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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
Portrait #52, #50 and #51, Triptych. From the Portraits series
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The portraits of Christopher Veggetti are not just works of art; they embody a tangible testimony of the deep need for social inclusion at a national level. In an Italy undergoing co...
Category

2010s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Acrylic, Archival Paper

Partial Nude with Hat
Located in Kansas City, MO
Daniel Brennan Title: Partial Nude with Hat Medium: Oil on Canvas Year: 1969 Size: 51 x 31.75 inches Framed in a simple wooden frame (52 x 32.25 x 1 inc...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Attune - Woman in the Jungle - Mother Nature by Marc
Located in Carmel, CA
Primal woman of the jungle with a headress of vibrant tropical plants. Deeply imbedded in natures floral bounty, she meditates in peacefulrepose witnessing life and tasting the divin...
Category

2010s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Lady with the Lamp, Dry Pastel on Paper by Prokash Karmakar “In Stock”
Located in Kolkata, West Bengal
Prakash Karmakar - Untitled - 29 x 20 inches ( unframed size ) Dry Pastel on Paper , 1999 Prakash Karmakar was the most senior artist of Bengal . He was instrumental in the Bengal...
Category

1990s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Pastel, Canvas

"Seated Figure with Red Beret" Modern Abstract Figurative Portrait Painting
Located in Houston, TX
Modern abstract figurative portrait painting by Houston, TX artist David Adickes. The work features a central elongated male figure with a well-kept beard dressed in a yellow striped...
Category

Early 2000s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

"The Prestidigitator", Man with Doves and Cards Figurative Acrylic Painting
Located in Clermont-Ferrand, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
A graduate from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Métiers d'Arts in Paris, Françoise Collandre entered the fine art workshops in the city of Paris in painting and engraving and has ...
Category

2010s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

The Little Concert (Concertino) - Oil Paint by N. Cecconi - Late 19th Century
Located in Roma, IT
The Little Concert (Concertino) is an original oil on canvas realized by the italian painter Niccolò Cecconi (1835-1901) in the late 19th Century. Very good condition. Hand signed i...
Category

Late 19th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

"Morning Towers" Contemporary Figurative Self Portrait
Located in Soquel, CA
Saturated, intimate depiction of sharing a bed with a partner by Narcissus Robert Quagliata (Italian-American, b. 1942). While four fingers dominate the composition, the focus of the...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars

Modern Surrealist Winter Painting by Richard Ericson
Located in New York, NY
Richard Joseph Ericson (American, 1922-2010) Untitled, 1962 Oil on canvas 18 x 16 in. Framed: 20 x 18 in. Signed lower left: RJE '62 Richard Joseph Ericson (b. October 22, 1922-d. November 21, 2010), born in Chicago, Illinois. Son of Claire (b. 1899) and Arthur Ericson (b. 1899). His father was an accountant for a food products company and the family moved to Mount Vernon, Westchester County, New York, when he was a young child. Ericson, a twin, first began to draw at age five and took up painting in oils at age twelve. He studied at the Art Students League in New York City in 1941, where he received an honorable mention during the annual scholarship competition held that year. During this period he worked as a commercial artist. After America's entry in World War II Ericson enlisted in the Army in 1942, where he served as a warrant officer. He saw service in North Africa, France, and Germany. While overseas, he did many drawings of the places in which he was stationed. He eventually found himself guarding Italian prisoners of war who had been captured in Sicily and southern Italy. While performing his duties during 1943 and 1944 he found time to paint several important, large scale portraits of the prisoners who were happy to pose for him. As the war concluded he was able to visit Holland to study. After nearly three years overseas, Ericson returned to America and traveled back to his home town of Chicago where he furthered his studies at the Art Institute of Chicago. He married in 1948 and moved his young family to Mexico, where he attended Mexico City College. He studied art and exhibited while living there, receiving his Master of Arts degree, cum laude, in 1953. For a time after his return to the United States he taught art in Dutchess County, New York, where he and his wife built their own house by hand. Eventually the family, which would come to include seven sons, settled in Hicksville, Long Island, New York. Ericson joined the staff of Hicksville High School as the art teacher in 1962, a position he would hold until his retirement in 1983. As a teacher, Ericson was open to all fields and styles of art, constantly experimenting and experiencing new forms and styles. He had started printmaking in the late 1940's and continued to work in this medium for many years, producing mezzotints, etchings, and wood block prints. He also continued to paint, creating portraits, scenes in southern Dutchess County, and Long Island landscapes - for which he would become well known. Ericson grew to love the area in which he lived, and depicted it quite often in his paintings. He became enamored with the historic village of Cold Spring...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Girl Setting"
Located in San Antonio, TX
Lou Tong Image Size: 30 x 30 Frame Size: 32.75 x 32.75 Medium: Oil "Girl Setting" Biography Tong Luo was born in Huai Yang, County of Henan Province, China, in 1969. He learned hi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

