Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Perhaps one of the most influential contemporary art movements, Pop art emerged in the 1950s. In stark contrast to traditional artistic practice, its practitioners drew on imagery from popular culture — comic books, advertising, product packaging and other commercial media — to create original Pop art paintings, prints and sculptures that celebrated ordinary life in the most literal way.
ORIGINS OF POP ART
- Started in Britain in the 1950s, flourished in 1960s-era America
- “This is Tomorrow,” at London's Whitechapel Gallery in 1956, was reportedly the first Pop art exhibition
- A reaction to postwar mass consumerism
- Transitioning away from Abstract Expressionism
- Informed by neo-Dada and artists such as Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg; influenced postmodernism and Photorealism
CHARACTERISTICS OF POP ART
- Bold imagery
- Bright, vivid colors
- Straightforward concepts
- Engagement with popular culture
- Incorporation of everyday objects from advertisements, cartoons, comic books and other popular mass media
POP ARTISTS TO KNOW
- Richard Hamilton
- Andy Warhol
- Marta Minujín
- Claes Oldenburg
- Eduardo Paolozzi
- Rosalyn Drexler
- James Rosenquist
- Peter Blake
- Roy Lichtenstein
ORIGINAL POP ART ON 1STDIBS
The Pop art movement started in the United Kingdom as a reaction, both positive and critical, to the period’s consumerism. Its goal was to put popular culture on the same level as so-called high culture.
Richard Hamilton’s 1956 collage Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different, so appealing? is widely believed to have kickstarted this unconventional new style.
Pop art works are distinguished by their bold imagery, bright colors and seemingly commonplace subject matter. Practitioners sought to challenge the status quo, breaking with the perceived elitism of the previously dominant Abstract Expressionism and making statements about current events. Other key characteristics of Pop art include appropriation of imagery and techniques from popular and commercial culture; use of different media and formats; repetition in imagery and iconography; incorporation of mundane objects from advertisements, cartoons and other popular media; hard edges; and ironic and witty treatment of subject matter.
Although British artists launched the movement, they were soon overshadowed by their American counterparts. Pop art is perhaps most closely identified with American Pop artist Andy Warhol, whose clever appropriation of motifs and images helped to transform the artistic style into a lifestyle. Most of the best-known American artists associated with Pop art started in commercial art (Warhol made whimsical drawings as a hobby during his early years as a commercial illustrator), a background that helped them in merging high and popular culture.
Roy Lichtenstein was another prominent Pop artist that was active in the United States. Much like Warhol, Lichtenstein drew his subjects from print media, particularly comic strips, producing paintings and sculptures characterized by primary colors, bold outlines and halftone dots, elements appropriated from commercial printing. Recontextualizing a lowbrow image by importing it into a fine-art context was a trademark of his style. Neo-Pop artists like Jeff Koons and Takashi Murakami further blurred the line between art and popular culture.
Pop art rose to prominence largely through the work of a handful of men creating works that were unemotional and distanced — in other words, stereotypically masculine. However, there were many important female Pop artists, such as Rosalyn Drexler, whose significant contributions to the movement are recognized today. Best known for her work as a playwright and novelist, Drexler also created paintings and collages embodying Pop art themes and stylistic features.
Read more about the history of Pop art and the style’s famous artists, and browse the collection of original Pop art paintings, prints, photography and other works for sale on 1stDibs.
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Enamel
Early 2000s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Enamel
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Spray Paint, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Enamel
Artist Comments
A man with a tall hat and a patterned suit dominates the composition. A smaller figure floats in the upper left corner. A flat green background creates a strong...
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Varnish, Acrylic, Panel
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Enamel
Artist Comments
Inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, artist Guigen Zha uses a limited palette to create a modern version of the iconic portrait. The figure's calm express...
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Paper, Oil Pastel
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Archival Ink, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Early 2000s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Acrylic, Panel
Early 2000s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
The artwork depicts a woman holding a restrained and introspective expression, perhaps suggesting a quiet confidence or contemplation. The contrast between the ...
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Wood, Paint, Ink, Mixed Media, Oil, Spray Paint, Acrylic, Wood Panel, Bo...
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Oil, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Spray Paint, Acrylic, Board, Foam
Artist Comments
A woman’s blue dress twists and turns as she dances. The cropped composition focuses attention on her body language and the way fabric and skin respond to mov...
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Oil
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Ink, Acrylic
Early 2000s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Early 2000s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
A woman appears with an impassive expression, seemingly absorbed in thought. Her calm face and sculptural softness bring a sense of tranquility, while the vibra...
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Spray Paint, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Artist Comments
A performer leans toward the mirror, applying a final touch of lipstick beneath the glow of vanity lights. Clad in a star-spangled top and Uncle Sam hat, she re...
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Oil
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Panel
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Varnish, Acrylic, Panel
Early 2000s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Paper, Linocut, Screen
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Acrylic, Panel
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Paper, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 2000s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
A man lights his cigarette and enters a moment of pause, stress relief, and contemplation. The contrast of light and shadow on his face highlights his concentra...
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Oil
1970s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Spray Paint, Acrylic, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Three figures stand side by side, their colorful attire standing out against the warm background. This artwork is part of artist John McCabe's EP release, Belmo...
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Four stylized figures stand in a row against alternating blue and gray vertical panels. Each wears a distinct, patterned suit that highlights their personalitie...
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Acrylic
20th Century Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Charcoal, Illustration Board, Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Spray Paint, Acrylic
20th Century Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
A vintage sedan cuts through a blazing blue desert sky as the driver glances out the window, caught between curiosity and concern. He knows mirages are common i...
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Oil
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Mixed Media, Wood Panel, Polyurethane
2010s Pop Art Portrait Paintings
Acrylic




