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Portrait Photography For Sale
Style: Contemporary
Style: Abstract
Style: Surrealist
This Week's Listings Only
Rita Hayworth Sunbathing
By Frank Worth
Located in Austin, TX
Black and white candid image of Rita Hayworth in Burbank, walking along a beautiful street scene.
This listing is for a limited edition archival print.
What's included:
- Limited ...
Category
1930s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital, Archival Pigment
1st Year Anniversary
By Luke Smalley
Located in New York, NY
Digital C-print
Stamped and numbered, verso
20 x 24 inches
(Edition of 10)
30 x 40 inches
(Edition of 5)
50 x 60 inches
(Edition of 3)
This photograph is offered by ClampArt, loc...
Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
C Print
Calle Bissa, French Black and White Photography of Venice
By Willy Ronis
Located in New york, NY
Interested in “ordinary people" French photographer Willy Ronis was a postwar (WWII) photographer who roamed the streets whether In France or Italy, photographing people in love, at ...
Category
1940s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin
Bruno Mars, Portrait. Portrait Intervened by the artists.
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The artist's technique consists of the use of two prints, the first print is the original photography, and the second print is a blurry version of the image printed on glass. The gla...
Category
2010s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Glass, Photographic Paper, Black and White, Archival Pigment
Marilyn Monroe Posed for Life Magazine Vintage Press Print
Located in Austin, TX
Black and white promo photo of Marilyn Monroe posed for Life Magazine with other women, circa 1949.
--
One-of-a-kind original vintage press print from the Celebrity Vault archives. ...
Category
1940s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Black and White
Frank Sinatra Posed in Thunderbird
By Frank Worth
Located in Austin, TX
Circa 1955 in Hollywood, California: American actor and Hollywood icon Frank Sinatra poses with his 1955 'T-bird' Ford Thunderbird convertible sports car for a 1950's Ford Thunderbir...
Category
1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
"What Grandmother Bequeathed to Me" - contemporary portrait - cyanotype
Located in Atlanta, GA
"What Grandmother Bequeathed to Me" is a cyanotype on cotton fabric. It has an edition of 10.
Tokie Rome-Taylor is inspired by the works of Harmonia Rosales, Kehinde Wiley, Tawny Chatmon, Ayana V. Jackson, Omar Victor Diop, Deborah Roberts...
Category
2010s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Cotton
Audrey Hepburn: Only Home for a Moment
Located in Austin, TX
Iconic and whimsical capture of Audrey Hepburn in her role for the 1961 film "Breakfast at Tiffany's", posed in the kitchen holding ballerina shoes as a cat approaches her.
This lis...
Category
1960s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Kansas Bowling
By Tao Ruspoli
Located in Morongo Valley, CA
'Kansas Bowling' - 2018
Edition of 10,
20x30cm,
printed on Velvet Watercolor, 310gsm, Bright White, Acid Free,
Signature label and Certificate.
About
Tao Ruspoli (born 7 Novembe...
Category
2010s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Color, Archival Pigment
Audrey Hepburn Applying Makeup Glamour Shot
Located in Austin, TX
Audrey Hepburn applying make-up during the filming of the made for TV movie "Mayerling".
Audrey Hepburn was a British actress. Recognised as a film and fashion icon, she was ranked ...
Category
1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X
Located in Austin, TX
Black and white candid capture of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr., candid and smiling.
On March 26, 1964, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. met for the first and only time i...
Category
1960s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Michael Jackson Wearing Letterman Jacket
Located in Austin, TX
This black and white portrait features pop music idol Michael Jackson sitting outdoors, wearing a letterman jacket.
Michael Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, and dancer. D...
Category
1980s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and John Lennon Reading
Located in Austin, TX
Black and white capture of John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and Paul McCartney reading in a studio.
The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of th...
Category
1960s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Zsa Zsa Gabor Applying Makeup
By Peter Martin
Located in Austin, TX
This stunning black and white portrait features Zsa Zsa Gabor in her dressing room applying makeup. Zsa Zsa Gabor as a Hungarian-American actress and socialite. Gabor began her stage...
Category
1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Marilyn Posed for "Bus Stop" Vintage Press Print
Located in Austin, TX
Black and white capture of a Marilyn Monroe posed for her role in "Bus Stop", circa 1956.
--
One-of-a-kind original vintage press print from the Celebrity Vault archives. Own a piec...
