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Old Masters Portrait Paintings

OLD MASTERS

Encompassing centuries of change in Europe between 1300 and 1800, from booms of prosperity to bloody revolutions, Old Masters describes a wide range of artists. The informal term was derived from the title of an artist who trained in a guild long enough to become a master, such as Leonardo da Vinci, who studied in a Florence painters’ guild. However, Old Masters paintings, prints and other art is now used to refer to work made by any artist with a high level of skill in painting, drawing, sculpture or printmaking who worked during this era.

The 15th century’s expansive trade and commerce spread culture across borders. A vibrant period of art emerged, bolstered by studies of anatomy and nature that influenced a new visual realism. From Raphael and Michelangelo in the Renaissance to Rembrandt van Rijn and Johannes Vermeer in the Dutch Golden Age, artists expressed emotion, naturalism, color and light in new ways. El Greco and Paolo Veronese were leaders in the dramatic style of Mannerism, while Caravaggio and Peter Paul Rubens demonstrated the movement and meticulous detail of Baroque art.

Historically, most attention was concentrated on male artists, but recent research and exhibitions have elevated the impactful work of women such as Rachel Ruysch and Artemisia Gentileschi. In late-18th-century France, female artists like Adélaïde Labille-Guiard and Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun were prominent names. Nevertheless, access to the academies and guilds was highly restricted for women, and even those able to establish practices were expected to adhere to portraits and still lifes rather than the grand history paintings being created by men.

Find a collection of Old Masters prints, paintings, drawings and watercolors and other art on 1stDibs.

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Style: Old Masters
Portrait of Frances Lady Whitmore nee Brooke, Exquisite Carved Frame, Old Master
Located in London, GB
Portrait of Frances, Lady Whitmore nee Brooke (c.1638-1690) Circle of Sir Peter Lely (1618-1680) Titan Fine Art presents this exquisite portrait that depicts Frances Brooke, Lady Wh...
Category

17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

A Portrait of a Bewigged Gentleman
By Enoch Seeman
Located in St. Albans, GB
Enoch Seeman Canvas Size: 30 x 25" (76 x 62cm) Outside Frame Size: 37 x 32" (92 x 80cm) 1694-1744 He was born in Danzig, now Gdansk, Poland, around 1694. His father, also Enoch...
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Early 18th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Portrait of Raimondo di Montecuccoli in armor with a marshal's staff. Circa 1660
Located in Firenze, IT
Portrait of Raimondo di Montecuccoli in armor with a marshal's staff. Dutch School. Oil on canvas Dutch School. Circle of Peter Nason (Amsterdam, 1612 - 1690 The Hague). Portrait ...
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17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Annunciation Ceraiolo Paint Oil on canvas 16th Century Old master Firenze Italy
Located in Riva del Garda, IT
Antonio del Ceraiolo or 'the Ceraiolo (Active in Florence, second-fourth decade of the 16th century) Attributable The Annunciation Oil on canvas 99 x 137 cm. In a fine period box f...
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16th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Portrait of a gentleman, traditionally identified as Thomas Carey
By Paul II van Somer
Located in Stoke, Hampshire
Circle of Paul van Somer (Antwerp c. 1577-1621 London) Portrait of a gentleman, traditionally identified as Thomas Carey (1597-1634), youngest son of Thomas, 1st Earl of Monmouth Oil...
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17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

17th century German portrait of a man - Wine merchant Caspar Roemerskirchen 1628
Located in Antwerp, BE
17th century German portrait of the wine merchant Caspar Roemerskirchen at the age of 26 in 1628, attributed to Gottfried de Wedig This highly decorative portrait depicts the 26 yea...
Category

17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood

Portrait of an Elegant Lady in a Red Silk Dress, Beautiful Antique Frame c.1720
By Jonathan Richardson the Elder
Located in London, GB
This beautiful portrait was painted circa 1725 and is a fine example of the English eighteenth century portrait style. The artist has chosen to depict the lady against a plain background wearing a simple red silk dress and transparent headdress hanging down the back. The sitter is not shown with jewellery or any other elements to distract the viewer’s attached, thus highlighting the beauty of the young sitter. This restrained manner achieves a sense of understated elegance. The portrait genre was valued particularly highly in English society. Neither landscapes nor allegorical pictures were ever priced so highly at exhibitions and in the trade as depictions of people, from the highest aristocracy to scholars, writers, poets and statesmen. With the rich colouring and lyrical characterisation, these works are representative of the archetypal English portrait and is are very appealing examples of British portraiture...
Category

