Rare early American sunset Hudson River School swimming hole painting. Framed. Oil on board. Image size, 7.25H by 10L.

Thomas Burford (British, c. 1710-1779) Hare coursing outside a country house Oil on canvas Property of a gentleman From the collection of Peter Roe Dimensions: (Frame) 12.5 in. (H)...

This spellbinding late 19th-century oil painting by Scottish artist Robert Walker Macbeth RA ROI RWS (1848-1910) depicts a young woman wearing...

Antoine VESTIER, attributed to (Avallon, 1740 - Paris, 1824) Portrait of a man under the Revolution Oil on canvas H. 46 cm; L. 37 cm Circa 1793-95 This beautiful unsigned portrait i...

Léon Herbo (1850-1907), "Portrait of a Girl," oil painting on canvas signed and dated 1884 lower left. In its original gilt frame. With extreme elegance and refinement, Léon Herbo p...

This charming Scottish Victorian oil painting is by noted Scottish artist Patrick William Orr. Painted circa 1880, this marine portrait is of two fishermen sailors at sea, sorting th...

Portrait of a Lady, 19th Century Painting. Miniature on ivory. Wooden frame with leather back. 12 X 12 cm.  Good conditions!

Sir Joshua Reynolds 1723-1792 British Sir Henry Bowles Howard, 12th Earl of Suffolk and 5th Earl of Berkshire Oil on canvas Sir Joshua Reynolds is unequivocally considered the most important English portraitist of the 18th century who was instrumental in adapting the Grand Manner style in the portrait genre. In fact, when the Royal Academy was founded in 1768, Reynolds was elected its first President, setting the precedent of quality for which all other portraitists would strive. Reynolds's portrait of Henry Bowles Howard, 12th Earl of Suffolk, showcases his genius in the genre and mastery over the medium. Reynolds’s portrait of the Earl expertly invokes classical values with strong lighting, rich colors and expert attention to detail to help underscore the prominence and revered echelon of the sitter. Howard was an esteemed British politician and Knight of the Garter. He served as Secretary of State for the Northern Department from 1771 to 1779, and he played a key role in utilizing mercenaries during the American Revolution and safeguarding Sweden's independence. The portrait employs Reynolds's signature style to render Howard rightfully as a gentleman of distinction. Captured seated in a stately library, the Earl appears learned and austere as he places one hand upon a stack of important documents and looks wistfully into the distance. Reynolds makes these compositional choices decisively, as the seated position gives Howard a weighty appearance of importance and the semi-profile turn captures his countenance at an attractive angle that highlights his strong, masculine features. The work draws on the classical conventions of Greek and Roman art and the Italian Renaissance masters, anchoring the nobleman in a history of refinement. Everything from his strong yet welcoming expression to his pale face enlivened by a rush of blood to the cheeks presents the picture of a strong, vital and powerful leader. As the first president of the Royal Academy in London, Reynolds’s commissions raised the status of an artist in Britain during the Romantic period and also established the portrait as an esteemed high art genre that garnered equal import to the history paintings that reigned supreme in decades prior. Today, Reynolds’s works grace the walls of the most important museums in the world, including the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the National Gallery in London, among others. Circa 1770 Canvas: 50 1/2" high x 40 1/4" wide Framed: 61" high x 52 1/2" wide x 3 1/2" deep Provenance: Sir Henry Howard, 12th Earl of Suffolk and 5th Earl of Berkshire, 1739-1779 His mother, Lady Mary Howard, née Finch, Lady Andover, d. 1803 Acquired by descent to her daughter, Frances, and her husband Richard Bagot (later Howard) Acquired by descent to their daughter, Mary (1784-1877), and her husband Col. Fulke Greville Upton (later Howard), d. 1846 Acquired by descent to Lieutenant Colonel H.R.G. Howard Sale, Christie's, London, March 24, 1961, no. 29 Julius Weitzner, London and New York Sale, Paris, Musée Galliéra, December 7, 1965, no. 165 Newhouse Galleries, New York, NY Mr. and Mrs. F. Howard Walsh, Fort Worth, Texas, 1966 Walsh Family Art Trust Private collection, Oregon M.S. Rau, New Orleans Exhibited: British Institution, London, 1844, no. 130, loaned by the Hon. Fulke Greville Howard. South Kensington, "Second special exhibition of National Portraits," 1867, no. 478, lent by the Hon. Mrs. Greville. Agnew's, London, 1903, no. 17. Literature: Algernon Graves and W. V. Cronin, A History of the Works of Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A., vol. 3 (London, 1899), p. 945. David Mannings...

