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Portrait Photography For Sale
Period: 1950s
Period: 1850s
New York Picnic, Estate Edition
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Premium Rates Apply. A chauffeur unpacks a picnic hamper from a Rolls Royce, against the New York skyline. Slim Aarons Estate Edition, Certificate of Authenticity included Numbered...
Category

1950s Realist Portrait Photography

Materials

Lambda

Marilyn Monroe, "Bed"
Located in New York, NY
Ed. 3/20, estate-stamped. Includes black frame. Milton H. Greene, famous for his fashion photography and celebrity portraits from the golden age of Hollywood, met Marilyn Monroe on ...
Category

1950s Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Lucky Luciano, Sicily, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This late 1950s portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features Sicilian-born American gangster Charles 'Lucky' Luciano (...
Category

1950s American Realist Portrait Photography

Materials

Emulsion, Photographic Paper, ABS, Black and White, Digital, Photogram

Elizabeth Taylor On The Set Of Giant - Oversize Limited Print
Located in London, GB
Elizabeth Taylor with Sunglasses for "Giant" 1955 by Frank Worth This iconic and elegant portrait captured by celebrity photographer Frank Worth features actress Elizabeth Taylor o...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Elizabeth Taylor with Sunglasses for Giant - Oversize Limited Print
Located in London, GB
Elizabeth Taylor with Sunglasses for "Giant" 1955 by Frank Worth This iconic and elegant portrait captured by celebrity photographer Frank Worth features actress Elizabeth Taylor o...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Kennedys, Hyannis Port, Jackie, Magazine Cover, 1959
Located in New York, NY
Kennedy, nb_100 -- Published on the cover of the Ladies Home Journal in 1961, this photo was actually taken in Hyannis Port in 1959 before JFK became president. THE 24” x 36” SIZE OF...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Giclée

The Royal Family Visits the Vatican - Vintage Photograph - 1959
Located in Roma, IT
Royal Visit to the Vatican is  a black and white vintage photo, realized in April 1959. The photo depicts an official moment of the English Crown. The Queen Mother Elizabeth, the Pr...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

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 Pinup Vintage Press Print
Located in Austin, TX
This black and white full body vintage original photograph features Marilyn Monroe posed in a bathing suit and heels. -- One-of-a-kind original vintage press print from the Celebri...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White

Rock Hudson with Lasso on the Set of Giant
Located in Austin, TX
Beautiful black and white capture of actor Rock Hudson spinning a lasso on the set of "Giant", 1955. Rock Hudson was an American actor. One of the most popular movie stars of his ti...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Mod Girl, Playfully Crossing Eyes, Close Up, 1958
Located in New York, NY
Mod Girl Crosseyed Alternative -- Mademoiselle Model Having Fun. An out take from a photo shoot for the June 1958 issue of Mademoiselle, Mark Shaw caught a model having fun! Image si...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Giclée

Holiday Hair Check, Bermuda, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This late 1950s urban portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features Faith Gibbons checks her hair in the mirror of a motor scooter, Bermuda. She is wear...
Category

1950s American Realist Portrait Photography

Materials

Emulsion, Photographic Paper, ABS, Black and White, Digital, Photogram

Norman Parkinson 'Rachel Fitzgerald on BBC, 1953'
Located in New York, NY
Model Rachel Fitzgerald for Vogue’s ‘Export Book’ story featuring BBC, June 1953. Rachel Fitzgerald on BBC, 1953 Silver gelatin print Estate stamped and numbered edition of 21 on ve...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Cary Grant Seated Looks Right, 1955
Located in New York, NY
Cary Grant Seated Looks Right, 1955. Image size is 16" x 16" (for 17" x 22" paper size). All Mark Shaw prints are made to order in limited editions on Hahnemuhle photo rag paper. Eac...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Giclée

Frank Sinatra Hands in Cement Hollywood Blvd
Located in Austin, TX
Awesome black and white capture by celebrity photographer Frank Worth of Frank Sinatra posed smiling while pressing his hands into the cement of Hollywood Boulevard, circa 1955. Fr...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital, Archival Pigment

Designer's Homes, Ghislaine Lounges in Elsa Schiaparelli's Home, Back, 1953
Located in New York, NY
Ghislaine Lounges in Elsa Schiaparelli's Home -- Mark Shaw photographed Elsa Schiaparelli's best-known model, Ghislaine de Bosisson in an ankle-length dress lounging on an elongated ...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Giclée

