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Modern Portrait Photography

MODERN STYLE

The first decades of the 20th century were a period of artistic upheaval, with modern art movements including Cubism, Surrealism, Futurism and Dadaism questioning centuries of traditional views of what art should be. Using abstraction, experimental forms and interdisciplinary techniques, painters, sculptors, photographers, printmakers and performance artists all pushed the boundaries of creative expression.

Major exhibitions, like the 1913 Armory Show in New York City — also known as the “International Exhibition of Modern Art,” in which works like the radically angular Nude Descending a Staircase by Marcel Duchamp caused a sensation — challenged the perspective of viewers and critics and heralded the arrival of modern art in the United States. But the movement’s revolutionary spirit took shape in the 19th century.

The Industrial Revolution, which ushered in new technology and cultural conditions across the world, transformed art from something mostly commissioned by the wealthy or the church to work that responded to personal experiences. The Impressionist style emerged in 1860s France with artists like Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne and Edgar Degas quickly painting works that captured moments of light and urban life. Around the same time in England, the Pre-Raphaelites, like Edward Burne-Jones and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, borrowed from late medieval and early Renaissance art to imbue their art with symbolism and modern ideas of beauty.

Emerging from this disruption of the artistic status quo, modern art went further in rejecting conventions and embracing innovation. The bold legacy of leading modern artists Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dalí, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Marc Chagall, Piet Mondrian and many others continues to inform visual culture today.

Find a collection of modern paintings, sculptures, prints and other fine art on 1stDibs.

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Style: Modern
Norman Parkinson Apollonia van Ravenstein in Barbados. Vogue, July 1973
Located in New York, NY
Apollonia van Ravenstein at the Crane Beach Hotel in Barbados wearing a Jane Cattlin swimsuit with a Charles Batten hat, chiffon scarf from Liberty and Saint Laurent Rive Gauche sand...
Category

1970s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

C Print

Frida with Idol by Nickolas Muray, 1939, Carbon Pigment Print, Photography
Located in Denton, TX
Frida with Idol by Nickolas Muray depicts Mexican painter Frida Kahlo posing while holding a green stone carved idol in her hand. She stands in front o...
Category

20th Century Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Carbon Pigment

Norman Parkinson Ballerina Mary Drage in taffeta evening dress by Rappi"
Located in New York, NY
Ballerina Mary Drage in taffeta evening dress by Rappi, the MET gallery, 1950 C print Estate stamped and numbered edition of 21 on verso with certificate of authenticity Norman Park...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

C Print

Milton Greene, "05" from The Pekingese Dog Sitting
Located in Chatsworth, CA
This piece is a pigment print from the original negative, shot by Milton Greene in 1955. This photograph of Marilyn Monroe is from a photoshoot which became known as "The Pekingese D...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

The Actor Cary Grant - Vintage Photo - 1972
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage Photo. Lightly damaged (Folds on the angles).
Category

1970s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Gondolas on the Grand Canal, Venice, 1950s
Located in Cologne, DE
This timeless black-and-white photograph captures a tranquil moment along the Grand Canal in Venice, showcasing the iconic gondolas that glide through the city’s waterways. In the fo...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White

Paul and Linda McCartney
Located in Missouri, MO
Paul and Linda McCartney, 1971 Henry Diltz (American, b. 1938) Photo Print Laid to Foamcore Board 17 x 11 inches (image) 20 x 16 inches (overall) Hand-signed Lower Right Titled and D...
Category

1970s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Color

The Protest - Historical Photographs About the Feminist Movement - 1960s
Located in Roma, IT
The protest - Historical photographs about the feminist movement is an original vintage photograph realized by anonymous photographer With the stamp of th...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Marc Bolan T Rex Timeless - Estate Print
Located in London, GB
Marc Bolan of T Rex at Le Chateux recording studio France 1972 Large Oversize limited edition (ed size 20 only this size) and signed silver gelatin print....
Category

