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.
William Banks Fortescue (1855-1924) : Portrait Study Of A Fisherman, Watercolor
English School, early 19th century : Portrait of a Gentleman, oil on canvas
19th Century Portrait of a Lady, Oil on Canvas, Antique Victorian Style
Alexandre-François Bonnardel French Oil Painting Woman Pink Dress Signed
After John Seymour Lucas (1849-1923) "Down to the Dregs" Oil Painting Cavalier
Delphin Enjolras (1857-1945) : Lady Warming By The Fireside , Pastel On Paper
Antique painting, 19th Century : Portrait of a Gentleman, pencil on paper
Antique Painting : Seated Portrait Of Sarah King Hooper , Oil On Board , Framed
Antique English School Portrait Young Woman Oil Painting Signed L.G.R. 1889
19thC Watercolour After Domenichino Cumaean Sibyl Gilt Frame Antique
19th C Watercolour Portrait H.R.H Marchioness Cornwallis Antique Framed
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.