Category
1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Black and White
Winona Ryder, Los Angeles, 21st Century, Contemporary, Celebrity, Photography
By Greg Gorman
Located in München, BY
Edition 25
Also available in 101 x 127 cm / 40 x 50 inch, Edition 10
Black and white portrait of actress Winona Ryder.
From personality portraits and a...
Category
1980s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Portrait of a Young Woman Wearing Traditional Tribal Jewelry, Africa, Fashion
By Drew Doggett
Located in US
"Mindisayo's Gaze"
In this best-selling image, a young women in the Rendille tribe of Northern Kenya wears the unique jewelry and ornamentation of this culturally-rich region.
The...
Category
2010s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Ida
Located in München, BY
Limited Edition 25
More sizes on request
The photographic work of the internationally well-known Austrian photographer Andreas H. Bitesnich is captivating by its beauty and aestheti...
Category
1990s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Odessa, Ukraine (Man repairing vehicle on sidewalk & Black dog)
Located in Sante Fe, NM
This print is currently featured in our exhibition, Warm Regards, and will be available to ship after the show closes June 24th, 2017.
Pentti Sammallahti is a benchmark figure in co...
Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Woman in Kenya Wearing Tribal Jewelry, Black and White Photography, Vertical
By Drew Doggett
Located in US
"Adorned"
This fashion-inspired, award-winning black and white profile portrait of a young Rendille woman shows the delicate yet bold ornamentation that her remote tribal community ...
Category
2010s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Cubist Poodle
Located in Kansas City, MO
Nick Vedros
Cubist Poodle
Archival Pigment Print Hahnemühle FineArt Baryta 325 gsm
Year: 2000s
Size: 9.5x14in
Edition: 12
Signed, dated and numbered by hand on label
Stamped
COA pro...
Category
2010s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Archival Pigment
Rock Hudson on a Motorbike
By Don Ornitz
Located in Austin, TX
Star actor Rock Hudson. Hudson was one of the top leading men in film during the 50's and 60's era and achieved stardom with roles in films such as Magnificent Obsession, All That He...
Category
1960s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Venus
Located in Kansas City, MO
Nick Vedros
Venus
Archival Pigment Print on Epson Legacy Platine 100% Cotton Fibre, 314 gsm, Acid and Lignin free
Year: 1990s
Size: 15x10in
Edition: 15
Signed, dated and numbered by...
Category
2010s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Archival Pigment
Detailed, Fashion-Inspired Profile Portrait of an Elite Horse
By Drew Doggett
Located in US
"Velvet Crest"
The smooth coat and bridle are highlighted in this profile portrait of a delicately arched horse's neck.
The print series Equus: Light & Form focuses on the details...
Category
2010s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Untitled (Cathy and Shannon) - Contemporary, 21st Century, Polaroid
Located in Morongo Valley, CA
Untitled (Cathy and Shannon) - 2004
48x47cm,
Edition of 10, plus 2 Artist Proofs.
Archival C-Print, based on the original Polaroid.
Certificate and Signature label.
Artist Inven...
Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, C Print, Color, Polaroid
Brigitte Bardot on a Swing
Located in Austin, TX
Actress Brigitte Bardot sitting on a tree swing outdoors, shot from behind, circa 1954.
Brigitte Bardot was a French actress, singer, and model as well as an animal rights activist....
Category
1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
New York City, Black and White Portrait Photography, Two Women on the Subway
By Walker Evans
Located in New york, NY
A classic black and white photograph from the late 1930s to early 1940s, Two Women on The Subway in New York City is by a master of ...
Category
1940s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper
g. paul - lotus
By Frank Yamrus
Located in New York, NY
Gelatin silver print
Signed, dated, and numbered, verso
20 x 16 inches, sheet
15 x 15 inches, image
(Edition of 30)
From the series, "Primitive Behavior"
This artwork is offered by...
Category
1990s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Untitled (Powerpuff Girls)
By Amy Stein
Located in New York, NY
Untitled (Powerpuff Girls)
2005
Signed and numbered, verso
Digital C-print
30 x 30 inches
(Edition of 5)
$3500.00
20 x 20 inches
(Edition of 10)
$2...
Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
C Print
Elke Sommer Sultry Portrait Vintage Press Print
Located in Austin, TX
Black and white capture of actress Elke Sommer posed in a sultry portrait, circa 1965.
--
One-of-a-kind original vintage press print from the Celebrity Vault archives. Own a piece o...
Category
1960s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Black and White
Marilyn Monroe Gentlemen Prefer Blondes Screen Test Vintage Press Print
Located in Austin, TX
Black and white promo photo of Marilyn Monroe posed in a a cloak for her role in "Monkey BusinessGentlemen Prefer Blondes", circa 1953.
