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Portrait Photography For Sale
Period: 1950s
Period: 1930s
Stanley (1951) Silver Gelatin Fibre Print
Located in London, GB
Stanley (1951) Silver Gelatin Fibre Print (photo by Cineclassico/Alamy Archives) A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE 1951. Directed by Elia Kazan With Vivien Leigh...
Category

1930s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Silver Gelatin

Roman Holiday (1951) Silver Gelatin Fibre Print - Oversized
Located in London, GB
Roman Holiday (1952) Silver Gelatin Fibre Print - Oversized (photo Phillip Harrington / Alamy Archives) 3rd April 1952. Actress and fashion model Audrey Hepburn preparing for a sc...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Silver Gelatin

Marilyn Monroe in Rain Coat for Niagara Vintage Press Print
Located in Austin, TX
Black and white capture of actress Marilyn Monroe posed in a rain coat- a screen test for her role in "Niagara", circa 1953. -- One-of-a-kind original vintage press print from the C...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White

Parrot Jungle, Miami, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This 1955 portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features a family day out at the Parrot Jungle amusement park near Miami. This is an estate stamped and...
Category

1950s Realist Portrait Photography

Materials

Lambda

Marilyn Monroe Reading Reference Vintage Press Print
Located in Austin, TX
Color photo depicting starlet Marilyn Monroe reading Dun & Bradstreet Reference and The Wall Street Journal. -- One-of-a-kind original vintage press p...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White

Billy Wilder and Marilyn Monroe "The Seven Year Itch"
Located in Austin, TX
Black and white action shot and iconic image of Marilyn Monroe on the set of "The Seven Year Itch" Marilyn Monroe was an American actress model and singer. Famous for playing comed...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital, Archival Pigment

Sunbathing Skier (1956) - Silver Gelatin Fibre Print
Located in London, GB
Sunbathing Skier (1956) - Silver Gelatin Fibre Print (Photo by Don/Three Lions/Getty Images) circa 1956: With the temperature at around 80? a skier reclines on her propped-up skis ...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Silver Gelatin

Marilyn Monroe with Ben Lyon Vintage Press Print
Located in Austin, TX
Black and white capture of actress Marilyn Monroe smiling at an event with Ben Lyon. -- One-of-a-kind original vintage press print from the Celebrity Vault archives. Own a piece of ...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White

Elvis Presley Performing on Patio
Located in Austin, TX
Awesome black and white capture of the King, Elvis Presley, performing on a patio with his guitar. Elvis Presley, known mononymously as Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Know...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Elizabeth Taylor As Leslie Benedict
Located in Austin, TX
This iconic and elegant portrait captured by celebrity photographer Frank Worth features actress Elizabeth Taylor on the set of the film 'Giant' for her role as character Leslie Bene...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital, 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

James Dean: The Rebel Vintage Press Print
Located in Austin, TX
Black and white capture of star actor James Dean in a cowboy hat. A stunning vintage press print acquired by Globe Photos from London Features. -- One-of-a-kind original vintage pre...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White

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

Elvis At The Piano (1956)
Located in London, GB
Elvis Adoration (1956) (Photo By Phillip Harrington) May 27, 1956 Elvis Presley spends some time on the piano while waiting for a show to start at the University of Dayton Fieldho...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Archival Pigment

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

Jackie Kennedy (1956)
Located in London, GB
Jackie Kennedy (1956) (Photo By Phillip Harrington) 29th August 1959. Jackie Kennedy at Hyannis Port. Additional Information: Unframed Paper Size: 10x12'' Printed Later About the Image: Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis was an American writer, literature editor, photographer, and socialite who became First Lady of the United States as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. During her lifetime, Jacqueline Kennedy was regarded as an international fashion icon. NOTE OTHER SIZES OF THIS IMAGE AVAILABLE 10 x 12'' 12 x 16'' 16 x 20'' 20 x 24'' 20 x 30'' FRAMING AVAILABLE ON REQUEST About the Artist: Phillip A. Harrington was born in 1920 and grew up in Holland, Michigan. He developed an interest in photography at an early age, joining the high school camera club at 16. At the age of 19, Harrington moved to New York City to study at the Clarence. H. White school of photography, a prestigious institution with graduates such as Margaret Bourke-White, Dorothea Lange, Laura Gilpin...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Archival Pigment

Elvis At The Piano (1956) Silver Gelatin Print
Located in London, GB
Elvis Adoration (1956) (Photo By Phillip Harrington) May 27, 1956 Elvis Presley spends some time on the piano while waiting for a show to start at the University of Dayton Fieldho...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Archival Pigment