Picasso and Skull with Bettina wearing McCardell, Wide, 1955
Located in New York, NY
Picasso with Soft Bettina, Wide, 1955 -- Picasso with model Bettina, photographed for LIFE in 1955 in his new Cannes Villa, La Californie. Top French Model, Bettina Graziani wears an outfit by American Fashion Designer Claire McCardell. The shirt's pattern is in the style of a Picasso still life. All the Picasso paintings pictured had been completed within the past few months. Image size is 40" x 59" (for 44" x 63" paper size). All Mark Shaw prints are made to order in limited editions on Hahnemuhle photo rag paper. Each print is Estate stamped on the back and signed and numbered by David Shaw, and accompanied by a letter of authenticity. Lead time is four to six weeks, but we often receive them sooner. *Please note this image is available in several sizes. Prices increase as editions sell out. A photograph in color of Picasso and Bettina. Picasso is wearing a blue collared shirt and brown shorts. He is standing in his villa. To his right, Bettina stands. She is wearing orange pants...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Giclée

Slim Aarons 'Man Ray in Paris' Mid-century Modern Photography
Located in New York, NY
Man Ray in his Paris studio with poster for Non-Abstractions exhibition opening (1956) and Peinture féminine (1954) Slim Aarons Man Ray in Paris 1956 printed later C-Print Estate si...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

C Print

The True Marilyn (1956)
Located in Buffalo, NY
The work offered for sale here is an original vintage silver gelatin print hand created by Halsman in 1956. This work comes in an archival frame presentation. The image alone is approximately 9 x 13. The work was acquired directly from the artist and comes with a COA and lifetime guarantee. Philippe Halsman was at one point considered the best photo-portraitist in France. He had an incessant interest in faces: “Every face I see seems to hide—and sometimes fleetingly reveal—the mystery of another human being.” Halsman’s photographs of politicians, celebrities, and intellectuals were featured widely in magazines like LIFE and Vogue. His more famous subjects included the likes of Marc Chagall, Le Corbusier, Audrey Hepburn, and Albert Einstein. He also had a 37-year collaboration with Salvador Dalí, which resulted in several famous surrealist series including the “Dalí’s Mustache” portraits...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin

Dior, Alla Gloved Hand, 1953
Located in New York, NY
The Eurasian-born Alla was one of Dior's divas. When bathed in attention, she was charismatic and wore her clothes with graceful aplomb. Croque-mitaine model, Autumn-Winter 1953 Haut...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Giclée

Luigi Musso - Maserati (full car), Pau
Located in Denton, TX
Open Edition Signed by artist in black ink on print margin by Jesse Alexander Gelatin silver print, 11 x 14 in. Jesse Alexander is considered one of the greatest race car photogra...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Marilyn Monroe in Monkey Business Vintage Press Print
Located in Austin, TX
Black and white promo photo of Marilyn Monroe posed in a bathing suit for her role in "Monkey Business", circa 1952. -- One-of-a-kind original vintage press print from the Celebrity...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White

Cuba, Havana, Two Black and White Photographs, Waiting for Fidel Castro
Located in New york, NY
Waiting for Fidel Castro, 1959 by American photographer Burt Glinn is a series of (2) photos, each photo is 9.5" x 12” - they are gelatin silver RC press prints, authenticated by the...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper

Marilyn Monroe Standing with Photographer
Located in Austin, TX
Black and white candid portrait of Marilyn Monroe standing with photographer for promotional shots from the film "How to Marry a Millionaire". Marilyn Monroe was an American actres...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital, Archival Pigment

Marilyn Monroe on a Stroll
Located in Austin, TX
Stellar candid shot of Marilyn Monroe out on a stroll. Her legacy is way more than curves and a blonde bob. Fifty years after her death, Marilyn Monroe remains a luminescent movie star and legendary sex symbol. But she also had an enduring impact on the fashion world. Marilyn created timeless, unforgettable looks during the 1950s, an era of Peter Pan collars, poodle skirts, and repressed sexuality. Marilyn's ability to spot up-and-coming designers made her a fashion visionary. Before they were household names, she wore Italian styled pumps, carried LV bags, and donned the designs of Norman Norell, Emilio Pucci, and Lanvin. On film, Marilyn was dressed exquisitely by Oscar-winning designers Jean Louis, Orry...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Ernest Hemingway, Cuba
Located in Toronto, ON
Hand Signed by Ken Heyman Limited Edition of ? Born in New York City in 1930, Ken Heyman first became interested in photography in high school. Later, during his student days at Columbia College-which were interrupted by a two-year stint in the army-his skill as a photographer grew, but still regarded photography as no more than a hobby. Then two events in college helped to direct him toward his career in photography. First, he sent off selections of his work to two national photography annuals and was pleased, indeed surprised, when both indicated they were eager to print his pictures-and did. But perhaps more important was his becoming a student of the distinguished anthropologist Margaret Mead...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Elvis Adoration (1956)
Located in London, GB
Elvis Adoration (1956) (Photo By Phillip Harrington) May 27, 1956 Elvis Presley hugging a group of fans backstage after a performance at the University of Dayton Fieldhouse. Additional Information: Unframed Paper Size: 12x16'' Printed Later Paper: Archival Pigment 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'' 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 Color...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Archival Pigment