--
One-of-a-kind original vintage press print...
Category
1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Black and White
Lithium - Polaroid, Women, 21st Century, Portrait, Contemporary
Located in Morongo Valley, CA
Lithium - 2020
50x50cm, Edition of 7 plus 2 Artist Proofs,
digital C-Print based on a Polaroid.
Signed on the back and with certificate.
Artist inventory PL2020-927.
Not mounted.
...
Category
2010s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, C Print, Color, Polaroid
12-Meter Racing Yachts Create a Pattern on the Open Seas, Aerial, Iconic
By Drew Doggett
Located in US
"Fleeting Time"
This photograph features the boats Courageous, American Eagle, Victory ’83 and Intrepid in the Atlantic Ocean off of Newport, Rhode Island.
The nautical print ser...
Category
2010s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Escapism - Contemporary, Polaroid, Color, Women, 21st Century
Located in Morongo Valley, CA
Escapism - 2020
20x20cm, Edition of 7 plus 2 Artist Proofs,
digital C-Print based on a Polaroid.
Signed on the back and with certificate.
Artist inventory PL2020-922.
Not mounted....
Category
2010s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, C Print, Color, Polaroid
David Bowie by Brian Aris
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition 16.5" x 23" print of David Bowie by Brian Aris in 1991.
Brian Aris limited edition prints, signed and numbered by Brian and carryin...
Category
Late 20th Century Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Giclée
Outgoing (Till Death do us Part) - 21st Century, Polaroid, Figurative
Located in Morongo Valley, CA
Outgoing (Till Death do us Part) - 2016
40x40cm,
Edition of 10.
Archival C- Print, based on the Polaroid.
Certificate and signature label.
Artist inventory number: 9006.
Not moun...
Category
2010s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, C Print, Color, Polaroid
The Divine, animal, black and white photography, cheetah, africa
Located in München, BY
Edition No. 10/12
image size 37,6 x 24,6 cm
signed and numbered
Framed with mat and anti-reflex glass
A beautiful portrait of a cheetah lying in the savannah
Joachim Schmeisser is ...
Category
2010s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Nirvana Nevermind original color slide print by Kirk Weddle
Located in Austin, TX
Signed print taken from an original color slide of Nirvana by Kirk Weddle. This slide was taken during the famous swimming pool sessions with Nirvana for the release of Nevermind in ...
Category
Late 20th Century Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Digital Pigment
Ways of a Wild Heart #47 - Polaroid, Women, Color
Located in Morongo Valley, CA
Ways of a Wild Heart #47 - 2014
Giclee archival pigment print on archival Hahnemühle Pearl paper. 320 gsm · 100% Cotton · natural white · pearl-finish.
Based on a Polaroid.
Hand ...
Category
2010s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Paper, Color, Archival Pigment, Polaroid
Africa, Morocco, Lace Curtains, Contemporary Photography
Located in New york, NY
Lace curtains, Morocco, 1980 by Jean-Michel (JM) Voge, is a contemporary color photograph, an archival pigment print on handmade Awagami Japanese paper. ...
Category
1980s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Photographic Film, Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Rag Paper, Digital, Arc...
Aubrey O'Day nude
Located in Austin, TX
Aubrey O'Day by Markus Klinko, from a stunning collection of contemporary nudes from celebrated photographer, Markus Klinko, featuring amongst others, Dita Von Teese and Stoya
This ...
Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
C Print
Unbelievable Wild Horse With Beautiful Mane, Iconic, Vertical
By Drew Doggett
Located in US
"Legend"
This wild horse's mane stands out among the rest of the 500 horses on Sable Island. It is the grandest and most regal of them all.
The print series Discovering the Horses...
Category
2010s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Iconic Portrait of a Young Man Wearing Tribal Face Paint, Ethiopia, Fashion
By Drew Doggett
Located in US
"Untitled 37"
Wearing face paint is typical in the Karo tribe. While the designs are based on tradition, each young man is encouraged to create their own motif.
This award-winnin...
Category
2010s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Escapism - Contemporary, Polaroid, Color, Women, 21st Century
Located in Morongo Valley, CA
Escapism - 2020
50x50cm, Edition of 7 plus 2 Artist Proofs,
digital C-Print based on a Polaroid.
Signed on the back and with certificate.
Artist inventory PL2020-922.
Not mounted....
