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 : A Fish Seller , Oil On Board , English School 19TH C-ry
J. K. Fennell (19th Century) : 'The Expectant Repast', signed watercolour
Ettore Roesler Franz (Italian, 1845-1907) : 'A Young Washerwoman', watercolour
Joseph Plaskett (1918-2014) : Portrait of a Child, Alix Crean, aged 7, pastel
Attributed Samuel Mountjoy Smith Oil Portrait c.1835 Antique Painting Gilt Frame
Marguerite S Arnold ( 20TH Cen-ry) : Portrait Of A Lady , Oil On Canvas , Signed
Vintage 1947 Portrait of a Lady, Signed Oil on Canvas, Mid-Century Art
Thomas Arthur Bridson (1860-1966) : Portrait Of A Lady , Oil On Canvas , Framed
Jacob Kramer (1892-1962) : Self Portrait, Lithograph, Limited Edition,Dated 1949
Louis Van Engelen (Belgian ) : Portrait Of A Young Lady , Oil On Canvas , 1931
19th Century Lady Portrait Oil Painting Manner of William Beechey Gilt Frame
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.