18th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Portrait Painting of Lady Mary Capel, Countess of Essex in a Yellow Dress c.1698
Located in London, GB
This portrait depicts an elegant, aristocratic women wearing a yellow silk dress with white chemise and a red mantle elegantly draped around her body. By tradition the portrait represents Mary Capel, Countess of Essex. Born Lady Mary Bentinck in 1679, she was the daughter of William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland, a Dutch and English nobleman who became in an early stage the favourite of stadtholder William, Prince of Orange (the future King of England) and his wife Anne Villiers (died 1688). Lady Mary's maternal grandparents were Sir Edward Villiers and Lady Frances Howard...
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17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Holy Family Ramenghi Paint Oil on canvas Old master 17th Century Religious Art
Located in Riva del Garda, IT
Bolognese school of the seventeenth century Circle Giovanni Battista Ramenghi, known as Bagnacavallo (Bologna, 1521 - 1601) Oil painting on canvas (86 x 72 cm. - With antique frame ...
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17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Portrait of an Elegant Lady in a Blue Silk Dress, Beautiful Antique Frame c.1720
By Jonathan Richardson the Elder
Located in London, GB
This beautiful portrait was painted circa 1725 and is a fine example of the English eighteenth century portrait style. The artist has chosen to depict the lady in a simple blue silk dress and without jewelry or a background, thus allowing the viewer to concentrate solely on the beauty of the sitter. The effect of this restrained manner creates a sense of understated elegance. The portrait genre was valued particularly highly in English society. Neither landscapes nor allegorical pictures were ever priced so highly at exhibitions and in the trade as depictions of people, from the highest aristocracy to scholars, writers, poets and statesmen. With the rich colouring and lyrical characterisation, these works are representative of the archetypal English portrait and is are very appealing examples of British portraiture...
Category