Category
2010s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, C Print, Color, Polaroid
Dust Storm, YP Ranch, NV
By Adam Jahiel
Located in Sante Fe, NM
For years, Jahiel has been photographing the cowboys of the
Great Basin–perhaps one of the most inhospitable regions of the already rugged West.
These people represent one of the ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Led Zeppelin Hanging Out
By Jay Thompson
Located in Austin, TX
The legendary rock band, Led Zeppelin fooled around at the Chateau Marmont Hotel in Los Angeles in 1969 featuring Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham.
Widely...
Category
1960s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital, Archival Pigment
Johnny Cash Playing Harmonica
By J.T. Phillips
Located in Austin, TX
Black and white action shot of Johnny Cash playing a harmonica on stage.
Johnny Cash was an American singer-songwriter. Most of Cash's music contains themes of sorrow, moral tribula...
Category
1960s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
The Who in Flower Garden
Located in Austin, TX
The Who members John Entwistle, Keith Moon, Pete Townshend, and Roger Daltry standing in flower garden.
The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup (1964–1978) consisted of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey...
Category
1960s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Marilyn Monroe on Dock with Fishnet Vintage Press Print
Located in Austin, TX
Black and white capture of Marilyn Monroe posed against a fishnet on a dock.
--
One-of-a-kind original vintage press print from the Celebrity Vault archives. Own a piece of history ...
Category
1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Black and White
Marilyn Monroe in As Young As You Feel Vintage Press Print
Located in Austin, TX
Black and white promo photo of Marilyn Monroe posed in a dress for her role in "As Young As You Feel", circa 1951.
--
One-of-a-kind original vintage press print from the Celebrity V...
Category
1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Black and White
France, Black-and-White Portrait Photography, Countryside
Located in New york, NY
In the Country, 1988 is by Roberta Fineberg. A black-and-white documentary-style portrait of a French woman in the countryside - from northeast France, the Haute-Marne, the subject is photographed against a backdrop of fresh-cut hay. Far from Paris the French maintain deep connections with the land - owning often an ancestral house in the countryside, often rustic, a nation equally rooted in the agrarian.
An 11" x 14" gelatin silver print (analog/film) in an edition of 5, the photograph is signed and editioned on recto (in margin) by the artist.
Provenance: RF Studio
***
Artist's Bio:
As a visual artist, Roberta Fineberg (RF) focuses on the themes of serendipity, inventiveness, and the development of ideas for her photography, video, installations, works on paper, and painting. Drawn to experimentation, she explores diverse mediums and concepts such as the ephemeral (Butterfly Series), stolen moments (documentary photography), play, timelessness, the enduring, and the significance of matter.
RF, living in New York City, began her career as an editorial photographer while studying in Paris. In France she contributed both photography and writing to publications, landing a column (photos and text) with The Saturday Review while exhibiting photographs in public spaces. Roberta Fineberg’s freelance photography appeared in Le Monde, Jeune Afrique, Paris Match, L’Officiel Femme, Ms, Weltwoche, Vanguardia, among others with images licensed through stock agencies. Photographs were selected for cover art at W.W. Norton, St. Martin’s Press, Harcourt, Bookspan, Simon & Schuster, etc. Print Regional Design Annual New York (2003) awarded her for book jacket photography for If Wishes Were Horses. In 1997 Macmillan published City Riders: A Story of Riding and Friendship her first book of black-and-white photographs and a story about three teenage girls in the 1990s who rode horses at the now-defunct Claremont Riding Academy and oldest stable in New York City.
In 2023, RF created an interactive installation, works on paper on the female body, in a public space. In July 2022, Fineberg’s Double Helix was included in a Sotheby’s auction in New York City and exhibited in the preview show Contemporary Discoveries. Selected exhibitions include Time Gallery New York (2022), Phyllis Harriman Gallery New York studio shows (2020, 2022), CADAF online art fair (2020), Gallery122 New York pop-up group...
Category
1980s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper
Exercise at Home
By Luke Smalley
Located in New York, NY
Digital C-print
Stamped and numbered, verso
20 x 24 inches
(Edition of 10)
30 x 40 inches
(Edition of 5 + 1 AP)
50 x 60 inches
(Edition of 3)
This photograph is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City.
Please note that prices increase as editions sell.
Luke Smalley was an American artist known for his photographic work, which pairs a coolly minimalist aesthetic with a retro nostalgia. Images from his early in his career were inspired by fitness manuals and yearbooks c. 1910. This is not surprising since Smalley graduated with a degree in sports medicine from Pepperdine University and worked for a number of years as a model and personal trainer. Smalley shot the bulk of his photographs in his home state of Pennsylvania, using real high school athletes as models.