1970s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Portrait of Leonard Bernstein - Original B/W Photograph - Early 1980s
Located in Roma, IT
Portrait of Leonard Bernstein is a beautiful black and white vintage photo portraying Leonard Bernstein, most likely in the early 1980s. In good conditions. The famous American con...
Category

1980s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Princess Victoria and Prince Gustaf of Sweden - Ancient Photo - 1881
Located in Roma, IT
Princess Victoria and Prince Gustaf of Sweden is a photographic reinforced albumen print applied on cardboard. Print of photographic studio on front and back of cardboard: "Thschuhmann & Sohn Karlsruhe ". Slight abrasion on corners, otherwise excellent conditions. Dim: cm 17 x 11 In the full-length portrait, Victoria and Gustaf of Sweden show the wedding rings in an informal pose. The photograph was taken in Karlsruhe, the wedding venue of the two future royals of Sweden...
Category

1880s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

James Dean At A Car Rally - Oversize Limited Edition Print
Located in London, GB
James Dean At A Car Rally 1955 (colorised) by Frank Worth paper size 40 x 60 inches / 101 x 152 cm edition of 6 only in this size Archival pigment print unframed Note other si...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Jerry Hall Dive (Diptych)
Located in New York, NY
Norman Parkinson Jerry Hall , 1976 C print 60 x 40 inches each Estate stamped and numbered edition of 21 on verso American model Jerry Hall wearing a swimsuit by Martil and lipstick...
Category

1980s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

C Print

Bette Davis Eyes (1932) Silver Gelatin Fibre Print - Oversized
Located in London, GB
Bette Davis Eyes (1932) Silver Gelatin Fibre Print - Oversized (photo by Pictorial Press / Alamy Archives) 1932, Portrait of actress Bette Davis. Addi...
Category

1930s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Silver Gelatin

Brooklyn One, NY, 2009
Located in Hudson, NY
The Robin Rice Gallery announces the new exhibition VISITOR by photographer Bill Phelps. Through light and shadow, a gaze, a mindset, Bill Phelps fourth solo show at the Robin Rice ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

"George Harrison photographed in London, 1986" Ed. 2/25 by Gered Mankowitz
Located in Culver City, CA
"George Harrison photographed in London, 1986" Ed. 2/25 by Gered Mankowitz English guitarist, singer-songwriter, and producer George Harrison photographed in London, 1986 Comes in ...
Category

20th Century Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

C Print

Marilyn Arabian
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Marilyn Arabian Bern Stern Print on photo paper Inkjet technique Paper dimension: 48 X 33 cms Photo dimension: 35.6 X 25.4 72 copies Photo of 1962 Dra...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Inkjet

Terry O Neill The Beatles leaving for The United States
Located in New York, NY
The Beatles are photographed leaving Heathrow Airport for the US to perform at the Ed Sullivan Show in February of 1964. The group would go on to be regarded as the most influential ...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Milton Greene, "05" from The Pekingese Dog Sitting
Located in Chatsworth, CA
This piece is a pigment print from the original negative, shot by Milton Greene in 1955. This photograph of Marilyn Monroe is from a photoshoot which became known as "The Pekingese Dog Sitting" because Marilyn was accompanied by her hair stylist's dog during other photographs from the same series. Marilyn was shot in a gorgeous Bill Blass gown which became an integral part of the series. This black gown juxtaposed with the stark red background make these photographs hard to forget. These photographs were seen for the first time in 2013 after being locked away and unpublished for over 50 years until Andrew Weiss Gallery...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Norman Parkinson Wenda and Ostriches
Located in New York, NY
Norman Parkinson Wenda and Ostriches, 1951 C print 20 x 16 inches Estate stamped and numbered edition of 21 on verso British fashion model Wenda Parkinson and ostriches, fashion by...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

C Print

Bob Dylan
Located in London, GB
David Bailey Bob Dylan, 1986 Lambda Silver Gelatin print on paper, framed Signed by the artist, on verso Sheet: 116 x 140 cm Edition of 10
Category