18th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Portrait of a Gentleman in Armour and Mauve Cloak c.1740; Louis Tocque, Painting
Located in London, GB
The sitter in this superb portrait, presented by Titan Fine Art, is shown with the grandiloquence characteristic of the eighteenth-century French school of painting. The young nobleman has been portrayed wearing an ingeniously embellished French ceremonial armour, a mauve cloak, and an abundance of cascading curls falling below his shoulders. Our portrait proclaims to every onlooker that this is a superior being. The manner in which portraits were painted was set out by the terms of the commission and usually marked significant life events such as a betrothal, a death, elevation of rank… but they almost always emphasised the wealth and importance of the sitter. This type of portrait had become a standard format for aristocratic portraiture in Europe during the last quarter of the seventeenth century up to the middle of eighteenth century. Incorporated into the background was often a raging battlefield or a military encampment; our portrait is free from these trappings and contains a dramatic moody sky ensures the viewer focuses mainly on the subject. The features of the sitter’s face have been captured with great sensitivity, his confident gaze perhaps reflecting the near invincibility afforded by this steel suit. The flamboyance and penetrating sense of character, lending an air of noble expectancy to the composition, seems almost eclipsed by the artist's virtuosic handling of paint. It is not hard to understand why many wealthy sitters commissioned the artist to paint their portraits. Such fine and ornate armour was not actually used on a battlefield and thus its portrayal in portraiture was largely symbolic of a sitter’s wealth and status as well as a claim of succession to a chivalrous tradition. The style of hair and neckcloth were fashionable circa 1740. Held in an exquisite eighteenth century carved and gilded frame - a fine work of art in itself. Louis Tocqué was a very successful French portrait painter active during the Rococo period of art. His work was known for its attention to detail, its portrayal of the character of the sitter, the refined postures, and the delicacy of the rendered draperies. He created both realistic and expressive portraits. Tocqué was born in Paris in 1696 and trained with the famous portrait painters Hyacinthe Rigaud, Nicolas Bertin, and Jean Marc Nattier whose daughter he later married. He entered the Academy in 1731 and became a full member in 1734 with his portraits of Galloche and the sculptor Jean Louis Lemoine, and he pursued a brilliant career as a portrait painter, receiving numerous commissions from members of the French aristocracy and royalty. His works were highly sought after by collectors of the time, and his reputation earned him the appointment of official portrait painter to the court of France in 1746 – in fact he stayed at most of the courts in northern Europe. From 1737 to 1759 he exhibited a large number of works at the Salon. Tocqué's paintings can be found in museums and private collections around the world. Recent sales...
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18th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Salvator Mundi Madonna Tiziano 16/17th Century Old master Paint Oil on table
Located in Riva del Garda, IT
Titian painter (16th century - 17th century) Titian Vecellio (1488 or 1490 - 1576) Christ as Salvator Mundi with the Madonna at Prayer Oil on panel (51 x 67 cm. - with tabernacle fr...
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17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Portrait Gentleman Black Coat Orange Sash, Dutch Old Master, Oil on Panel c.1650
By Bartholomeus van der Helst
Located in London, GB
This exquisite portrait of a gentleman depicted in a sumptuous black coat edged with silver and slashed sleeves is an excellent example of the type of portrait fashionable in England and the Low Countries during the 17th century. The confident pose, striking orange sash - the colour of the house of Orange Nassau - and the leather gorget imbue the sitter with a sense of masculinity and power. The profusely decorated costume is of the highest quality and de rigueur of an elite class - the artist has carefully cultivated this portrait to emphasise the sitter’s wealth and standing in the society that he belonged to. The casual pose, with one arm resting on a hip, is much less formal than earlier decades, and it speaks of ‘sprezzatura’ – one’s appearance should not appear laborious, but instead, effortless. The oil on cradled panel portrait can be dated to circa 1650 based on the hairstyle and the attire - small falling collar, short doublet (doublets reduced in size to just below the ribcage in the late 1650’s), and the type of slashed sleeves with the sleeve seams left open to reveal the white fabric. The demand for portraits in the Netherlands was great in the 17th century. Bartholemeus van der Helst was considered to be one of the leading portrait painters of the Dutch Golden Age surpassing even Rembrandt as the most sought-after portraitist in Harlaam. The Dutch Golden Age, roughly spanning the 17th century, was a period when Dutch trade, science, military, and art were among the most acclaimed in the world. Dutch explorers charted new territory and settled abroad. Trade by the Dutch East-India Company thrived, and war heroes from the naval battles were decorated and became national heroes. During this time, The Dutch Old Masters began to prevail in the art world, creating a depth of realistic portraits of people and life in the area that has hardly been surpassed. The Golden Age painters depicted the scenes that their discerning new middle-class patrons wanted to see. This new wealth from merchant activities and exploration combined with a lack of church patronage, shifted art subjects away from biblical genres. Still life’s of items of everyday objects, landscapes, and seascapes reflecting the naval and trade power that the Republic enjoyed were popular. The new wealthy class were keen to have their portraits commissioned and many artists worked in this lucrative field. Such was the popularity of art that everyone had a painting, even the humble butcher, and hundreds of thousands of paintings were produced. By tradition the sitter is Maarten Tromp (1598-1653) who was an Admiral in the Dutch Navy (the reverse of the portrait contains an old handwritten inscription “van Tromp”). Certainly, the distinctive orange sash is similar to those worn by officers of the Dutch army in the Netherlands who served under the Princes of Orange and the House of Nassau. However, it should be noted that the physiognomy differs from other images of Tromp. Tromp was the oldest son of Harpert Maertensz, a naval officer and captain. He joined the Dutch navy as a lieutenant in July 1622 and was later promoted from captain to Lieutenant-Admiral of Holland and West Frisia in 1637. In 1639, during the Dutch struggle for independence from Spain, Tromp defeated a large Spanish fleet bound for Flanders at the Battle of the Downs, which marked an enormous change - the end of Spanish naval power. He was killed in action during the First Anglo-Dutch War in 1653 where he commanded the Dutch fleet in the battle of Scheveningen. Gloves were an absolutely vital accessory and the elaborate pair in this portrait are embellished with threads of silk and precious metals and salmon-coloured lining. He wears only one glove and holds the other, providing an opportunity to better display the cuffs and detail on his right wrist and forearm. The gloves are probably made from the most prized leather which came from Spain, in particular from Cordova. Cordovan leather was tanned with a special vegetal process that left it both highly impermeable and divinely soft. King Charles I, posed in a rather relaxed manner for Daniel Mytens’s portrait in 1631, is wearing gloves and boots in matching Cordovan leather. The hide is thick, but you can see just how supple it is from the way the gauntlet dimples and the long boot legs fold over themselves, rippling and wrinkling at the ankles. Apart from keeping hands warm the use of gloves during the 15th through the 19th centuries were full of symbolism and they were worn regardless of the season. They kept the skin unblemished - soft, smooth hands were considered highly attractive. This combination of necessity and proximity to bare skin made gloves a deeply personal gift and they took on a strong symbolic significance and were regarded as emblematic of fidelity and loyalty for hundreds of years. Such was the importance of their symbolism was that some gloves were never intended to be worn at all. Their luxury made them ideal gifts at court, and so in the 15th and 16th centuries, ambassadors often presented them as symbols of loyalty. Until the mid-19th century, it was customary to give gloves as tokens to guests at weddings and to mourners at funerals. Gentleman often gifted their bride-to-be with a pair of gloves (the obligatory gift) and were handed over at the betrothal and put on display before the wedding took place. It was probably their direct contact with the skin that led to the eroticism of gloves. Not only were pairs often exchanged between lovers, but from the 16th to the 18th centuries, it was common practice to remove one glove and give it as a gift to a favourite. The idea of the item being presented still warm from the wearer’s hand is certainly suggestive. Following the death of King George IV, his executors purportedly found over a thousand mismatched ladies’ gloves among his possessions. The sentiment of a 17th-century poem reveals the popularity of the practice: “Come to our wedding to requite your loves / Shew us your hands and we’ll fit you with gloves.” Such generosity might be pricey for the hosts, but gloves of varying quality could be offered depending on the status of the recipient. Pairs made with the finest Spanish leather might be reserved for immediate family, while coarse sheep’s leather could be distributed among the servants and tradesmen. The apportioning of quality according to class provided a very clear message of the gloves’ intended use. For refined guests, they were decoration; for the lower classes, they were functional. Bartholomeus van der Helst...
Category

17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

Italian 18th Century Oil Painting Portrait of a Merchant
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
A Venetian Gentleman 18th Century Venetian School oil painting on board, framed framed: 7.25 x 6 inches board: 5.25 x 4 inches provenance: private collection, UK condition: sound bu...
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18th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Early 18th century portrait painting of Henrietta Paulet, Duchess of Bolton
By Maria Verelst
Located in Bath, Somerset
Portrait of Henrietta Paulet, Duchess of Bolton, née Crofts, (c. 1682–1730), three-quarter length, standing on a colonnaded terrace wearing an ivory silk gown and holding a sprig of ...
Category