Modelling For Saks Fifth Avenue, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This mid-1950s portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features a young woman modelling for a Saks Fifth Avenue catalog shoot. This is an estate stamped a...
Category

1950s American Realist Portrait Photography

Materials

Emulsion, Photographic Paper, ABS, Black and White, Digital, Photogram

Brigitte Bardot Sitting on Car
Located in Austin, TX
This stunning black and white image features French actress, singer, dancer, and fashion model, who later became an animal rights activist, Brigitte Bardot. She was one of the best-k...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Brighton, Street Photographer, United Kingdom 1956
Located in Cologne, DE
This black-and-white photograph, taken in Brighton in 1952, depicts a street photographer labeled "Official Beach Photographer," standing confidently with his vintage camera on a tri...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White

Marilyn Monroe Candid Moment - 20th century black and white photography
Located in London, GB
Actress Marilyn Monroe reads the book ‘To the Actor: On the Technique of Acting’ by Michael Chekhov in a quiet moment at the Ambassador Hotel in March 1955 in New York City, New York...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Katharine Hepburn, Hollywood Actress 1950s, Black and White Portrait Photography
Located in New york, NY
Burt Glinn photographed the 1950s Hollywood actress and star Katharine Hepburn during the filming of Tennessee William's "Suddenly Last Summer." The iconic Hepburn is captured joking...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin, Photographic Film

Elizabeth Taylor, B & W Photograph of Glam Hollywood Star on the Beach 1950s
Located in New york, NY
Elizabeth Taylor, 1959 by Burt Glinn is a black-and-white photograph shot on film a portrait of Elizabeth Taylor on the beach during the filming of the adaptation of Tennessee Willia...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin

Elizabeth Taylor with Vintage Camera
Located in Austin, TX
Actress Elizabeth Taylor takes a photo with a Rollieflex twin lens medium format reflex camera wearing a cowboy hat and sunglasses and smoking a cigarette on the set of the movie 'Giant' which was released on November 24, 1956. Giant is a 1956 American epic Western drama film about sprawling epic covering the life of a Texas cattle rancher and his family and associates. Directed by George Stevens from a screenplay adapted by Fred Guiol and Ivan Moffat from Edna Ferber...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital, Archival Pigment

Photograph of Brigitte Bardot - Marc Allegret 1956
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Photograph of Brigitte Bardot - Marc Allegret Silver print On the set of "En effleurant la marguerite Circa 1956 24,8x15 1200 euros
Category

1950s Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Lucille Ball Posed in Hawaiian Scene
Located in Austin, TX
This black and white full-length portrait features Lucille Ball seated in the studio, posed with Hawaiian scenery and props. Lucille Ball was an American actress, comedian, model, e...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

The Ancient Charm of the Via Appia Antica in the 1950s
Located in Cologne, DE
The black-and-white photograph presents a serene view along the Via Appia Antica, captured in 1954 by Erich Andres. This iconic ancient road, lined with cypress trees and remnants of...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White

Jean Patchett For Saks Fifth Avenue, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This mid-1950s portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features American model Jean Patchett wearing an outfit by Saks Fifth Avenue, circa 1955. Patchett w...
Category

1950s American Realist Portrait Photography

Materials

Emulsion, Photographic Paper, ABS, Black and White, Digital, Photogram

A dancer frozen mid-performance
Located in Cologne, DE
This dynamic black-and-white photograph, taken by Klaus Redenbacher in 1952, captures a male dancer mid-leap in a moment of sheer power, grace, and precision. Suspended in the air wi...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White

New York Debutante, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This mid-1950s portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features a New York debutante having her headpiece pinned. This is an estate stamped and hand numbe...
Category

1950s American Realist Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Lambda