A charming 18th-century oil study depicting a woman gathering wheat in the fields. Part of a pair of oils of women harvesting by the same hand. Unsigned. On panel.

An original circa 1890 oil on canvas which is unsigned and attributed to the circle of James Abbot McNeil Whistler. A fine late Victorian portrait oil painting. It depicts a stunnin...

This portrait, attributed to the American painter Ralph Earl, captures Benedict Arnold, one of the most controversial figures of the American Revolutionary War. Ralph Earl, known for...

A particularly fine 19th century oil portrait of a young girl fetching water from a nearby river. Well presented in a gilt frame and slip, under glazing. Unsigned. On canvas on stret...

This beautiful late 19th century portrait oil painting is attributed to circle of Walter Langley. It has the hallmarks of the Newlyn School of artists such as the subject matter, com...

Portrait of a Noble Lady French School, early 1700's period oil painting on copper, unframed copper: 5 x 3 inches condition: very good, minor paint fading and deteriation. provenanc...

Marie Madeleine Amélie LOISEAU, born DUMONT (Paris, 1860 - ?) Portrait of a worldly woman Oil on canvas Signed and dated lower left 117 x 89 cm 1881 Exhibition: Salon de Pontoise of 1881 or 1882 under number 292 Marie Madeleine Amélie Dumont was born in Paris on January 23, 1860. She married on June 10, 1883 in Paris Mr. François Paul Raoul Loiseau, lawyer at the Paris Court of Appeal. Three children were born from this union, two girls and a boy. Marie Loiseau was a student of Mademoiselle Espérance Langlois (active between 1860 and 1890) and Pierre Dupuis...

This stunning circular 19th century oil painting is by noted prolific Royal Academy exhibited artist Rudolf Lehmann. A portrait artist, German born Lehmann moved to England in 1866 w...

Francisco INGLADA Barcelona, 1850 - 1903 Oil on canvas 56 x 43 cm (74 x 62 cm with frame) Signed top left "Inglada" Very good condition (only a small restoration not visible on the ...

Signed and dated. Inscriber to paper verso (William King, Grandfather (Maternal) of Leonard George Wallace Blise). Presented in a gilt frame. On board.

The Hawking Party, dated 1840 by John Frederick PASMORE (1820-1881) sales to $15,000 Large 19th Century English scene of a hawking party, oil on canvas by John Frederick Passmore. Excellent quality and condition large scale scene of a young Victorian family at the gateway of their estate after returning with the game from hawking using Harris Hawks...

Well painted and very decorative oil on panel Painted on a mahogany panel and monogrammed L.B Well framed in a new English handmade gold leaf frame. The...

Francesco Brunery (1849–1926) Portrait at the Artist's Workshop Oil on wood panel Old frame gilded with leaves Dim panel : 30 X 24 cm Dim frame : 54 X 46 cm Francesco Brunery (1849...

A wonderful three quarter portrait of a boy in a straw hat peeling a piece of fruit, probably an orange, by Italian artist Eugene Von Blaas (1843-1942). Von Blaas was born to Austria...

A finely detailed portrait of a gentleman or architect with building plans or maps in his hand. Oil on canvas, inscribed on verso stretcher "G. Hedley Artist 1852 April," (possibly ...

