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Modern Portrait Paintings

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
English mid century oil painting Portrait of cute Corgi dog
Located in Woodbury, CT
English mid century oil painting Portrait of a cute Corgi. Paintings of this breed are very rare and very collected. Kate Gray was a British animal portrait painter during the last...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

English mid century oil painting Portrait of Miniature Black Poodle
Located in Woodbury, CT
English mid century oil painting Portrait of a Miniature Poodle Kate Gray was a British animal portrait painter during the last half of the 20th century. She also painted flower subj...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Abstract portrait with antique frame, 1950s/60s
Located in Washington, DC
Painting by Donald Purdy (1924 - 2016). Oil on masonite Measures 25"L x 23"W. Work is behind glass and comes with exceptional antique frame. Acquired from the Schoneman Gallery in NY...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Masonite, Oil

Modernist Portrait of a Woman by Philadelphia Artists Julius Bloch
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Julius Thiengen Bloch (American, born Germany, 1888-1966) Portrait of a Woman Oil on canvas, 32 x 25 1/4 inches Framed: 38 x 31 inches (approx.) Signed at lower right: "Julius Bloch"...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Modern portrait of a child in a garden "I decided to wait for spring"
Located in THOMERY, FR
"I decided to wait for spring" is a portrait of the artist's daughter in the park of the Château de Fontainebleau. It is done with acrylic paint alla prima on a cotton canvas. Lind...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

English mid century oil painting Portrait of a Wire Haired Jack Russell terrier
Located in Woodbury, CT
English mid century oil painting Portrait of a Wire Haired Jack Russell terrier. Kate Gray was a British animal portrait painter during the last half of the ...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Board, Oil

"Don't Cry Long" Abstracted and Distorted Self-Portrait, One Crying Eye
Located in Detroit, MI
"Don't Cry Long" is a self-portrait of the artist and an unusual one at that in which the artist portrays herself shedding tears. Perhaps it is an expression of some grief experienced by Ms. Woodlock, but it also admonishes her to not "Cry Long" while at the same time poking fun because of her elongated face and the one lone "long" tear tracing a pattern down her face. In addition to self-portraits, Ethelyn painted commissioned portraits. In this painting her head is cocked and her famous bangs hang down her forehead. Compare two self-portraits, “Up From Under”, and “M’Eyes" to "Don't Cry Long." The major differences are the close facial view and the brilliant blood red paint that fills the entire canvas. This painting is included in the book, "Dreams Have Wings: An Artist's Journey into Magic and Mystery" printed in the United States, 1985. She describes "Don't Cry Long" as showing how funny looking we are, if we cry too long. Ethelyn Woodlock...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Masonite, Oil

Couple on the balcony. Large format young woman and man portrait.
Located in Segovia, ES
"Couple on the balcony" is an interior scene of a young woman and a young man sitting comfortably watching the street from their balcony. Oil on canvas by Spanish artist Alfredo Rold...
Category

Early 2000s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

The Orchestra Jazz Band Superb 20th Century French Modernist Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The Band by Guy Nicod (French 1923 - 2021) watercolour on artist paper, unframed painting : 18.5 x 13 inches provenance: artists estate, France condition: very good and sound condition
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Gouache

Self Portrait
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Self Portrait, c. 1940s, oil on canvas, 14 ¼ x 12 1/4 inches, signed lower left, presented in a newer frame This work is part of our exhibition America Coast to Coast: Artists of th...
Category

1940s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

'The Blue Scarf', 1960's African American Oil, Study of a Black Woman, Phoenix
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
An elegant and psychologically penetrating, American School portrait of a woman, shown in three-quarter profile wearing a blue headscarf and contrasted against a terracotta backgroun...
Category

1980s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Self Portrait in a Mirror with Artist's Tools, Oil on canvas, Signed, Polish
Located in London, GB
Oil on canvas, signed bottom left Image size: 24 x 20 inches (61 x 51 cm) Contemporary style hand made frame Joseph Biel Joseph Biel was a painter and photographer who was born in ...
Category

20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Vintage Signed Exhibited American Female Modernist Woman Sewing Framed Portrait
Located in Buffalo, NY
Nicely painted mid century modernist interior portrait oil painting by Sadie Skoletsky Rosenblum 1899-1987. Great color and composition. Framed.
Category

1940s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Captain James Cook Portrait Large Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Captain James Cookl European School, late 20th century painted after an earlier work oil on canvas, unframed canvas : 36 x 24 inches provenance: private collection, Wiltshire, Englan...
Category