1980s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Norman Parkinson Elizabeth Taylor and her Shih Tzu dog, 1972
Located in New York, NY
British-American actress Elizabeth Taylor wearing a wig designed by Michael Rasser to match her Shih Tzu dog, Mariposa. Cover story for ‘Woman’ magazine on December 9, 1972. Elizabe...
Category

1970s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

C Print

Frida with Granizo, Version 2, Coyoacan - Limited Edition Black and White Photo
Located in Denton, TX
Frida with Granizo, Version 2, Coyoacan by Nickolas Muray is a limited edition platinum print featuring Mexican painter Frida Kahlo with her arm wrapped around her pet deer. Edition...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Platinum

Autographed Portrait of Dieter Borsche - 1960s
Located in Roma, IT
Autographed portrait of Dieter Borsche is a beautiful b/w postcard reproducing the photographic portrait of the smoking German actor with big pier...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Paper, Photographic Paper

Norman Parkinson Angele Delanghe and Mattli dresses for Vogue, October 1948
Located in New York, NY
Orange star-dotted net dress from Fortnum & Mason by Angele Delanghe and a teal blue off-the-shoulder strapless dress by Mattli. British Vogue, October 1948 Angele Delanghe and Matt...
Category

1940s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

C Print

Venezuela, Indigenous, Black and White Photography, 1960s, 23, 7 x 29 cm
Located in Cologne, DE
Hanna Seidel (1925 to 2005) lived and worked in Argentina for many years. She was a world traveller, journeying to South America in the 1950s and to Central America, Japan, India, an...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Silver Gelatin

Turn of the century parade Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey Circus
Located in Middletown, NY
Gelatin silver print, 7 1/2 x 9 1/2 in. (190 x 241 mm) from the Roland Butler Collection, Press Agent, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus (1930s-1960s) Roland Butler Collectio...
Category

Early 20th Century Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Marc Lacroix, Dali Painting a Woman, original photo from original negative
Located in Chatsworth, CA
An original photograph from the original negative, shot by Marc Lacroix in the 1980's. It depicts iconic surrealist artist, Salvador Dali, painting in his studio. There is a large r...
Category

1980s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Milton Greene, "Marilyn with Lute", cibachrome print from original transparency
Located in Chatsworth, CA
This piece is a cibachrome print from the original transparency, shot by Milton Greene in 1953. Marilyn Monroe collaborated with Milton Greene in September of 1953 for this photoshoot, shortly after she finished filming for her hit film, "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes". After Monroe saw the proofs from this shoot, she was blown away. She sent two dozen roses and a letter to Greene, stating that the images were the most beautiful she had ever seen. However, these rare photographs...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Vintage Silver Gelatin Photograph Print, Girls on a Beach Photo, Two Man Show
Located in Surfside, FL
Richard Lebowitz, b. 1937, American, (RISD Faculty 1964-1995, Photography; Professor Emeritus) Tom Young, b. 1951, American, (RISD MFA 1977, Photography) TIT...
Category

1980s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin

Ecuador, Man, Black and White Photography, 1960s, 29, 9 x 22, 7 cm
Located in Cologne, DE
Hanna Seidel (1925 to 2005) lived and worked in Argentina for many years. She was a world traveller, journeying to South America in the 1950s and to Central America, Japan, India, an...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Silver Gelatin

Norman Parkinson Jerry Hall in feathered Dior, 1975
Located in New York, NY
Jerry Hall is photographed wearing a one-shouldered satin column dress and feathered coat by Dior during a British Vogue photoshoot at the Palace of Versailles. The image, taken Sept...
Category

1970s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

C Print

Frida with Granizo by Nickolas Muray, 1939, Platinum Print, Photography
Located in Denton, TX
Frida with Granizo by Nickolas Muray is a black and white portrait of Mexican surrealist painter Frida Kahlo with her pet fawn, Granizo. Platinum Print Image size: 11 x 10.5 in. Pa...
Category

1930s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Platinum

Slim Aarons Polo Prince
Located in New York, NY
Polo Prince 1985 C print 12 x 12 inches Estate stamped and numbered edition of 150 with Certificate of authenticity August 1985, Charles, Prince of Wales, after playing polo for th...
Category