Benjamin Théophile CHARON-LÉMERILLON (Paris, 1807 – Bouzareah (Algiers), 1873) Full length portrait of a child with his dog Oil on canvas Signed and dated lower right 36 x 28 cm 18...

A wonderful early 19th century large oil on canvas naive portrait of two children, a boy and a girl, attributed to American artist Arthur Armstrong (1798-1851). Armstrong was born in...

A Full-Length Portrait of Nicholas I of Russia in a classical setting. Pietro Labruzzi (1739–1805). 1802.    Signed, located and dated lower left: ‘Pietro Labruzzi Roma Pinx Anno 1802.’ Oil on canvas.   Dimensions:  Unframed: 135.7 x 98.5 cm.; 53½ x 38¾ in. Framed: 151.6 x 115.6 cm.; 59¾ x 45½ in. Description:  Nicholas I (Russian: Nikolay Pavlovich) (1796-1855), Russian Emperor...

Antoine Emile Plassan (1817-1903), a French painter of genre works, portraits and landscapes, was born in Bordeaux. He exhibited frequently at the Salon and was awarded medals in 185...

Half Length Portrait of Mr. Robertson Sir. Henry Raeburn ( Scottish 1756 - 1823 ) Half Length Portrait of Mr. Robertson 29x 24 Purchased, J Leger & Son,...

Portrait of an Elderly Lady, mirror behind French Impressionist artist, late 19th/ early 20th century extensively inscribed verso with details oil on canvas canvas: 22 x 18.5 inches ...

Well painted 19th-century portrait of Sir Charles Dickens. The original painting is in the National Gallery in London and I'm sure this piece would have been painted by a fan of the author who was also a very good artist as this piece is a very good copy of the original painting. There was a great fashion to paint copies of famous paintings during the 19th century and most of the world's most famous paintings have been copied many times. Often the artist who does the copy is very talented but usually anonymous With this piece, it's the only way to own an antique copy...

This beautiful 18th century Italian Old Master oil painting is something rather special. Painted circa 1750 the subject matter is Saint John the Baptist as a very young child. He is ...

Maid Carrying Roses, 18th Century attributed to Antonio ROTARI (1707-1762) Large 18th Century Italian portrait of a young maid carrying...

Portrait of a young lady By Henri Millot (Paris, active between 1699 and 1756) Signed "peint par h. millot" and dated 1706 on the entablature Oil on canvas: h. 81 cm, l. 64 cm A Loui...

A fine painting after George Romney of The Hon.Reverend Anchitel Grey (1774 – 1833) as a Boy The painting depicts a boy aged about ten, standing, turned to the left, gazing at the spectator, wearing a blue coat, and white linen collar, a spaniel with its paws on his chest. Shoulder length brown hair. Trees in the background on the right, distant horizon with cloudy sky on the left. The sitter was the third son of George Harry Grey, 5th Earl of Stamford (1765-1845) and Lady Henrietta Cavendish-Bentinck (died 4th June 1827), daughter of the 2nd Duke of Portland...

Pensive in thought sitting at a wood-slat stern bench of a departing vessel in New York Harbor, the prominent grandeur of the Statue of Liberty recently passed, a woman and her loyal...