Early 18th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Fine Dutch Old Master Large Oil Painting Portrait Gentleman in Ruff Collar Robes
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Portrait of a Gentleman in Ruff Collar and Robes Dutch School, 18th century oil on canvas laid over panel, unframed board: 28.5 x 24 inches provenance: private collection condition: ...
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Mid-20th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

18th century Portrait of a lady as Erato, the muse of poetry - Angelica Kauffman
By Angelica Kauffmann
Located in Antwerp, BE
18th century English school portrait of a lady, said to be Mrs. John Ruscombe of Colne, Lancaster, as the muse Erato This very skilfully painted portrait depicts a lady as the muse Erato, playing the Lyre. Her eyes are filled with emotion and her lips are curved in a soft, delightful smile. Hinting at the love song she is composing? Erato is one of the nine Muses in Greek mythology. She is the muse of lyric poetry, love poetry, and mimicry. Erato is often depicted holding a lyre, symbolizing her association with music and poetry. She inspires poets and writers to create works that celebrate love, beauty, and human emotions. Our painting was sold in the early 1900s as a work by Angelica Kauffman. Kauffman was an 18th-century Swiss Neoclassical painter who achieved significant success and recognition in a male-dominated art world. Born in Switzerland in 1741, she showed exceptional talent from a young age and received formal art training in Italy. Kauffman gained fame for her historical and mythological paintings, as well as her portraits, which were characterized by their grace, elegance, and classical influences. She was a founding member of the Royal Academy of Arts in London and enjoyed patronage from aristocrats and royalty throughout Europe. Kauffman's work contributed to the rise of Neoclassicism and she remains one of the most prominent female artists of her time. Measurements: Oil on canvas ca. 98 by 77cm and with the frame ca. 118 by 97 cm Provenance: Collection of Felix Gouled American Art Association, Anderson Galleries, by 1937 Kende Galleries at Gimbel Brothers, Jay Gould...
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18th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Portrait of a harpist - Belgian Old Master musical art oil painting harp player
Located in London, GB
This charming Belgian Old Master musical portrait oil painting is by noted artist Jan Baptiste Lodewijk Maes. Painted in 1820 and signed and dated it is a half length portrait of a b...
Category

1820s Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Fine 18th Century British Portrait of an Aristocratic Lady, Large oil painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Circle of Thomas Hudson (1701-1779) British. 18th Century Bust Portrait of a Lady, Oil on Canvas, Inscribed on a label verso, canvas: 30" x 25" (76.2 x 63.5cm). frame: 30 x 25 in...
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Mid-18th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Madonna and Child with St Catherine and Putti - Italian 17thC art oil painting
By Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari
Located in London, GB
This stunning Italian 17th century Old Master religious oil painting is by Baroque artist Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chari. Painted circa 1684 it is a large and vibrant oil painting of the Madonna and child. To their left is Saint Catherine and to their right four putti or cherubs look upon a sleeping Jesus. The detail in all the figures faces and hair and the colouring is just superb, especially the Madonna's sumptuous blue robe. A really fabulous 17th century religious work with previous full attribution and excellent provenance which was once attributed to Carlo Maratta (1625-1713). Provenance. With Vangelisti, Lucca, Italy, 1966, from whom acquired by the family of the previous owner, and thence by descent. Red seal stamp verso Christies April 15th 1912 Christies March 23 1956 Condition. Oil on Canvas. Image size 44 x 54 inches unframed and in good condition. Frame. Housed in an original Carlo Maratta frame, 62 inches by 52 inches framed and in good condition. Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari (1654-1727), also known simply as Giuseppe Chiari, was an Italian painter of the late-Baroque period, active mostly in Rome. Born in Rome, he was one of the main assistants, along with Giuseppe Passeri and Andrea Procaccini, in the studio of an elder Carlo Maratta. His father had opposed the career, but his mother, on the recommendation of a painter named Carlo Antonio Gagliani. By the age of 22, he had frescoed the lateral lunettes (Birth of Virgin and Adoration of Magi...
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17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Portrait De La Fosse Rigaud Paint Oil on canvas 17/18th Century Old master Art
Located in Riva del Garda, IT
Hyacinthe Rigaud (Perpignan 1659 - Paris 1743) attributable Portrait of the painter Charles de La Fosse (1636-1716) oil on canvas 60 x 52 cm/ In a beautiful frame cm. 113 x 78 The ...
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18th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Portrait Christ Titian 16th Century Paint Oil on canvas Old master Venezia Italy
Located in Riva del Garda, IT
Anonymous Titianesque, 16th century Portrait of Christ the Redeemer Oil on canvas cm. 50 x 40/ Framed cm. 72 x 62 (full details by clicking on the following LINK) Intense portrait o...
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16th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

circa 1700s Huge Old Master Portrait of an Aristocratic Lady Oil Painting canvas
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Portrait of a Noble Lady circa 1700 circle of John Closterman (German 1660-1711) oil on canvas, unframed canvas : 50 x 40 inches provenance: private collection, Somerset, England con...
Category