"Portrait of Dr. Monroe Mufson"
Located in Southampton, NY
Unsigned ; attributed to Joseph Biel Good friend of Dr. Mufson View is from New York University School of Medicine. Overall size with original frame 25.5 x 21 in.
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Untitled, Ink on Paper, Red, Black & White Color Indian Master "In Stock"
Located in Kolkata, West Bengal
Dhiraj Chowdhury - Untitled - 14 x 10 inches (unframed size) ink on Paper ( Unframed & Door Delivered ) Style of the Artist : He steadfastly believes that art has to be closely associated with life – with humanity, with humanism. And he comes through with this concept in his works – which are sometimes heart – reading, sometimes violent, brutal even chaotic, but always cogent, modern, and somehow loaded with both wisdom and hope. About the Artist and his work : Born : 1936, West Benagal, India...
Category

Early 2000s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Paper, Ink

Portrait. Paper, pastel, 35.5x23 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Portrait. Paper, pastel, 35.5x23 cm The composition focuses on portraying the facial features and characteristics of a man. The artist has employed a linear style, using bold and de...
Category

20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Paper, Pastel

Ich in meinen Bildern
Located in Wien, 9
Der begnadete Zeichner Karl Anton Fleck wurde vor kurzem mit einer Personalen in der Albertina geadelt. In dieser Ausstellung fehlte allerdings etwas ganz Entscheidendes: Eines der w...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

Woman on Sofa - Painting by Antonio Feltrinelli - 1930s
Located in Roma, IT
Woman on Sofa is a modern artwork realized by Antonio Feltrinelli in the 1930s. Another painting of human figure on rear. Includes frame. Mixed colore...
Category

1930s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

"Pink Lincoln" Modern Pink and Blue Toned Figurative Presidential Portrait
Located in Houston, TX
Modern pink and blue toned portrait of Abraham Lincoln by Texas born artist Clark Fox. The work features an intricate depiction of the former president that ...
Category

Early 2000s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Portrait - Oil Painting by Pietro Alimonti - 1969
Located in Roma, IT
Portrait is an artwork realized by Pietro Alimonti , 1969. Oil on Canvas. 38 x 48 cm ; 64 x 54 cm with frame. Handsigned in the lower right margin. Good conditions!
Category

19th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Lady with Fur - Painting by Antonio Feltrinelli - 1930s
Located in Roma, IT
Lady with fur is an original modern artwork realized by Antonio Feltrinelli in 1930s. Mixed colored oil painting on canvas. Includes frame 110x3x79 cm Not signed. Antonio Feltrin...
Category

1930s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Paint

Composition - Oil Paint by Antonio Feltrinelli - 1930s
Located in Roma, IT
Composition is a modern artwork realized by Antonio Feltrinelli in the 1930s. Another painting of human figure on rear. Includes frame: 98 x 4 x 68 cm Mixed colored oil painting o...
Category

1930s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Self Portrait - Oil Paint by Antonio Feltrinelli - 1930s
Located in Roma, IT
Self portrait is a modern artwork realized by Antonio Feltrinelli in 1930s. Mixed colored oil painting on canvas. Not signed. Antonio Feltrinelli (Milan, 1887 – Gargnano, 1942) He...
Category

1930s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

"La Belle Fille" Large Mid Century French Painting Portrait of a Beautiful Girl
Located in Surfside, FL
Beautiful gouache on paper, by French artist, Etienne Ret, signed on top right. Etienne Ret was born in Bourbonnais, France on Jan. 6, 1900. Ret graduated from the College of Mesnie...
Category