Rita Hayworth Sunbathing
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

Beverly Hills Party, Los Angeles, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This 1954 portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features American actors Lauren Bacall and Judy Garland attending a house party in Beverly Hills. This i...
Category

1950s Realist Portrait Photography

Materials

Lambda

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

Fred Astaire in Formal Attire III
Located in Austin, TX
Fred Astaire was an American dancer, singer, actor, choreographer, and television presenter. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential dancers in the history of film and t...
Category

1930s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

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

Rita Hayworth in Burbank
Located in Austin, TX
Black and white candid image of Rita Hayworth in Burbank, walking along a beautiful street scene. Rita Hayworth was an American actress, dancer, and producer. She achieved fame dur...
Category

1930s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital, Archival Pigment

Marilyn In Grand Central Station (1955) Silver Gelatin Fibre Print
Located in London, GB
Marilyn In Grand Central Station (1955) Silver Gelatin Fibre Print (Photo by Ed Feingersh/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) NEW YORK - MARCH 24: Actress Marilyn Monroe takes the ...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Silver Gelatin

Marlon Brando as Johnny Strabler in "The Wild One"
By Homer van Pelt
Located in Austin, TX
Marlon Brando posed on a bike for the film "The Wild One". The Wild One is a 1953 American film noir crime film directed by Laszlo Benedek and produced by Stanley Kramer. It is mos...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital, Archival Pigment

Bette (1931) Silver Gelatin Fibre Print
Located in London, GB
Bette (1931) Silver Gelatin Fibre Print (photo by Glasshouse Archive / Alamy Archives) Actress Bette Davis, Portrait by Jack Freilich, 1931. Additional Information: Unframed Paper Size: 10x12...
Category

1930s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Silver Gelatin

Elvis And His Harley (1956)
Located in London, GB
Elvis Adoration (1956) (Photo By Phillip Harrington) Tennessee, May 29, 1956. Elvis Presley with his 1956 Harley KH, in the garage at 1034 Audubon Drive, Memphis. Vernon Presley is crouching beside the Harley. Additional Information: Unframed Paper Size: 16x20'' Printed Later About the Image: Elvis Aaron Presley, also known simply as Elvis, was an American singer, musician and actor. He is regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century and is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King". NOTE OTHER SIZES OF THIS IMAGE AVAILABLE 10 x 12'' 12 x 16'' 16 x 20'' 20 x 24'' 20 x 30'' 30 x 40'' FRAMING AVAILABLE ON REQUEST About the Artist: Phillip A. Harrington was born in 1920 and grew up in Holland, Michigan. He developed an interest in photography at an early age, joining the high school camera club at 16. At the age of 19, Harrington moved to New York City to study at the Clarence. H. White school of photography, a prestigious institution with graduates such as Margaret Bourke-White, Dorothea Lange, Laura Gilpin, and Ralph Steiner. Harrington studied under Clarence White, Jr., who described Harrington as being among the school’s best students. Elvis, Elvis Presley, Elvis Presley2, LEADING MEN, Phillip Harrington Retro Vintage Black and...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Archival Pigment

Funny Face (1957) Silver Gelatin Fibre Print - Oversized
Located in London, GB
Gorgeous Joan (1931) Silver Gelatin Fibre Print - Oversized (photo Glasshouse Images / Alamy Archives ) 1957, Audrey Hepburn, Funny Face, directed by Stanley Donen. Additional In...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Silver Gelatin

Soho Waiters' Race (1955) - Slim Aarons- Limited Estate Stamped
Located in London, GB
Soho Waiters' Race (1955) - Silver Gelatin Fibre Print - Limited Estate Stamped (Photo by Slim Aarons/Getty Images) Waiters carrying half bottles of champagne set off on the annual...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Silver Gelatin

Man, Market, Street Photography, Black and White, Italy 1950s, 17, 8 x 13 cm
Located in Cologne, DE
Silver Gelatine Print by Erich Andres, ca 1950. Andres was born 1905 in Germany and passed away 1992. He started his career as a photographer in 1920. He was one of the first photogr...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin, Black and White

San Diego Home (1956) Limited Estate Stamped - Giant
Located in London, GB
San Diego Home (1956) Limited Estate Stamped - Giant (Photo by Slim Aarons) A woman in a day dress in the sitting room of a house in San Diego, California, October 1956. Additio...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Color, Archival Pigment