Early 1700s Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

18th Century English School Portrait of a young girl, half length
Located in Harkstead, GB
A charming portrait of a young girl presented in the original, hand carved giltwood frame. Circle of John Opie (1761-1807) Portrait of a young girl, half length With old label to t...
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18th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Portrait of Abigail, Countess of Kinnoull, Signed Dated Godfrey Kneller Painting
Located in London, GB
Presented by Titan Fine Art, this elegant and beautiful portrait depicts Abigail Hay, Lady Dupplin, Countess of Kinnoull; it is an excellent example of English portraiture from the f...
Category

18th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Portrait of a Lady in a Blue & Pink Silk Dress, possibly Mrs Rowe, Signed Dated
Located in London, GB
This charming picture, which has been signed and dated: H. Pickering pinxt 1752 is a type favoured by the highly successful artist Henry Pickering. Pickering’s painting life, from 1...
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18th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

English School 18th Century Old Master Portrait Dated 1767 Oil Painting
Located in Holywell, GB
English School 18th Century Old Master Portrait Dated 1767. An intriguing painting dating to the mid 18th century bearing a label verso which is indistinct, but appears to read, “Mr...
Category

Mid-18th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Portrait Woman Princess Diziani Paint 18th Century Oil on canvas Old master Art
Located in Riva del Garda, IT
Gaspare Diziani (Belluno 1689 - Venice 1767) Portrait of a Young Princess (Salome?) Oil on canvas 42 x 33 cm Framed 70 x 63 cm A charming portrait of a beautiful young woman with ...
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18th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Fine 1700's French/ Dutch Oil Painting on Copper Portrait Man Ruff Collar
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Portrait of a Gentleman wearing a Ruff Collar Dutch/ French artist, 18th century oil painting on copper, unframed copper board : 6.75 x 5 inches provenance: private collection, UK co...
Category

18th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Copper

Portrait of a Lady in an Elaborate Ruff & Lace Coif c.1610-20, Dutch Old Master
Located in London, GB
This magnificent oil on panel portrait, presented by Titan Fine Art, is a splendid example of the sumptuous female portraits that were painted for members of the upper echelons of society during the early part of the 1600’s. The artist has rendered this portrait with meticulous attention to detail and the surface effects of the fine materials. The elaborate lace coif and cuffs are painstakingly delineated, as is the bold black damask, and sumptuous gold decoration of her skirt and stomacher, which is wonderfully preserved and quite remarkable considering the age of the work and the fact that darker pigments are particularly vulnerable to fading and wear. This work with its spectacular depiction of costume is of absolute quality, it can be rated as one of the best works in the artist’s oeuvre and as such it is an important and splendid example of Dutch portraiture. The Dutch Golden Age of painting was a period in Dutch history, roughly spanning the 17th century, in which Dutch trade, science, military, and art were among the most acclaimed in the world. Dutch explorers charted new territory and settled abroad. Trade by the Dutch East-India Company thrived, and war heroes from the naval battles were decorated and became national heroes. During this time, The Dutch Old Masters began to prevail in the art world, creating a depth of realistic portraits of people and life in the area that has hardly been surpassed. The Golden Age painters depicted the scenes that their discerning new middleclass patrons wanted to see. This new wealth from merchant activities and exploration combined with a lack of church patronage, shifted art subjects away from biblical genres. Dress was a key component in portraits, and the exuberant attire reiterates the incredible wealth of this woman. The sitter will have visited the artist’s workshop and inspected examples on display. They would have chosen the size and the sort of composition and on that basis negotiated the price – which would have also been determined by the complexity of the clothing and the jewels that were to be depicted, and by the materials to be used. When all was considered, this portrait would have cost the sitter (or her husband) a substantial sum. The colour black was regarded as humble and devout yet at the same time refined and sophisticated and the most expensive colour of fabric to dye and to maintain. Citizens spent fortunes on beautiful black robes. Such uniformity must also have had a psychological side-effect and contributed to a sense of middle-class cohesion; the collective black of the well-to-do burgess class will have given its members a sense of solidarity. The colour was always an exciting one for artists and when this portrait was painted there were at least fifty shades of it, and as many different fabrics and accoutrements. Artists went to great lengths to depict the subtle nuances of the colour and the fabrics and textures and how they reflected light and it was an ideal background against which gold and crisp white lace could be juxtaposed to dramatic effect. The sitter is either a married women or a widower as is evident by the clothing that she wears and the position, toward her right, it is highly likely that this portrait was once a pendant that hung on the right-hand side of her husband’s portrait as was convention at the time. She wears a vlieger which was a type of sleeveless over-gown or cape worn by well-to-do married women in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Variations with short sleeves or high shoulder rolls are known. Sometimes sleeves were attached with aiglets, and often slits were made to allow belts or the hands to pass through. Three-piece vlieger costumes of this kind were standard items of clothing in portraits of the women of the civic elite in the period 1600-40 and was a variant of the Spanish ‘ropa’ and served as a trademark of well-to-do married burgher women. Girls and unmarried woman, including beguines, wore a bouwen (a dress with a fitted bodice and a skirt that was closed all round) instead. This clear distinction between apparel for married and unmarried women is clear not only from inventories and trousseau lists, but also from contemporary sources such as the Dutch Spanish dictionary published by Juan Rodrigues in 1634. In it, a bouwen is described as a ‘ropa de donzella’ (over-gown worn by a virgin) and a vlieger as a ‘ropa de casada’ (overgown worn by a married woman). It is striking how few women are depicted wearing a bouwen, unless they are part of a group, family or children’s portrait and it can therefore be assumed that independent portraits of unmarried women were seldom commissioned. It is also believed that the clothing worn in these portraits existed and were faithfully reproduced when cross-referenced with the few exact documents. These sources also demonstrate that clients wanted their clothing to be depicted accurately and with this in mind precious garments and jewels were often left in the painter’s studio. The prominent white lawn molensteenkraag (or millstone ruff) is held up by a wire supportasse and was reserved only for the citizens that could afford this luxurious item that often required 15 meters of linen batiste. The fabulous wealth of this sitter is also evident by the elaborate lace coif and cuffs which have been exquisitely depicted; lace was often literally copied by artists in thin white lines over the completed clothing. The gold bracelet with jewels is a type that was evidently fashionable as it is seen in a number of portraits during the 1610s and 1620. Clothing and jewellery were prized possessions and were often listed in inventories of estates and passed down from generation to generation. There were a great number of jewellers of Flemish origin working at all the courts and cities of Europe, competing with the Italians, and then the French, adapting themselves to the tastes and positions of their patrons and the raw materials available in the country where they worked. The fashion for jewels “in the Flemish style” succeeded that of the Italian style. Cornelis van der Voort, who was probably born in Antwerp around 1576, came to Amsterdam with his parents as a child. His father, a cloth weaver by trade, received his citizenship in 1592. It is not known who taught the young Van der Voort to paint, but it has been suggested that it was either Aert Pietersz or Cornelis Ketel. On 24 October 1598 Van der Voort became betrothed to Truytgen Willemsdr. After his first wife’s death he became betrothed to Cornelia Brouwer of Dordrecht in 1613. In addition to being an artist, Van der Voort was an art collector or dealer, or both. In 1607 he bought paintings from the estate of Gillis van Coninxloo, and after an earlier sale in 1610 a large number of works he owned were auctioned on 7 April 1614. Van der Voort is documented as appraising paintings in 1612, 1620 and 1624. In 1615 and 1619 he was warden of the Guild of St Luke. He was buried in Amsterdam’s Zuiderkerk on 2 November 1624, and on 13 May 1625 paintings in his estate were sold at auction. Van der Voort was one of Amsterdam’s leading portrait painters in the first quarter of the 17th century. Several of his group portraits are known. It is believed that he trained Thomas de Keyser (1596/97-1667) and Nicolaes Eliasz Pickenoy (1588-1650/56). His documented pupils were David Bailly (c. 1584/86-1657), Louis du Pré...
Category