20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Watercolor, Gouache

"Cubist Head with Leaves" Modern Abstract Brown Toned Figurative Portrait Print
Located in Houston, TX
Modern abstract figurative portrait print by Houston, TX artist David Adickes. The work features a central bearded male figure dressed in a tie set against a background of falling le...
Category

Early 2000s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Giclée

The Preacher Rabbi "Der Maggid" Judaica Oil Painting WPA Jewish artist
Located in Surfside, FL
Genre: Modern Subject: Hasidic Rabbi preaching in Synagogue Medium: Oil Surface: Board, size includes artist decorated frame Country: United States The imagery of Maurice Kish (189...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Modern Oil Painting by Jan de Ruth
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Jan De Ruth, Czech (1922 - 1991) Title: Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man Year: circa 1964 Medium: Oil on Canvas, signed l.l. Size: 20 in. x 18 in. (50.8 cm x 45.72 cm) F...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Portrait Painting of Young Boy
Located in San Francisco, CA
Portrait painting of young boy by California listed artist Virginia Sevier Rogers 1952 Oil on Canvas Signed and dated lower right 22" W x 27" H unframed, 30" W x 35" H framed
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

The Bubblers. Figurative painting. Landscape with figures in Renaissance setting
Located in Segovia, ES
The Bubblers (Los Burbujeros.. Figurative painting. Landscape with figures in Renaissance setting. Acrylic on canvas. Author: Igor Fomin. Measurements in ce...
Category

Early 2000s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Canvas

Laughing Woman
Located in Soquel, CA
Vibrant portrait of a laughing woman by Chelsea Frost. Executed in a fauvist style, this piece is bright and highly saturated. The woman is framed very ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Fiberboard

Rabbi, Judaica, Mixed Media
Located in Surfside, FL
Moshe Katz (Romanian Israeli), 1937- an Israeli citizen, studied art at the Bezalel Academy of Art in Jerusalem, as well as at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts. He received second pr...
Category

20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic

Madonna
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist: Joe Montanes – Spanish (1918-1998) Title: Madonna Year: circa 1970 Medium: Oil on board Painting size: 27.75 x 19.75 inches. Framed size: 32.75 x 24.75 inches Signature: Signed upper left Condition: Very good The painting is in very good condition. The frame is in good condition with a few tiny scratches which are barely visible upon very close inspection. Jose Montanes studied at the Escuela de Bellas Artes de San Carlos in Valencia. In 1947, he had his first one-man show in Barcelona Recognition, scholarships, acclaim and honours quickly followed. At about this time, the French government awarded the young artist a scholarship to study at the Ecole de Beaux Arts...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Caricature Portrait of a Man
Located in Soquel, CA
Contemporary caricature-style portrait of a man by Michael Pauker (American, b. 1957). Signed "Michael Pauker" and dated 1976 on verso. Acquired with a collection of his work. Image ...
Category

Late 20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Woman in Red - Oil Paint by Antonio Feltrinelli - 1930s
Located in Roma, IT
Woman in red is an original artwork realized by the Italian artist Antonio Feltrinelli in the 1930s. Original oil on plywood. Beautiful and representative artwork of a female figu...
Category

1930s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Tonight I Wait at the Window - Oil Paint by Franco Rivola - 1968
Located in Roma, IT
Tonight I wait at the window is an original modern artwork realized in 1968 by Franco Rivola. Mixed colored oil painting on canvas. Hand-written dedica...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Portrait of a Boy, Kong, Oil Painting circa 1930 by Charles Cabot Daniels
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Charles Cabot Daniels, American (1899 - 1953) Title: Young Boy - Kong Year: circa 1930 Medium: Oil on Canvas, signed and dated Size: 20.5...
Category

1930s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Two Female Portraits - Original Tempera by Mino Maccari - 1920s
Located in Roma, IT
To Female Portraits is an original modern artwork realized in the early 20th Century by the Italian artist Mino Maccari (Siena, 1898 - Rome, 1989). Original painting. Tempera on pap...
Category

