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.
After Giovanni Battista Moroni ( Italy 1520-1578) : The Tailor , Watercolor
Continental School (20TH Cen-ry) : Portrait of A Lady , Oil On Canvas , Signed
British School Portrait of a Young Gentleman, oil on canvas
French school , Portrait of a Lady, pencil painting
William Joseph Carroll Oil Painting "The Flower Seller" Signed Framed Fine Art
William Joseph Carroll Oil Painting "The Fruit Seller" Signed Gilt Framed
19th C Antique Portrait Gentleman Oil on Canvas Waring & Dimes 1839-42
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.