17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

Portrait Charles I King Van Dyck Paint 17/18th Century Oil on canvas Old master
Located in Riva del Garda, IT
Portrait of Charles I, King of England (1600-49) Anthoon van Dyck (Antwerp 1599 - London 1641) Follower of Oil on canvas 93 x 86 cm - Framed 131 x 124 We are sharing a valuable wor...
Category

17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

16th Century by Bernardino Detti Face of Christ Oil on Canvas
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Dimensions: 41 x 32 cm without frame - 47 x 55.5 cm with frame Antique box frame made of solid wood and walnut burl. Publications: unpublished The painting by Bernardino Detti (14...
Category

16th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

The Tax Collectors Italian 1700's Oil Painting on Copper in Gilt Frame
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The Tax Collectors Italian School, early 18th century oil on copper panel, framed framed: 14 x 11.5 inches copper panel : 11.5 x 9 inches provenance: private collection, UK conditio...
Category

Early 18th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Portrait of three children - Bernhard Keil (1624-1687)
Located in Gent, BE
“A portrait of three children, one of them holding a basket of grapes, while another plays the flute” Oil on canvas Housed in a blackened 17th-century frame. We'd like to thank dr...
Category

17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

A praying elderly woman by Quiringh Van Brekelenkam (1622-1669)
Located in Gent, BE
Oil on panel Signed and dated lower left. Quiringh van Brekelenkam was a Dutch genre painter, who studied under Gerard Dou. As a result, his paintings from the 1640s and 50s are si...
Category

17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

Penitent Saint in Wilderness with Angels & Cherubs Italian Old Master on Copper
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The Penitent Saint Italian artist, 17th century oil on copper panel, framed framed: 10 x 8 inches copper panel : 7.5 x 5 inches provenance: private collection, France condition: very...
Category

17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Dutch Old Master Portrait of Maurits, Prince of Orange-Nassau, Oil on Panel
Located in London, GB
In 1607, the Delft city council decided to commission a portrait of Stadholder Maurits of Nassau for the town hall, with Michiel van Mierevelt as the chosen artist due to the passing...
Category