Early 20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Tempera

Portrait of a Girl - Original Oil Paint by Antonio Feltrinelli - 1930s
Located in Roma, IT
Portrait of a girl is an original artwork realized by the Italian artist Antonio Feltrinelli in the 1930s. Original oil on plywood. Beautiful and representative work of a female fi...
Category

1930s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Plywood, Oil

Modernist Israeli Rabbis Dancing in Jerusalem, Judaica, Mixed Media Painting
Located in Surfside, FL
Moshe Katz (Romanian Israeli), 1937- an Israeli citizen, studied art at the Bezalel Academy of Art in Jerusalem, as well as at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts. Although not an expo...
Category

20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic

Woman's Profile - Original Mixed Media Painting by Alkis Matheos - 20th Century
Located in Roma, IT
Woman's Face is an original painting artwork in mixed media on paper realized by the Greek-French artist Alkis Matheos . Very good conditions. Signed by the artist's stamp on the r...
Category

20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Mixed Media, Pastel, Watercolor, Pencil

Actress Oil on cardboard, 48x33.5 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Actress Oil on cardboard, 48x33,5 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 c...
Category

Late 20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Cardboard

Modernist Portrait of a Child by NY Artist Syril Frank
Located in New York, NY
Syril Frank (American, 1929-2021) Untitled, c. 1960s Oil on canvas 35 7/8 x 23 3/4 x 3/4 in. Provenance: Estate of the Artist Syril Harriet Frank was born in Brooklyn to Israel and...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

The Saint - Painting by Antonio Feltrinelli - 1930s
Located in Roma, IT
The Saint is an original artwork realized by the Italian artist Antonio Feltrinelli in the 1930s. Original oil on canvas. Beautiful and representative work of a female figure sur...
Category

1930s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Paint

Portrait of Giuseppe Garibaldi
Located in Roma, IT
Beautiful portrait of the hero of Italian Risorgimento, so-called "hero of two worlds" meaning his political and military effort in joining and enhancing revolutionary movements in L...
Category

Early 20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

'Toreador', California, Post Impressionist Oil, Santa Monica College
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Signed lower left, 'Goetz' for Jack Goetz (American, born 1919); additionally signed, verso, dated 1998, titled 'Toreador', with artist information. A dramatic figural study of a proud, young toreador shown seated, wearing an embroidered vest and gazing directly towards the viewer. Goetz has painted and exhibited with success for many years and continues to paint at the age of 104. Speaking of himself, the artist says: "I studied arts and languages at Santa Monica College, taking classes in oil and watercolor painting, sculpture, ceramics, art history and music. At the same time, I studied with master painter Sergei Bongart. Because he taught many people in the movie business, I had fun meeting and painting with people...
Category

1990s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Mystery Modernist Italian Artist Portrait of a Woman in Hat
Located in New York, NY
Mystery Italian Artist Untitled (Portrait of a Woman With Hat), 1985 Oil on canvas 31 1/2 x 23 3/4 in. Framed: 33 x 25 x 3/4 in. Signed an...
Category

1980s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

"Beatificado" Modern Tabloid Inspired Religious Social Commentary Painting
Located in Houston, TX
Modern, large scale social commentary painting by California artist John Valdez. Comes with the original sketch as well as a book about the artist. Inspired by the cover of a Mexican tabloid, Valadez invites the viewer to examine the duality of a society that mourns the death of an iconic religious leader and neglects those close to them who are perhaps deemed not worthy of consideration. The bold red headline reads “El cardenal Gabiri será beatificado” (Cardinal Gabiri will be beatified) above a large accompanying image of the cardinal in his casket and two smaller images, one of sobbing mourners and another of the cardinal sitting at the altar. Dividing the image is a subhead that reads, “El pueblo católico está de luto” (the Catholic people are mourning) placed above a depiction of four young boys who seem to be sniffing glue. The adjacent text reads “The indifference of the adults is the cause behind the issues these forgotten children have to live.” This work was exhibited at the Pacific Standard Time, Long Beach Museum of Art in 2011, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego in 2012, as well as the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago, IL in 2013. Signed by artist in front lower right corner as well as titled and dated in front lower left corner. Currently unframed, but options are available. Artist Biography: John Valadez...
Category