1980s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

C Print

Thames Divers - London Embankment River Thames Photography 1930s London
Located in Brighton, GB
Two divers jump off Embankment and into the River Thames in London. In the background is Westminster and the Houses of Parliament. Passersby turn in amazement to watch the divers l...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Black and White, Silver Gelatin

Vintage Marilyn Monroe
Located in Chatsworth, CA
This piece is an original vintage photograph taken by Milton Greene circa 1950's. This image depicts Hollywood icon and legendary beauty, Marilyn Monroe. This piece bears the Milton ...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Norman Parkinson Jerry Hall in Jamaica, 1975
Located in New York, NY
Jerry Hall at Montego Bay, Jamaica wearing Juvena makeup with fashion by Walter Albini and Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, 1975 Jerry Hall in Jamaica, 1975 C print Estate stamped and num...
Category

1970s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

C Print

Laszlo Willinger, "Lana Turner", original photo from original negative, signed
Located in Chatsworth, CA
This piece is an original photograph from the original negative, shot by Laszlo Willinger c. 1939, and printed in the 1980's. This photograph depicts American actress and pin-up mod...
Category

1930s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Terry O Neill Sean Connery on the Moon
Located in New York, NY
Sean Connery on the Moon, 1971 Silver Gelatin Print Estate signature stamped and numbered edition of 50 with certificate of authenticity from ...
Category

1970s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Norman Parkinson Celia Hammond in Goggles for Queen Magazine, 1964
Located in New York, NY
Celia Hammond is photographed by Norman Parkinson wearing goggles and a headdress made of silk chiffon for Queen magazine in 1964. Hammond became a favorite model of Parkinson's and ...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Brooklyn Two, NY, 2010
Located in Hudson, NY
Through light and shadow, a gaze, a mindset, Bill Phelps fourth solo show at the Robin Rice Gallery VISITOR inspires the imagination. About life, about being, eye and heart his great...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Suriname, People, Women, Black and White Photography, 1960s, 24, 5 x 24 cm
Located in Cologne, DE
Hanna Seidel (1925 to 2005) lived and worked in Argentina for many years. She was a world traveller, journeying to South America in the 1950s and to Central America, Japan, India, an...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Silver Gelatin

Ecuador, Man, Black and White Photography, 1960s, 24, 1 x 23, 1 cm
Located in Cologne, DE
Hanna Seidel (1925 to 2005) lived and worked in Argentina for many years. She was a world traveller, journeying to South America in the 1950s and to Central America, Japan, India, an...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Silver Gelatin

Bolivia, Palm Tree, Black and White Photography, 1960s, 23, 5 x 17, 2 cm
Located in Cologne, DE
Hanna Seidel (1925 to 2005) lived and worked in Argentina for many years. She was a world traveller, journeying to South America in the 1950s and to Central America, Japan, India, an...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Black and White, Silver Gelatin

Milton Greene, "Bowler Hat II" from the Black Sitting, original vintage photo
Located in Chatsworth, CA
This piece is an original vintage photograph by Milton Greene in 1956. This photograph depicts Hollywood Icon Marilyn Monroe, who was a close friend and business partner of the artist. This piece is a part of Greene's series entitled "The Black Sitting...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Portrait of Madonna, Color Digital Pigment Print by Alan Herr
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Alan Herr, American (1954 - ) Title: Madonna Medium: Digital Print Photograph, Signed in Marker Size: 19 x 13 inches
Category

1980s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Digital Pigment

Norman Parkinson Fiona Campbell-Walter for Vogue, July 1951
Located in New York, NY
Fiona Campbell-Walter (later Baroness Thyssen) on an English beach wearing an Estrava coat with a raffia hat from Eaton. British Vogue, July 1951 Fiona Campbell-Walter for Vogue, Ju...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Inferna Print on Hahnemüle Paper, Red Orange Black Portrait, by Abi Polinsky
Located in New York, NY
Inferna by Abi Polinsky Print on Hahnemüle Photo Rag paper. 2022 L 30" x H 40" — Unframed. Signed limited edition of 5 for each size. = 30" x 40" - small 45" x 60" - large —...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