20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

French 20th Century Modernist Red Pastel Female Portrait
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Pastel Portrait by Guy Nicod (French 1923 - 2021) pastel on artist paper, unframed painting : 20 x 15.5 inches provenance: artists estate, France condition: very good and sound condi...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Pastel

The Lament of Icarus Large Signed Oil Painting on Canvas Mythological Nudes
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
'The Lament of Icarus' Continental School, late 20th century, signed after the original painting by Herbert James Draper oil on canvas, unframed canvas : 36 x 24 inches provenance: ...
Category

20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

SENZA TITOLO, From the Portraits series
Located in Miami Beach, FL
SENZA TITOLO, 2019 by Luigi Christopher Veggetti From the Portraits series Oil and acrylic on canvas Size: 48 H x 33 W cm Unframed The beaches of Luigi Christopher Veggetti Kanku r...
Category

2010s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Acrylic, Canvas

Antique American School WPA Modernist Black Figure Ashcan Dock View Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Oil on canvas. Framed. Signed.
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Portrait #1, From the Portraits series
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Portrait #1, 2023 by Luigi Christopher Veggetti From the Portraits series Oil and acrylic on paper Size: 30 H x 21 W cm Unframed The beaches of Luigi Christopher Veggetti Kanku rep...
Category

2010s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Acrylic, Archival Paper

Antique American School Modernist Ballon Portrait Framed Vintage Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Nicely painted mid century modernist portrait. Framed. Oil on canvas.
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Fine Oil Painting Portrait of an Aristocratic Wigged Gentleman
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Portrait of an Aristocrat European artist, 20th century oil on canvas, unframed canvas : 30 x 24 inches provenance: private collection, Wiltshire condition: very good and sound condi...
Category

20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Diana
Located in Bayonne, NJ
A beautiful painting by Volodymyr Makarenko that represents his authentic artistic style. The painting is in excellent condition. Oil on canvas, un...
Category

Early 2000s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Model sitting
Located in Bayonne, NJ
A half-naked model posing for a portrait. A classic depiction by Volodymyr Makarenko on a large oil on canvas. The artist feels the space, he works...
Category

Early 2000s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

"Joni" - Mid Century Modern Portrait of a Girl in Yellow Dress in Oil on Canvas
Located in Soquel, CA
"Joni" - Portrait of a Girl in a Yellow Dress in Oil on Canvas Skillful portrait of a young girl by Morris Zirlin (American, 1913-1990). A young girl with wide brown eyes poses for ...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars

Large Classical Oil Painting Mythological Biblical Figures in Sky
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
European artist, 20th century signed oil on canvas, unframed canvas : 28 x 38 inches provenance: private collection, Wiltshire, England condition: very good and sound condition, stai...
Category

20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Portrait #3, From the Portraits series
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Portrait #3, 2023 by Luigi Christopher Veggetti From the Portraits series Oil and acrylic on paper Size: 30 H x 21 W cm Unframed The beaches of Luigi Christopher Veggetti Kanku rep...
Category

2010s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Acrylic, Archival Paper

Portrait #13, From the Portraits series
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Portrait #13, 2023 by Luigi Christopher Veggetti From the Portraits series Oil and acrylic on paper Size: 30 H x 21 W cm Unframed The beaches of Luigi Christopher Veggetti Kanku re...
Category

2010s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Acrylic, Archival Paper

Portrait #2, From the Portraits series
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Portrait #2, 2023 by Luigi Christopher Veggetti From the Portraits series Oil and acrylic on paper Size: 30 H x 21 W cm Unframed The beaches of Luigi Christopher Veggetti Kanku rep...
Category

2010s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Acrylic, Archival Paper

(1934-2022) LARGE ORIGINAL oil painting MODERNIST EXPRESSIONIST PORTRAIT STUDY
Located in Cirencester, GB
ARTIST: Robin Hambro (1934-2022) American TITLE: "Expressionist Portrait" SIGNED: lower right MEDIUM: oil on canvas SIZE: 120cm x 95cm inc frame CONDITION: excellent DETAIL: Born ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

“Portrait of a Man”
Located in Southampton, NY
Powerful oil on board original painting of a portrait of a man’s head by the American National Academy artist John R. Grabach. Signed lower left, “John R.Grabach N.A.” Signed verso ...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

In The Pink: Contemporary Mixed Media Figurative painting by John Emanuel
Located in Brecon, Powys
Another very pretty mixed media from the studio of this well collected British artist. Image 21" x 15" mounted Originally from Bury, in the North of England, John Emanuel works in ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Gouache

Wolf Boy
Located in London, GB
Acrylic on panel, 56cm x 61cm, (67cm x 77cm framed) Born in Newport, south Wales, in 1951, the early part of his career was as a choreographer and stage director. Turning away from ...
Category