1970s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Felt Pen

"The Vision" Modern Blue, Red, and Yellow Abstract Geometric Portrait Painting
Located in Houston, TX
Blue, red, and yellow abstract modern portrait painting by Texas artist Robert Sandman. The work features a well dressed man with part of his face obscu...
Category

1980s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Girl with Blue Face
Located in East Hampton, NY
Girl with Blue Face, 48 X 36 X 1.5 This large scale painting of a woman's face hints at Picasso. Both technically accomplished and classically approached, the thick gestural brushstrokes add a fragmented & tactile character to the canvas. The cool palette makes it easy to live with and makes it perfect for any room. This comes stretched and ready to hang. Message me for shipping quote About the artist: James Koskinas, born in Terre Haute...
Category

2010s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Nude, Portrait of a Woman, American Modern Art, Garelick's Gallery, Detroit
Located in Grand Rapids, MI
Evelyn (Raskin) Brackett (American, Born 1922) Signed: E. Brackett (Lower, Left) " Nude ", circa 1950s Oil on Board 10" x 8" Housed in a 1 1/4" Carved Frame with a 2 1/8" Line...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Faust. 2021, oil on canvas, 36x60 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Igor Maikov (1966) Education: 1981 - 1984 The Art Academy of Latvia 1973 - 1983 Salaspils Primary and Secondary School Exhibitions: 1994 - Group Exhibition «Rol-Art», Latvia 1...
Category

2010s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Portrait of Young Man with Mustache - 20th Century - Painting - Modern
Located in Roma, IT
Nice oval painting realized by an Italian master belonging to the Tuscan school at the end of 19th / beginning of 20th century. In excellent conditions.
Category