Queen Elizabeth with Princess Anne - Vintage Photo - 1950s
Located in Roma, IT
Queen Elizabeth with Princess Anne - Vintage press realized in the 1950s. London. Good conditions and aged.
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Marilyn Monroe Smiling with Microphone
Located in Austin, TX
This black and white portrait features the iconic actress Marilyn Monroe smiling and talking into a microphone. Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, model, and singer. Famous fo...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital, Archival Pigment

Jack Nicklaus Candid and Smiling
Located in Austin, TX
Black and white candid capture of golf legend Jack Nicklaus candid and smiling. Jack Nicklaus , nicknamed "the Golden Bear", is an American retired professional golfer and golf cour...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Prado Visitors, Madrid, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This mid-1950s portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features visitors at the The Prado Museum (Museo Nacional del Prado) viewing Diego Velázquez's maste...
Category

1950s Realist Portrait Photography

Materials

Lambda

Slopes & Trails, New Hampshire, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This mid-1950s winter photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features skiers at the Cranmore Mountain Resort, North Conway, New Hampshire, USA, 1955. This is an e...
Category

1950s American Realist Portrait Photography

Materials

Lambda

Slopes & Trails, New Hampshire, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This mid-1950s winter photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features skiers at the Cranmore Mountain Resort, North Conway, New Hampshire, USA, 1955. This is an e...
Category

1950s American Realist Portrait Photography

Materials

Lambda

Marilyn Monroe with Lauren Bacall and Clifton Webb Vintage Press Print
Located in Austin, TX
Candid shot of Marilyn Monroe, Lauren Bacall, and Clifton Webb at How to Marry A Millionaire Premiere, circa 1953. -- One-of-a-kind original vintage press print from the Celebrity Vault archives. Own a piece of history and kick-start your collection with our one-of-a-kind pieces of your favorite celebrities. -- "The Marilyn Monroe community was shocked and stunned at the untimely passing of truly one of the greatest Monroe sculptors of all time, Kim Goodwin...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White

New York Debutante, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This mid-1950s portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features a New York debutante having her headpiece pinned. This is an estate stamped and hand numbe...
Category

1950s American Realist Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Lambda

James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor Driving Car
Located in Austin, TX
This black and white capture features James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor driving car from the movie scene "Giant", circa 1956. Giant is a 1956 American epic Western drama film, directe...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

James Dean Behind Fence in Giant - Oversize Limited Print
Located in London, GB
James Dean Behind Fence in Giant 1955 by Frank Worth James Dean in thought seated behind a barbed wire fence for his role in the film 'Giant', 1955. James Byron Dean was an Ameri...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Pier Angeli and Dean Martin
Located in Austin, TX
Circa 1956 in Hollywood, California: Italian-born actress Pier Angeli shows a wide-eyed American Actor Dean Martin her engagement ring. Dean Martin was a...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital, Archival Pigment

Bad Luck Gloria
Located in Los Angeles, CA
American actor Jose Ferrer (1912 - 1992) commiserates with Gloria Swanson after losing out in the contest for the Best Actress Oscar, while the winner, Judy Holliday, sits proudly wi...
Category

1950s American Realist Portrait Photography

Materials

Emulsion, Photographic Paper, ABS, Black and White, Digital, Photogram

New York Debutante, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This mid-1950s portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features a New York debutante having her headpiece pinned. This is an estate stamped and hand numbe...
Category

1950s American Realist Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Lambda

James Dean At A Car Rally - Oversize Limited Print
Located in London, GB
James Dean At A Car Rally 1955 by Frank Worth paper size 40 x 60 inches / 101 x 152 cm Limited edition of 6 only in this size Archival pigment print unframed Certificate of authe...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Marilyn Monroe and Keith Andes in Clash by Night Vintage Press Print
Located in Austin, TX
Black and white film still of Marilyn Monroe and Keith Andes in "Clash by Night", circa 1952. -- One-of-a-kind original vintage press print from the Celebrity Vault archives. Own a ...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White

Elizabeth Taylor in Frills, Portrait with Bare Shoulder, 1956
Located in New York, NY
Elizabeth Taylor in Frills, Portrait with Bare Shoulder -- Mark Shaw photographed Elizabeth Taylor for the October 15, 1956 cover of LIFE ...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Giclée

Elvis Presley in Colors
Located in Austin, TX
Awesome black and white portrait of star actor, musician, and army man Elvis Presley. Awesome black and white portrait of star actor, musician, and army man Elvis Presley. On March...
Category

1950s Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Florence Pritchett Smith, Venice, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This 1950 portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features model turned fashion editor turned society hostess, Florence Pritchett Smith, covers her sleevel...
Category

1950s Realist Portrait Photography

Materials

Lambda

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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