2010s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Board, Acrylic

1950's French Modernist Signed Oil Painting Portrait of Young Lady in Green
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Portrait of a Young Lady French School, mid 20th century signed, S. Ascher signed oil on canvas, unframed canvas: 16 x 13 inches provenance: private collection, Paris condition: good...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Furious Embrace
Located in London, GB
Acrylic on panel, 82cm x 62cm (118cm x 98cm framed). Born in Newport, south Wales, in 1951, the early part of his career was as a choreographer and stage director. Turning away from...
Category

Early 2000s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Board, Acrylic

Huge Portrait of a Lady after Modigliani, Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Portrait of a Woman after Modigliani (see details verso) oil on canvas, unframed canvas: 36 x 24 inches provenance: private collection, England condition: a few minor scuffs but over...
Category

20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Mid 20th Century French Modernist Portrait of a Young Lady Green & Yellow Colors
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Portrait of a Lady French Modernist artist, mid 20th century S.Ascher signed oil on canvas, unframed canvas: 16 x 13 inches provenance: private collection, Paris condition: very good...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Portrait of a Sailor, Oil on Board, 20th Century Painting, Signed
Located in London, GB
Oil on board, signed bottom right Image size: 13 1/2 x 17 1/2 inches (34.5 x 44.5 cm) Framed Unfortunately little is known on the artist L M Saxon and the sitter in this work has ye...
Category

20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Board, Oil

Girl with Cat oil painting by Hans Burkhardt
Located in Hudson, NY
Girl with Cat (1935) Oil on canvas 38" x 26" 42 ½" x 30 ½" x 3 ½" framed Signed and dated "1935 H Burkhardt" lower right. Signed, dated and inscribed verso. About this artist: Hans ...
Category

1930s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

On the Sea (På havet, 1911) by Swedish Carl Wilhelmson
Located in Stockholm, SE
The painting På Havet (On the Sea) by Carl Wilhelmson, created in 1911, stands as a remarkable testament to the artist's profound connection with the sea and its influence on his wor...
Category

1910s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Wood Panel, Oil

Mr. and Mrs. Charles and Allison Coolidge (Belmont)
Located in Boston, MA
Dated and titled on stretcher: "'37/ Mr + Mrs Chas. Coolidge/ Allison/ -Belmont". In 1929 Molly Luce and her husband, Alan Burroughs, moved from Garden Street on Beacon Hill in Bos...
Category

1930s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

French school circa 1930, Portrait of a young man with blue eyes, oil
Located in Paris, FR
French school circa 1930 Portrait of a young man with blue eyes Oil on cardboard panel 27 x 21.5 cm Bears a signature (illegible) upper right Framed : 34.5 x 29.5 cm
Category

1930s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Vintage Mid-Century Modern Nude Figurative Portrait Oil Painting - Angela
Located in Bristol, GB
ANGELA Size: 69 x 58 cm (including frame) Oil on Board A brilliantly executed mid-century modernist style figurative nude composition, painted in oil onto board. The focal point of...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Board, Oil

Portrait. Oil on canvas, 64x50 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Portrait. Oil on canvas, 64x50 cm Laimdots Murnieks has said: "I am a sunny artist. The sun and a woman are the center of the world. It is not for nothing that the sun always comes ...
Category

1970s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Madonna. Oil on canvas, 53x48 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Madonna. Oil on canvas, 53x48 cm Laimdots Murnieks has said: "I am a sunny artist. The sun and a woman are the center of the world. It is not for nothing that the sun always comes w...
Category

1970s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Vintage Mid Century Modern Figurative -- Seated Samurai Original Oil on Canvas
Located in Soquel, CA
Vintage Mid Century Modern Figurative -- Seated Samurai Original Oil on Canvas A quiet mood of this warrior is captured by listed California artist Molly E. Brubaker (American, 1922...
Category

1980s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Jesus
Located in Bayonne, NJ
Mykola Zhuravel came to New York in 2005 and worked in a studio in Greenpoint, Brooklyn for 6 months. This painting was created during this time. The artist had an idea to depict Jes...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Vintage Mid-Century Modern Portrait Oil Painting - Portrait of a Troubled Soul
Located in Bristol, GB
PORTRAIT OF A TROUBLED SOUL Size: 65.5 x 54 cm (including frame) Oil on Canvas This mid-century expressive and emotive oil portrait delves into the depths of the human psyche with a...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