Early 20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

BLONDE WITH ART DECO NECKLACE
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Biography from the niece of the artist from during his lifetime. Paintings acquired from the artist.s estate. Max Turner 1925 - 2019 Max Lamar Turner Painter, Sculptor, Teacher and Author. Max Turner was born in Omaha, Nebraska on July 28, 1925. His father was Lance Howard Turner and his mother Mary Irene Turner. In 1927, his family moved to Bingham Canyon, Utah where Max's father extracted copper from a creek that he had diverted to pass through his garage. The town was located in a narrow canyon on the eastern face of the Oquirrh Mountains. In 1938, when Max was 13, his family moved to Midvale, Utah. After completing high school, Max went to work laying rail until he was inducted into the U.S. Navy to serve during W.W. II. There he took an aptitude test and was initially assigned to the medical corp., later transferring to the dental unit. Max was stationed at Port Hueneme, Ventura County, California through the end of the war. When he was discharged in 1946, he remained in Southern California, living in the Los Angeles area. He met a man named Larry Torres and they formed a partnership to do silk screen work primarily for the Colby Poster Printing Company. This lasted about 10 years until the Colby building caught fire and burned down. In 1958, Max began working for Slade Novelty company that made doll parts using a product called plastisol. A year later, Max began producing plastic parts through his own business. One day, a couple of kids brought in a shrunken skull they had made and asked Max if he could reproduce it. Max said he could and he looked around for a business to work with for this task. He ultimately decided he could create his own machine shop to make molds. As a result, Max purchased a lathe, drill press, grinder and other tools to create his own machine shop and went into business making molds. He built a clientele and in 1973, he moved his machine shop to Glendale, California. Painter, Sculptor, Teacher and Author: Max recalls the day when his interest in art took a new direction. He happened to be in a paint store to purchase some supplies when he saw a card posted on a wall that read, "Come paint with Connie Marlo". Max had been interested in art since his youth and he was frequently impressed with paintings displayed by local artists at various community events. Consequently, he decided to go to Connie's Saturday morning art class at a studio on North La Brea Avenue (between Sunset and Hollywood) in Los Angeles. But, as fate would have it, he immediately took a detour from this class when he found a piece of paper on the floor of the studio referencing another art class dealing with compositions, patterns, rhythms and color harmony. The instructor's name was Hal Reed, a former art student of the Russian/American Master, Nicolai Fechin. Hal owned the building (previously the Will Foster Studio) and had founded the Art League of Los Angeles. When Max found Hal, he asked Hal if he could join his class. Hal said "No, the class was full" but he said Max could monitor the class in the back of the classroom. Max took him up on the offer and began observing the weekly class. During the class, Hal told his students that they should practice what they were learning by going to "live model" classes. Max began attending these classes where he learned how to draw figures. After a few months, Hal and Max became good friends. Hal was so impressed with Max's work that he offered Max the opportunity to teach at another location that Hal was opening in the San Fernando Valley. Max accepted the offer and began teaching his own art class. For Max, it was a quick jump from learning to teaching. Max then found that several of his students had to commute to his art class from the west end of the "Valley". To better serve this group of students, Max decided to relocate to another studio in Calabasas. Max continued teaching, and at this time he was producing very impressive portraits, both oil paintings and charcoal drawings from live models (Max never worked from photos). Max demonstrated real talent, and the style of his drawings and paintings were being compared to those of Nicolai Fechin. And, like Fechin, Max also had an interest in sculpting. One day, Max decided to design and cast a bronze owl sculpture to put in his Calabasas Fine Art Gallery. Later, someone approached Max when he was at the foundry and asked him about his success selling the owl sculpture. The individual who asked this question was convinced that there was a broader market for these sculptures and he ordered a dozen of the owl sculptures from Max. This encouraged Max to do more castings. Some of the new castings were antique sculptures he found and reproduced. As this new business grew, he decided to establish his own foundry, employing up to 15 workers. The business continued for many years, up until the late 1990's when Max got tired of the foundry business and sold it. Max, who was now in his 70's, decided to move on to his next venture as an artist, dedicating himself to doing the actual sculpting of original art. He loved the creativity of sculpting and he had his sculptures cast at local foundries, ironically the same ones that used to be his competition. Max was now fully engaged in his new artistic direction and, over time, he produced a large body of work. He created very impressive sculptures, including about 100 full-size sculptures. He sold some of these to high-end clientele, the Foundry at SLS Las Vegas, and to Hollywood studios. Even though Max now seemed to be totally in his element, he somehow also found time to continue to teach painting classes at the California Art Institute in Westlake Village in Los Angeles. At the institute, he specialized in figure work. Max continued to draw, paint and teach, but he says he stopped sculpting when he turned 90. Max produced four books showcasing his drawings and paintings. The first is "Faces, The Drawings of Max Turner", copyright 2000, that showcases nearly 100 of his portrait drawings. Within the "Acknowledgements" section, he lists Hal Reed and Joseph Nordmann, two former students of Nicolai Fechin. In 2006, Max produced his second book titled "Figures and Faces", reflecting not only portraits but also figure drawings and paintings. It is a wonderful book of Max's work, but it is currently difficult to find. The third book is titled "Faces 2, The Paintings and Drawings of Max Turner", copyright 2009, which includes 75 portrait paintings and drawings. In the "Preface" of this book, Max describes growing up in a small and isolated mining town during the Great Depression. He states that as a kid, he had little exposure of any culture or view of what the rest of the world was like. His neighbor was the trash collector and Max would sometimes go through his truck looking for anything of value. Among other things, he found magazines like Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping and Red Book, with covers that frequently showed drawings or paintings of faces. Max states that these images were the very first source of inspiration for him. He says that he began looking more carefully at people's faces and if they had character, he would draw them. By drawing them, Max says that he was making them part of his world, his world of "Faces". In 2018, Max published his newest book showcasing his drawings and paintings. It is titled "Max Turner's Figure Sketches". This softbound book includes 76 pages and over 120 drawings and paintings. In the Introduction, Max explains "I have found that when approaching the figure, one should begin with the gesture. After having captured the essence or feeling of the pose, one can then proceed to build on it." The figure sketches in this wonderful book reflect a Master's work that consistently captures the "gesture"-showing the emotion, movement and expression. Two more books are on the horizon for Max, both dealing with his passion for sculpting. His first, "The Sculpture of Max Turner" is a compilation of his commercial and noncommercial pieces throughout his career. The second, "Terra Cotta Sculpture by Max Turner" is a complete collection of figures done at the California Art Institute. These much anticipated books should be out later in 2018. Max now considers himself primarily a sculptor. But others in the art world are more than impressed with his drawings and paintings as well. His portraits are often described as having a Fechin-esque appearance, referring to the style of Nicolai Fechin. When Max observed those first art classes given by Hal Reed, it should be noted that Hal had previously been a student of the Russian/American Master Nicolai Fechin in the early to mid-1950's. In fact, Hal was a student in the last art class that Fechin taught before he unexpectedly died in 1955. Hal was so strongly influenced by Fechin that he later produced two 30-minute art instruction videos as part his Art Video Productions wherein he specifically described Fechin techniques that he learned in Fechin's class. The Fechin style and techniques were in play when Max later met Hal. Over the years, many of Max's art students, art collectors, gallery owners, as well as the Director of the Monterey Museum of Art have commented on the Fechin-esque qualities of Max's wonderful charcoal drawings and paintings. So, while Max may consider himself primarily a sculptor, his drawings and paintings are also impressive and very much sought after. When Nicolai Fechin died in 1955, three of the nine students in his last art class became life-long friends. Max subsequently became friends with not only Hal Reed, but also with prior Fechin students Joseph Nordmann and Albert Londraville...
Category