17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

Romantic Italian painter - 19th century figure painting - Lutist - Oil on canvas
Located in Varmo, IT
Romantic painter (19th century) - The Lutist. 72 x 57 cm without frame, 85.5 x 69.5 cm with frame. Antique oil painting on canvas, in a gilded wooden frame. Condition report: Orig...
Category

Mid-19th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

The Hon. John Spencer
Located in London, GB
PROVENANCE Presumably commissioned by the sitter’s father-in-law, John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville, Haynes Park, Thence by descent, Lady Louisa Carteret , who married Thomas Thynne,...
Category

Mid-18th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

17th century By Neapolitan maestro San Vincenzo Ferreri Oil on canvas
Located in Milano, Lombardia
“Timete Deum et date Illi honorem quia venit hora iudicii Eius” (Fear the Lord and honour Him, for the hour of His judgement has come): the passage from John's Apocalypse (chapter 14...
Category

17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

The Virgin in Adoration - 17th Century Italian Old Master Religious Oil Painting
Located in Sevenoaks, GB
A beautiful late 17th century Italian Old Master oil on canvas depicting The Virgin in Adoration, circle of Carlo Maratta. Excellent quality early Italian work, presented in an ant...
Category

17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Fine 18th Century British Oil Painting Mother & Infant Child in Adoration
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Mother & Child British artist, late 18th century after the painting by Sir Anthony van Dyke oil on canvas, unframed canvas : 20 x 18 inches provenance: private collection, Berkshire,...
Category

18th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Angelic Cherubs with Classical Figure in Wilderness Finely Painted Preparatory
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Figure with Cherubim in Wilderness Italian School, 17th century oil painting on wood panel framed 13 x 11 inches condition: overall for its age very good, though the work is most likely a preparatory...
Category

17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Wood Panel, Oil

Fine Oil Painting Portrait of 17th Century French Aristocratic Gentleman
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Portrait of a Gentleman dressed in a 17th century style. French School, 20th century oil on board, framed board: 21 x 16 inches framed: 26 x 21.5 inches provenance: private collecti...
Category

Mid-20th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Cosimo III de Medici
Located in London, GB
Justus Sustermans was first recorded working for the Medici in Florence in October 1621. He then worked continuously for the Grand Dukes until his death 60 years later in 1681. Suste...
Category

17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Christ Crucified Rubens Paint Oil on canvas Old master 17th Century Religious
By Peter Paul Rubens (Siegen 1577 - Antwerp 1640)
Located in Riva del Garda, IT
Peter Paul Rubens (Siegen 1577 - Antwerp 1640) Workshop / circle Crucifixion of Christ with Saint Mary Magdalene Oil painting on canvas 112 x 62 cm. - In antique frame 126 x 73 cm. ...
Category

17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Baroque Italian painter - 17th century figure painting - Mary Magdalene
Located in Varmo, IT
Circle of Bernhard Keilhau, known as Monsù Bernardo (Helsingør 1624 - Rome 1687) - Maddalena. 64 x 79.5 cm without frame, 82 x 98 cm with frame. Antique oil painting on canvas, in ...
Category

Late 17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

18th century Portrait of a young girl, Miss Cator in a landscape, white dress
Located in Woodbury, CT
Portrait of a young British Girl, in her white dress with Pink Sash. Choosing to acquire an 18th-century portrait of a young girl by English artist John Russell is an opportunity to...
Category

1780s Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Portrait of a Lady in Red Dress on Porch c.1680, English Aristocratic Provenance
Located in London, GB
Presented by Titan Fine Art, this painting formed part of a historic collection of an English aristocratic family, Lord and Lady Sandys at their magnificent baroque and Regency Grade-I listed family home, Ombersley Court. The house was among the most fascinating survivals of its kind in this country. The atmospheric interiors were distinguished above all for the works of art associated with two key moments in national history. The collection was acquired or commissioned over five centuries and remained at Ombersley Court until its recent sale, the first in 294 years. This portrait hung in the Grand Hall. This exquisite grand manner work is an evocative example of the type of portrait in vogue during a large part of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The artist has depicted an elegant lady, three quarter length and seated on porch with a luxurious crimson swag curtain by her side. The clothing – known as “undress” at the time, consists of red silk fastened at the front and sleeves by large gold and diamond jewels over a simple white chemise. In her lap she holds a blue wrap and in her other hand, at her chest, she clutches the end of a sheer gauzy scarf that has been draped around her body with the other end a type of headdress – this type of sheer scarf was often employed by Wissing in his portraits. The classical architecture signifies cultivation and sophistication and the luxurious swag curtain is a signifier of wealth. The portrait can be dated to circa 1680 based on the sitter’s attire, the “hurluberlu” hairstyle, and other portraits by Wissing using the same formula. This oil on canvas portrait has been well cared for over its life, which spans almost 350 years. Having recently been treated to remove an obscuring discoloured varnish, the finer details and proper colour can now be fully appreciated. Once owned by Evesham Abbey, the manor of Ombersley was acquired by the Sandys family in the early 1600s, when Sir Samuel Sandys, the eldest son of Edwin Sandys, Bishop of Worcester and later Archbishop of York, took a lease on the manor, before receiving an outright grant in 1614. The present house, Ombersley Court, dates from the time of Samuel, 1st Lord Sandys, between 1723 and 1730. The house itself is a fine example of an English Georgian country house set in rolling countryside and surrounded by Wellingtonias, planted to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo by Arthur Hill, 2nd Baron Sandys, who played a distinguished part in the battle and was one of the Duke of Wellington’s aides de camp. The Duke also stayed in the house and in the Great Hall, was the Waterloo banner which was brought to the house by Sir Arthur Hill, aide-de-camp to the Duke of Wellington, who succeeded his mother, the Marchioness of Downshire as 2nd Lord Sandys. Further Waterloo memorabilia are kettle drums from battle. The family had a strong tradition of military and political service, dating back to the 17th century, and this was also reflected in the fine collection of portraits and paintings in the house. In short, Ombersley represented a vital aspect of British history. The house and more especially the collection were of the greatest historical importance. Houses that have remained in the possession of the same family for as many as three centuries have become increasingly rare. Through this portrait, collectors have a chance to acquire a piece of British history and an evocative vestige of a glittering way of life, which is now gone. Much of the attractiveness of this portrait resides in its graceful manner and the utter beauty of the youthful sitter. Presented in a beautiful carved and gilded period frame, which is a work of art in itself. Willem Wissing was a Dutch artist who enjoyed a solid artistic training at The Hague under Arnold van Ravesteyn (c.1650-1690) and Willem Dougijns (1630-1697). He came to London in 1676 and most probably joined the studio or Sir Peter Lely as an assistant that same year. After Lely’s death in 1680 he effectively took over his business and he scaled the heights of patronage with extraordinary ease, creating an independent practise in 1687, and painted for very important aristocratic patrons. King Charles II was so impressed by a portrait Wissing painted of his son, the Duke of Monmouth, in 1683 that he commissioned his own portrait and that of his Queen Catherine...
Category