1960's French Portrait of a Stylish Fashioable Lady Signed Oil Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Portrait of a Lady French School, circa 1960's indistinctly signed oil on board, unframed board: 19 x 12.5 inches provenance: private collection, France condition: some paint loss t...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Early Modern American Portrait, Pennsylvania/Massachusetts, Frank Anderson Trapp
Located in Baltimore, MD
This is a very stylized and powerful portrait by the noted artist Frank Anderson Trapp. It is dated 1940, and is very much in the modern style of French painters Ferdinand Leger and...
Category

1940s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Miu
Located in THOMERY, FR
"Miu" mesmerizes with its intimate portrayal of a woman caught in the throes of emotion. Executed in exquisite watercolor on fine paper, this portrait captures the raw intensity of a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Watercolor, Handmade Paper

Vintage American Female Modernist Contemporary Woman Portrait Painting La Danse
Located in Buffalo, NY
Oil on panel. Extremely well painted. Rare American woman modernsit. Signed. Framed.
Category

1980s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Old Man: Contemporary Figurative Painting
Located in Brecon, Powys
Sympathetic portrayal of old age, really very pretty work by this British artist. oil and gold leaf on arches paper, cracked varnish finish. Matted and very good condition
Category

1990s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Romy: Contemporary Mixed Media Figurative Painting by John Emanuel
Located in Brecon, Powys
John Emanuel embarking on a series of works using new life models. Unusual for a artist who has over the last 40 years only had 3 previous sitters. Now working with Sarah Jane and Ro...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Gouache, ABS

Dreamy Young Blond Women Pondering "Deckchair and Cat" Summer Pastel Color
Located in Miami, FL
A dreamy young blond woman holding a Bengal cat is depicted relaxing in a deckchair. She gazes upward and outward, pondering—the distinctive marbling of the cat echos the floral back...
Category

1980s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Watercolor, Gouache

Woman at Basin, Picasso Style Portrait of a Female Nude, American Modernist
Located in Doylestown, PA
"Woman by Basin" by Philadelphia born modernist and surrealist painter Leon Kelly, is a framed and matted portrait of a female nude. The 22.5" x 17.75" mixed media on artist board i...
Category

1920s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Mixed Media

1980s Erotic nude male portrait of artist's lover, Iconic piece from gay history
Located in Harkstead, GB
This incredibly striking portrait, painted in a fiery palette captures an intimate moment between the artist and sitter who were lovers. Philip Core (1951-1989) Portrait of Adrian Ffooks, 4th/7th regiment Signed and dated 1987 to the reverse Oil on board 30 x 17¾ inches without the frame 35 x 23 inches with the frame Provenance: Gifted as a wedding present to Kit Hesketh-Harvey by his future wife. The artist was a friend of the couple and they had introduced Core to FFooks. Kit Hesketh Harvey co-wrote the screenplay (with James Ivory) for E.M.Forster’s Maurice and he had called upon Ffooks, who was renowned for his horsemanship, to be a stunt double for the equestrian scenes in this iconic film. Philp Core grew up in New Orleans, the son of a well-to-do family. At just seven he won the Vieux Carré Open Artists Competition. He was sent to a military academy, and from 1963 to the Middlesex School in Concord, Massachusetts. He attended Harvard University, where he won a number of art and literature prizes. As a schoolboy he self-published a booklet of drawings Palm Fronde Alphabet. An interest in Aubrey Beardsley and fin de siècle artists and writers, led to him spending time in Paris working with Philippe Jullian on his book The Symbolists, before returning to Harvard to complete an honours thesis on Belgian symbolist Fernand Khnopff. He graduated in 1973. Under the pseudonym Féllippé Fecit, he produced a series of erotic drawings for the poet John Glassco for his book Squire Hardman, and in 1968 in the Japanese style for The Temple of Pederasty, a free adaption by Glassco of a work by Japanese expatriate writer Ken Sato. Of this time, George Melly...
Category

1980s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Board, Oil

Brothers
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
"Brothers" by Ademola Ajayi encapsulates the enduring bond shared between siblings with heartfelt authenticity. Inspired by the poignant sentiment expres...
Category

2010s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Fabric, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Pencil, Acrylic

Face, Acrylic on board by Modern Indian Artist Rabin Mondal “In Stock”
Located in Kolkata, West Bengal
Rabin Mondal - Face 17 x 12.5 Inches Acrylic on Board 2016 Mondal was a clear observant of the various migrant workers who lived along his house in the conjected Howrah Area. They ...
Category

2010s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Board

Modern portrait paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Modern portrait paintings 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 paintings created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, orange, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Kevin Foote, Alkis Matheos, Robert Chapman, and Albert Decaris. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Oil 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 paintings, so small editions measuring 2 inches across are also available. Prices for portrait paintings 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 $1 and tops out at $800,000, while the average work sells for $2,250.

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