“Exercise at Home” is Luke Smalley’s second major body of work. Shot in and around the tiny Pennsylvania town the artist called home, Smalley revisits themes of adolescent growing pains acted out under the guise of earnest athleticism. Teenagers engage in simple yet strange competitions meant to establish their standings amongst one another. Two youths practice boating safety...
Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
C Print
Marilyn Monroe Screen Test for "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" Vintage Press Print
Located in Austin, TX
Black and white film still of Marilyn Monroe posed in a screen test for her role as Lorelei in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes".
--
One-of-a-kind original vintage press print from the Cel...
Category
1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Black and White
As seen in Apple TV series "Dark Matter" Screaming Mike by Jack Perno
By Jack Perno
Located in Chicago, IL
As seen in Apple TV+ series "Dark Matter"
Screaming Mike
"This is the only image where Photoshop has been implemented. I had an illustrator friend who, for ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Iman
Located in München, BY
Total Edition of 15
signed and numbered
Also available in:
90 x 120 cm / 35.4 x 47.2 in
120 x 160 cm / 47.2 x 63 in
Black and white portrait of Supermodel Iman in New York City 1997...
Category
1990s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Black and White
"Weed + Grub"- Archival Pigment Ink Photography
By Lauren Hurt
Located in West Hollywood, CA
This selection is an intimate grouping of portraits of celebrities and tastemakers in the burgeoning cannabis industry. I’ve paired these with select portraits evoking the feeling of...
Category
2010s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Ink
Helen Mirren, Contemporary, Celebrity, Photography, Portrait
By Greg Gorman
Located in München, BY
Combined Edition 25
Also available in 50 x 60 cm/ 20 x 24 inch
and as combined Edition 10 in
76 x 101 cm / 30 x 40 inch
101 x 127 cm / 40 x 50 inch
Portrait of Dame Helen Lydia Mirr...
Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Learning to fly - Contemporary, Portrait, Women, Polaroid, Nude
Located in Morongo Valley, CA
'Learning to fly', 2020
50x50cm, Edition 1/7 plus 2 Artist Proofs,
digital C-Print based on a Polaroid, not mounted.
Signed on the back and with certificate.
Artist inventory - P...
Category
2010s Contemporary Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, C Print, Color, Polaroid
Portrait Photography for Sale on 1stDibs
Portrait photography can be a powerful part of your wall decor. Find a provocative and compelling portrait that speaks to you and you might find that the photograph will speak to your guests too.
Prior to the development of photography, which eventually replaced portrait paintings as a quicker and more efficient way of capturing a person’s essence, the subject of a portrait had to sit for hours until the painter had finished. In 1839, chemist and Philadelphia-based photographer Robert Cornelius didn’t have to wait very long for his portrait. In a matter of minutes, he captured what many believe to be the first portrait photograph. This shot was also the first self-portrait (or what we now call a “selfie”), and fine photography quickly became an art form.
Landscape photography, nude photography and portrait photography are very popular in today's modern interiors. A portrait can reveal a lot about the person in it. It can also add a narrative touch to your decor. You’ll often find that photographs of loved ones work well as decorative touches. A portrait of a family member or dear friend can help turn a house into a home, warming any space by evoking fond memories.
While family portraits can stir emotion, portraits of celebrities and important historical figures can also add a rich dynamic to your space. Portraits of famous musicians or intriguing actors hung in your dining room or home bar shot by Gered Mankowitz or Annie Leibovitz might inspire deep conversation over meals or drinks. Douglas Kirkland is also famous for his celebrity portraits. His photojournalism made him much sought after by Hollywood studios to document the filming of movies. In Kirkland’s powerful depiction of Hollywood stars, he excellently captures the glamour of their lives.
Other artists like Elliott Erwitt stand out by turning portraiture into a playful art form. Before graduating from high school in Hollywood, Erwitt had already begun to teach himself to take pictures, inspired by the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson. In image after image, Erwitt captured what photographers call “the moment” with rapier wit and penetrating humanity.
Portrait photography can be incredibly expressive, setting the tone and mood for a room. And there are different ways of incorporating portrait photography into your interior decor. If you’re thinking about adding color photography to a bedroom or living room, the colors of the portraits can become part of the room’s palette, while portraits shot in black and white won’t disrupt an existing color scheme.
On 1stDibs, find a vast selection of portrait photography from different eras, including 1950s portraits, 1960s portrait photography and more.