A portrait of a lady three-quarter length, seated in an interior, wearing a red silk gown draped in a pink silk sash with an exotic bird perched on her hand and one arm resting on a stone plinth, her young daughter wearing a green silk gown standing at her side. Oil on canvas, housed in a period 'Lely' giltwood frame. This double portrait was painted at the height of Dahl's career in circa 1715 when Dahl had become firmly established as one of the leading portrait painters in Britain. Although the identities of the sitters are currently unknown, it is a sensitive depiction of a close and affectionate bond between a mother and daughter, with the young girl's hand resting affectionately on her mothers lap. The tamed exotic bird adds a charming decorative element which also serves to convey the high social status of the lady, given only the very wealthy would be able to own such a rare and expensive pet and the lively colouring of the bird's feathers is reflected in the colours of the sitters' silk gowns. Provenance: Private collection, London Michael Dahl (Stockholm 1659-1743 London) was born in Stockholm in Sweden and studied under Martin Hannibal (d 1741) and later with David Klöcker Ehrenstrahl. In 1682 he travelled to London, where he became acquainted with Godfrey Kneller and Henry Tilson, and in 1685 he left for Europe with Tilson, working briefly in Paris before continuing to Venice and Rome, where they stayed for about two years. In Rome Dahl converted to Roman Catholicism and gravitated towards the circle of Christina, former Queen of Sweden, who sat for him (Grimsthorpe Castle, Lincs). He returned to England with Tilson via Frankfurt and arrived in London in 1689, staying in England for the remainder of his career. During Dahl's absence, Kneller had consolidated his supremacy in London as the most fashionable portrait painter, but Dahl rapidly became Kneller’s closest competitor. His patrons probably had roots in the Swedish diplomatic circles, but it expanded as a result of his ability and his agreeable personality. His prices were lower than those of Kneller and he favoured softer, more diffused, colour tones and could respond to his sitters with sincerity and humanity. Politically, Kneller supported the ascendant Whigs while Dahl was a Tory, but they frequently painted the same sitters from both parties, and in spite of fundamental differences in technique and temperament, their work was sometimes similar in appearance. Dahl was prolific but rarely signed his work, and comparatively few of his portraits were engraved in mezzotint, the method used by Kneller to widen his reputation. By 1690 he had painted the aged Duke of Schomberg (engraved by William Faithorne) and Prince George of Denmark (London, Kensington Palace). He was ignored by William III but received commissions from Princess Anne, including one for a portrait of herself (Oakly Park, Ludlow, Salop). He also painted the future Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, and his informal portrait of the Duchess (Althorp House, Northants), formerly attributed to Kneller, is perhaps the most intimate of all images of her. During the 1690s he secured the patronage of Charles Seymour, the ‘Proud’ 6th Duke of Somerset, who ordered a series of seven full-length portraits of notable contemporary beauties from Dahl (1690s; Petworth House, W. Sussex, NT). This was originally a scheme similar to Kneller’s more famous ‘Hampton Court Beauties’, but the portraits were subsequently reduced to three-quarter-length formats. The features of the sitters are not individualized, but they possess a decorative, languorous glamour that recalls Lely rather than Kneller. Somerset gave Dahl further employment over the next 25 years. In 1698, following the death of Klöcker Ehrenstrahl, Dahl was offered the post of court painter at Stockholm, which he apparently refused, preferring to remain in London at his studio in Leicester Fields, near the Swedish legation. In about 1700 he was joined by a young compatriot, Hans Hysing, who worked with him for many years. Dahl seems not to have married until after 1708, He had a son Michael (d. 1741), also a painter, of whose work nothing is known, and two daughters. After the accession of Queen Anne in 1701, she and Prince George sat for a number of official portraits. His royal patronage ceased with Queen Anne’s death, and when Dahl refused to paint the infant Duke of Cumberland in 1722. He was suspected of Jacobite sympathies, and relations had cooled between him and the Swedish legation. However, his practice continued to prosper, and he acquired another important patron in Edward Harley, 2nd Earl of Oxford, who shared his political views and whose circle included the architect James Gibbs and the poets Matthew Prior and Alexander Pope, all of whom Dahl painted. Oxford commissioned several portraits of himself. In the earliest (1719; Welbeck Abbey...

English School, A Rare Historical and Important Portrait Painting of John Scott Russell and "The Great Eastern", (19th Century) Oil on canvas, in a period hardwood frame. John Scott Russell of Scotland (1808-1882) was one of the great marine engineers of the 19th century. In 1858 he launched the Great Eastern, (depicted here in this painting) then the world's largest ship, which would make history by laying the first transatlantic telegraph cable...

French School, Portrait of an Ottoman, Oil on Canvas, 19th century, unsigned, giltwood frame. Image: 24" H x 19.5" W; frame: 30" H x 24.25" W.