"Gina Lollobrigida" by Haywood Magee
Located in London, GB
"Gina Lollobrigida" by Haywood Magee Italian film actress Gina Lollobrigida wearing an evening dress. Original Publication: Picture Post - 5952 - St...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Silver Gelatin

Marilyn Monroe: Pinup in High-Slit Dress
Located in Austin, TX
Stunning image of Marilyn Monroe posed pinup style in a high-slit dress. This listing is for a limited edition archival print. What's included: - Limited Edition Archival Print - N...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Fred Astaire: The Gay Divorcee
Located in Austin, TX
Fred Astaire was an American dancer, singer, actor, choreographer, and television presenter. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential dancers in the history of film and t...
Category

1930s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital, Archival Pigment

Interviewing Grace (1956) - Silver Gelatin Fibre Print
Located in London, GB
Interviewing Grace (1956) - Silver Gelatin Fibre Print (Photo by Bob Harrow/Express/Getty Images) May 1956: American actress Grace Kelly (1929 - 1982) being interviewed by journali...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Silver Gelatin

Ann Sheridan
Located in Chatsworth, CA
This piece is an original photograph, shot by George Hurrell in 1939 and printed at a later date. It depicts American actress and singer, Ann Sheridan, who had a 30 year long career...
Category

1930s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Marilyn Monroe "The Seven Year Itch"
Located in Austin, TX
This beautiful color image features Marilyn Monroe in her starring role for 'Seven Year Itch'. The Seven Year Itch is a 1955 American romantic comedy film based on a 1952 three-ac...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital, Archival Pigment

'Skiing Starters' Slim Aarons Limited Edition Estate Stamped Print
Located in London, GB
New England Skiing - 'Skiing Starters' (1955) - Limited Edition Estate Stamped - Silver Gelatin Fibre Print (Photo By Slim Aarons/Getty Images Archive) A young skier prefers to ca...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Silver Gelatin

Ciro's Owner Herbert Hover and Marilyn Monroe
Located in Austin, TX
Candid capture of Circo nightclub's owner Herbert Hoover helping bombshell actress Marilyn Monroe with her fur coat. Marilyn Monroe was an American actress model and singer. Famous...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital, Archival Pigment

Audrey Gets Her Hair Done (1952) Silver Gelatin Fibre Print - Oversized
Located in London, GB
Audrey Gets Her Hair Done (1952) Silver Gelatin Fibre Print - Oversized (Photo Phillip Harrington / Alamy Archives) Actress and fashion model Audrey Hepburn preparing for a scene ...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Silver Gelatin

Cary Grant and Grace Kelly in To Catch a Thief
Located in Austin, TX
Awesome closeup publicity still of Cary Grant and Grace Kelly in their roles for the Hitchcock film To Catch a Thief. To Catch a Thief is a 1955 American romantic thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, from a screenplay by John Michael Hayes based on the 1952 novel of the same name by David Dodge...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Ink, Archival Pigment

Claudette Colbert in Nature Scene
Located in Austin, TX
This black and white portrait features American film actress and a leading lady in Hollywood for over two decades, Claudette Colbert. Colbert is featured here in a dramatic nature sc...
Category

1930s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Elizabeth Taylor Behind the Scenes
Located in Austin, TX
This iconic and elegant portrait captured by celebrity photographer Frank Worth features actress Elizabeth Taylor on the set of the film "Giant" for her role as character Leslie Bene...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital

Marilyn Monroe (1956) - Silver Gelatin Fibre Print
Located in London, GB
Marilyn Monroe (1956) - Silver Gelatin Fibre Print (Photo by Popperfoto/Getty Images) London, England, 1956, American actress Marilyn Monroe is pictured at a press reception at th...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Silver Gelatin

Palm Beach (1955) - Limited Estate Stamped
Located in London, GB
Palm Beach (1955) - Limited Estate Stamped (Photo By Slim Aarons) The pool at the Colony Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida, USA, 1955. Additional Information: Unframed Paper Size:...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Color, Archival Pigment

Dior Boutique in Paris (1953) - Silver Gelatin Fibre Print
Located in London, GB
Cary In Rain (1957) - Silver Gelatin Fibre Print (Photo by Kurt Hutton/Picture Post/Getty Images) 29th August 1953: A model wearing a muff and suit outside Christian Dior's boutiq...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Silver Gelatin

La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club, San Diego, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This mid-1950s portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features guests at the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club, La Jolla, San Diego. This is an estate stamp...
Category

