Portraits
Antique and vintage portrait paintings capture the people of the past with a directness no photograph matches. Our collection ranges from formal society portraits and character studies to intimate figure works, painted in oil and watercolour by British and European artists from the 18th to the 20th century.
Antique Painting (Circa 1800) : Portrait Of Young Lady, Oil On Canvas , Unsigned
Contemporary Nude Study Oil Painting on Canvas Framed Female Figure Interior Art
After Anthony Van Dyck Self Portrait 19th Century Oil on Canvas Framed Portrait
Early 19th Century Continental School Portrait of St Peter Oil on Board Signed
English School (18th Century) : Portrait of a Lady, oil on canvas laid on panel
Antique Painting (19TH Cen-ry) : Melancholia , Oil On Panel , Dated 1884
Antique Painting, late 19th Century : Portrait of a Woman, oil on board
Thomas Arthur Bridson (1860-1966) :Portrait Of The Gentleman, Oil On Canvas 1888
Portraiture was frequently unsigned, so many fine examples are catalogued by school and period rather than by name — which is exactly where discerning collectors find quality at accessible prices. Each portrait is described with its medium, dimensions, period and condition, and many retain characterful original frames.
What you’ll find here
- Society portraits, character studies and figure paintings
- Oil and watercolour, 18th–20th century, British and European
- Named artists alongside works catalogued by school and period
- Original period frames on many pieces
Learn how portraits are attributed in Reading the Signature, see how to tell an original from a reproduction, or meet the artists behind the collection.