"Marilyn Monroe, 1962" Photography 16 x 24 in Edition 58/75 by Lawrence Schiller
Located in Culver City, CA
"Marilyn Monroe, 1962" Photography 16 x 24 in Edition 57/75 by Lawrence Schiller Silver Gelatin print Edition 58/75 Signed and numbered on recto by the artist Printed later On Wedn...
Category

20th Century Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

C Print

Mil Besos Eva Maria Garrido Garcia Yerbabuena Outskirts of Sevilla Spain
Located in New York, NY
From a small edition of 25, this stunning selenium toned silver gelatin print was realized by the esteemed Colombian fine artist/ photographer Ruven Afanador in 2007. Inspired by the lyrical poetry of Federico García Lorca...
Category

Early 2000s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Norman Parkinson Montgomery Clift in New York, 1952
Located in New York, NY
American actor Montgomery Clift photographed in New York for British Vogue, November 1952. Montgomery Clift in New York, 1952 Silver gelatin print Estate stamped and numbered editio...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Mick Jagger Goats Head Soup Album Art Version
Located in London, GB
David Bailey Mick Jagger Goats Head Soup Album Art Version, 1973 Archival Inkjet on paper Signed by the artist, on verso Image: 101 x 148 cm Sheet: 111 x 158 cm Edition of 10 + 2 AP
Category

1970s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Pigment

Historical Photo - Queen Elizabeth in 1950s - Vintage Photograph - 1950s
Located in Roma, IT
Historical Photo - Queen Elizabeth in 1950s is a black and white vintage photo, realized in the 1950s.  It belongs to a historical album including historical moments, royal families...
Category

1950s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

On the sofa with Agatha Christie
Located in Cologne, DE
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (born Miller; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer. She is known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around her fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Barbara Mullen
Located in New York, NY
Norman Parkinson Barbara Mullen, 1960 C print 40 x 30 inches Estate stamped and numbered edition of 21 on verso Irish-American fashion model Barbara Mullen photographed with dogs b...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

C Print

The Actress Barbara Bouchet - Vintage b/w Photograph - 1986
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage Photo. Rome, 13.3.86, The German-American Actress Barbara Bouchet. Good condition.
Category

1980s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Marilyn on the Roof - Marilyn Monroe Ambassador Hotel New York City Skyline
Located in Brighton, GB
American actress and the original Blonde Bombshell Marilyn Monroe smiles as she looks out at New York City. Monroe is photographed leaning over the edge of the high-class Ambassado...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Black and White, Silver Gelatin

Head of David Bowie Limited Edition Photographic Print by Getty, 30x40
Located in San Rafael, CA
British pop singer David Bowie in concert at Earl's Court, London during his 1978 world tour. (Photo by Evening Standard/Getty Images) As an authorized Getty Images Gallery partner,...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin

Rolling Stones Colour Out of Our Heads
Located in London, GB
David Bailey Rolling Stones Colour Out of Our Heads, 1968 Archival Inkjet on paper Signed by the artist, on verso Image: 50.8 x 50.8 cm Sheet: 58...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Pigment

Harry Benson Ali in Training Limited Edition Photographic Print, 20 x 20
Located in San Rafael, CA
American Heavyweight boxer Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali), training in his gym, 21st May 1965. (Photo by Harry Benson/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) As an authorized Getty ...
Category

1960s Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin

Modern portrait photography for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Modern portrait photography available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add portrait photography created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, red, purple, pink and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Mark Shaw, Slim Aarons, Terry O'Neill, and Kevin Westenberg. Frequently made by artists working with Paper, and Photographic Paper and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Modern portrait photography, so small editions measuring 0.63 inches across are also available. Prices for portrait photography made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $22 and tops out at $152,896, while the average work sells for $1,806.

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