1950s Realist Portrait Photography

Materials

Lambda

Teeing Off (1930) - Oversized
Located in London, GB
Times Square by Night (1953) - Oversized (Photo by H. Armstrong Roberts/Alamy) 1930, Golfer teeing off circa Additional Information: Unframed Paper Size: 40x60'' Printed Later NOTE OTHER SIZES OF THIS IMAGE AVAILABLE 10 x 12'' 12 x 16'' 16 x 20'' 20 x 24'' 20 x 30'' 30 x 40'' 40 x 60'' FRAMING AVAILABLE ON REQUEST About the Artist: H. Armstrong ROBERTS (1883-1947) is an artist born in 1883 The oldest auction result ever registered on the website for an artwork by this artist is a photography sold in 2012. ACTORS ON SET, Bette Davis, Ladies Fashion...
Category

1930s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment, Black and White

Jim (Demetrios) Dardanis
Located in New York, NY
Vintage silver print Western Photography Guild studio stamp in purple ink, verso Numbered "14-5" in purple ink, verso Also titled and inscribed in...
Category

1950s Other Art Style Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White

Tee Off (1939) Silver Gelatin Fibre Print - Oversized
Located in London, GB
Tee Off (1939) Silver Gelatin Fibre Print - Oversized (Photo by H. Armstrong Roberts/Alamy) 6th April 1939. A man playing golf teeing-off golf ball from tee with driver outdoor. ...
Category

1930s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Silver Gelatin

Picasso in his Atelier
Located in Austin, TX
Beautiful black and white image of painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso hard at work in his studio. Pablo Ruiz Picasso born on the 25th of October 1881 and passed on the 8th of April ...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Frank Sinatra with Ford
Located in Austin, TX
Circa 1955 in Hollywood, California: American jazz musician and singer Frank Sinatra leaning on a classic Ford parked next to a camping trailer. Frank Sinatra was an American singe...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital, Archival Pigment

Greta Garbo "Inspiration"
Located in Austin, TX
This stunning black and white studio portrait features Greta Garbo posed for her role in "Inspiration". Greta Garbo was a Swedish-American film actress during the 1920s and 1930s. ...
Category

1930s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital, Archival Pigment

Marlon Brando as Johnny Strabler in "The Wild One"
By Homer van Pelt
Located in Austin, TX
Marlon Brando posed on a bike for the film "The Wild One". The Wild One is a 1953 American film noir crime film directed by Laszlo Benedek and produced by Stanley Kramer. It is mo...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital, Archival Pigment

Greta Garbo - Black and White Photograph by Clarence Sinclair Bull, 1930
Located in Soquel, CA
Greta Garbo - Black and White Photograph by Clarence Sinclair Bull, 1930 1930 Black and white portrait photograph of Swedish/American actress Greta Garbo (Swedish, 1905-1990) by Clarence Sinclair Bull (American, 1896-1979). Greta Garbo poses in a top hat and collard shirt while gazing away from the camera. Printed by the artist circa 1970's. A black and white photograph, matte finish, double-weight paper, depicting a 1931 shot of the star titled 'Mata Hari,' printed decades later from the original negative, pencilled in the lower left corner "A.P.," Estate stamped and blind embossed in the lower right corner "Clarence Sinclair Bull," further blind embossed in same corner "The Kobal / Collection," verso with the photographer's black ink credit stamp, verso further with two "Edward Weston" black ink credit stamps dated "1981" and "1992," originally from the John Kobal Collection. Greta Garbo was a Swedish-American actress. Regarded as one of the greatest screen actresses of all time, she was known for her melancholic, somber persona, her film portrayals of tragic characters, and her subtle and understated performances. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked Garbo fifth on its list of the greatest female stars of classic Hollywood cinema. Clarence Sinclair Bull was born in Sun River, Montana, in 1896. His career began when Samuel Goldwyn hired him in 1920 to photograph publicity stills of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio's stars. He is most famous for his photographs of Greta Garbo, taken between 1926 and 1941. Bull's first portrait of Garbo was a costume study for the silent romantic drama film Flesh and the Devil in September 1926. Bull was able to study with the great Western painter...
Category

1930s Photorealist Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin

Bette Davis, Marlon Brando, and Grace Kelly at the Oscars
Located in Austin, TX
"This black and white image features Bette Davis Marlon Brando and Grace Kelly smiling and holding awards at the 1954 Oscar Awards. Grace Kelly was an American actress who, after s...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital, Archival Pigment

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.

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