17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Violin Player Ter Brugghen Paint Oil on canvas 17th Century flemish Old master
Located in Riva del Garda, IT
Hendrick ter Brugghen (The Hague 1588-1629 Utrecht) Workshop Violin Player Oil on canvas 72 x 60 cm. Framed 87 x 78 cm. An analysis of the composition and style of this interestin...
Category

17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Fine 17th Century Italian Old Master Oval Portrait of Lady on Copper Wooden Frm
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Portrait of a Lady Italian Old Master, 17th century oil on copper, framed framed: 8.75 x 7.75 inches painting: 5 x 4 inches provenance: private collection, England condition: very go...
Category

17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Copper

Ecce Homo Coxie Paint 16/17th Century Paint Oil on table Old master Flemish Art
Located in Riva del Garda, IT
Circle of Michael Coxie (Malines, 1499 - Malines, 1592) Ecce Homo with Pontius Pilate Oil on panel Flemish school 16th-17th century 112 x 81 cm - framed 121 x 90 cm. The proposed p...
Category

16th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

17th century old master portrait of Emperor Rudolph II
Located in Antwerp, BE
"Portrait of Emperor Rudolph of Austria (1557-1619)" circle or studio of Josef Heinz the Elder Emperor Rudolph II, born in 1552, was a visionary ruler whose reign as the Holy Roman ...
Category

17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

17th century Flemish old master painting - Adoration of the Shepherds Christmas
Located in Antwerp, BE
17th century Flemish Old master painting "Adoration of the Shepherds" by Victor Wolfvoet the Younger Surrounded by an elegant and broad black frame, i...
Category

17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Copper

Fine 18th Century English Portrait of Aristocratic Gentleman Huge Oil Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Portrait of an Aristocratic English Gentleman circle of Thomas Hudson (British (1701-1779) oil on canvas, framed framed: 53.5 x 45 inches painting: 45 x 40 inches provenance: private...
Category

18th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Michiel Jansz. Van Mierevelt (Follower), Portrait of Maurice of Orange
Located in Cheltenham, GB
This early to mid-17th-century oil on panel depicts Maurice of Nassau (1567-1625), Prince of Orange. It’s a bust-length portrait, presented in a feigned oval, after a full length by ...
Category

Mid-17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

English 18th century portrait of Henrietta Pelham-Holles, Duchess of Newcastle.
Located in Bath, Somerset
Portrait of Henrietta Pelham-Holles (née Godolphin) (1701-1776), Duchess of Newcastle, standing in a wooded landscape with a river beyond, three-quarter length wearing an ivory silk ...
Category

1720s Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Oil Portrait of a Victorian Lady, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Painted in the 19th century, this exquisite miniature portrait wonderfully exemplifies realism in traditional oil painting. The small artwork is painted in the conventional portraiture style of the Old Masters, and achieves soft realism with fine brushwork and a subdued, neutral palette. The half length portrait depicts a fine Victorian woman dressed in all black with a delicate lace collar and bonnet. She wears a ruby broach...
Category

Mid-19th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Old Masters portrait paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Old Masters 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. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including (After) Giampietrino, Henri-Joseph Castaing, Charles Towne, and Jean Alexandre Rémy Couder. 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 Old Masters portrait paintings, so small editions measuring 4.53 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 $695 and tops out at $339,912, while the average work sells for $4,791.

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