1990s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Antique Historic Ashcan Panama Canal Diggers Signed Original Rare Oil Painting
By Lee Roland Warthen
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique original historical modernist landscape oil painting by Lee Roland Warthen (1893 - 1949) . Oil on canvas, circa 1912. Signed and titled on verso. Image size, 18L x 14H. H...
Category

1910s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Set of 4 Portraits. From the Portraits series
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The portraits of Christopher Veggetti are not just works of art; they embody a tangible testimony of the deep need for social inclusion at a national level. In an Italy undergoing co...
Category

2010s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Acrylic, Archival Paper

Golden cat. 2023. Canvas, oil, 50x40 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Igor Maikov (1966) Education: 1981 - 1984 The Art Academy of Art 1973 - 1983 Salaspils Primary and Secondary School Exhibitions: 1994 - Group Exhibition «Rol-Art», Latvia 199...
Category

2010s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

'Young Woman in a Turban', American Academy in Rome, Italy, Notre Dame, FRSA
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Faintly signed lower right, 'D. Mayernik' for David Mayernik (American, 20th century) and painted circa 1985. A period, Post-Impressionist style study of a woman in a turban looking proudly upwards. A warm and engaging piece by a bravura hand. Artist, design architect, author and educator David Mayernik studied fresco painting with restorer Leonetto Tintori and has painted frescoes for the TASIS campus in Lugano, churches in Ticino and Tuscany, and the Palio...
Category

1980s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Illustration Board

Portrait #1. From the Portraits series
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The portraits of Christopher Veggetti are not just works of art; they embody a tangible testimony of the deep need for social inclusion at a national level. In an Italy undergoing co...
Category

2010s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Oil, Archival Paper

Joanne, Modern Oil Painting on Canvas Portrait by Thomas Strickland
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Thomas Strickland, American (1923 - 1999) Title: Joanne with White Scarf Year: 1967 Medium: Oil on Canvas, signed u.r. Size: 36 x 24 in. (91.44 x 60.96 cm) Frame Size: 43.5...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Manner of Marcel Vertes Portrait of a Lady Oil Painting
Located in Surfside, FL
Mid century, manner of Marcel Vertes, 20th century painter, printmaker and illustrator.
Category

20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

'Study of a Young Woman', Framed Modernist Oil
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Signed lower center, "Mancini"; additionally signed verso and painted circa 1975. Figurative oil in crimson, vermilion, jade, and deep blue, showing a young woman wearing a hat with...
Category

1970s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Young Girl on a Couch, Oil Painting by Marshall Goodman
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Marshall Goodman, American (1916 - 2003) Title: Young Girl on Couch Year: circa 1960 Medium: Oil on Canvas Size: 24 x 30 in. (60.96 x 76.2 cm) Frame Size: 26.5 x 32 inches
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Listening to Sea Sounds. 2022, oil on canvas, 120x100 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Igor Maikov (1966) Education: 1981 - 1984 The Art Academy of Latvia 1973 - 1983 Salaspils Primary and Secondary School Exhibitions: 1994 - Group Exhibition «Rol-Art», Latvia ...
Category

2010s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

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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