United Kingdom - Portrait Paintings

Colonel Mellish's Spaniels, Mother & Puppies, 18th Century attributed to HENRY BERNARD CHALON (1770-1849) Large 18th Century portrait of Colonel Mellish's hunting spaniels, mother ...

Portrait of an Elegant Woman Dressed in Eighteenth-Century

Circle of Johann Heinrich Schmidt Possible Portrait of Young Napoleon 1749-1829 Pastel on parchment Image size: 23 1/2 x 19 inches Unsigned This portrait likely depicts a young Emp...

Signed to the lower right. Titled to label verso. Well presented in a black wooden frame with a gilt inner window. On canvas.

Pink Lineswoman by American artist Holland Cunningham (b. 1967) captures a quiet yet striking moment on a tennis court. The figure of a young girl stands poised within the sharp geom...

Portrait of Osman I (1254-1323), 17th Century follower of PAOLO VERONESE (1528-1588) Large 17th Century Italian School portrait of Osman I, oil on canvas. Excellent quality and con...

James Fellowes Flourished 1719 - 1750 Portrait of William Henry Kerr, Earl of Ancram, 4th Marquess of Lothian Oil on canvas, signed & dated 1747 Image size: 29 1/2 x 24 1/2 inches (75 x 62 cm) Original gilt wood frame William Henry Kerr was born a member of the Scottish peerage to William, third Marquess of Lothian, and his first wife Margaret, daughter of Sir Thomas Nicholson of Kemnay, first Baronet. William was styled Master Jedburgh until 1722, when his father was elevated to a Marquessate, after which he was referred to as Lord Jedburgh until 1735. Following his father’s military footsteps, on 20 June 1735 Ancram was commissioned as a cornet to the regiment (11th Dragoons) of his grand-uncle, Lord Mark Kerr. Ancram married Lady Caroline...

The Annunciation French Nabis School, early 20th century circle of Maurice Denis (1870–1943) oil on canvas, framed framed: 34 x 27.5 inches canvas: 32 x 25 inches Provenance: privat...

West Coast of Ireland with Rugged Mountain Landscape beside the Atlantic Ocean. A signed unique original oil painting by Irish Artist, George C McCullough (1922-2005) Art measures 2...

Portrait Of A Lady, 18th Century circle of Richard COSWAY (1742-1821) 18th Century English portrait of a Lady, oil on canvas circle of Richard Cosway. Excellent quality and condit...

Orientalist portrait painting by Bridell-Fox, 1865 English, 1865 Canvas: Height 33cm, width 25cm Frame: Height 49.5cm, width 42cm, depth 6cm This intimate portrait depicts a seated ...

A striking portrait by the artist Mark Ford, depicting a gentleman in a bold blue shirt. Rendered with confident, expressive brushstrokes. Unsigned. On board.

The Knitter by John Edwards (1940 - 2020) signed oil on canvas, framed framed: 29 x 23.5 inches canvas : 23 x 18 inches Provenance: private collection, UK Condition: very good condit...

Cain & The Death Of Abel, 18th Century School of William Blake (1757-1827) Circa 1790 English School depiction of Cain and the Death Of Abel, oil on canvas. Rare biblical depiction...

A self-portrait by artist Mark Ford rendered in expressive brushwork with areas of impasto that create dynamic texture and depth. Unsigned. Presented in a wooden frame. On canvas on ...

19th century portrait, child at play ,Attributed to Henry Tanworth Wells( unsigned) A beautiful oval portrait of a young child at play, attributed to the portrait painter Henry Tanworth Wells. finely executed, this oil on canvas is in excellent condition. Housed in a period frame. The size overall is 79 cm x 62 cm whilst the painting is 56 cm x 46 cm Henry Tanworth Wells [1828-1903] Henry Tanworth Wells RA was an English miniature and portrait painter. He was a member of the Pre-Raphaelite circle though he painted in the academic style. His most popular painting...

Charles Sillem Lidderdale British, (1831-1895) The Scholar Oil on canvas, signed with monogram & dated (18)94 Image size: 26.5 inches x 19.5 inches Size including frame: 33.5 inche...

Self Portrait (Blue Hand) By Billy Childish Billy Childish is a British artist, poet, and musician whose raw, expressive paintings and prolific writings reflect themes of authenti...

Portrait Of A Gipsy Girl, 19th Century by Alix Louise ENAULT (1860-1913) to $40,000 Large 19th Century French portrait of a young gipsy girl, possibly portrayed as Esmeralda, oil on canvas by Alix Louise Enault. Excellent quality and condition leading example of the famous french female painters...

Known for her bold visionary take on figurative realism, Erin Cone has twice been recognized in the national art press as one of the top young emerging artists in the country. After ...

Portrait Of Louise Maria Bird (1845-1862), 19th Century English School Large 19th century portrait of Louise Maria Bird, oil on canvas. Charming circa 1855 portrait of the girl ar...

Portrait of Johann Quantz (1697-1773), flautist and composer, wearing a blue velvet coat, waistcoat and breeches, standing in a garden landscape with ...

The Angel Of The Annunciation, 19th Century after CARLO DOLCI (1616-1686) Large 19th Century Italian School depiction of the Angel of the Annunciation, oil on canvas. Devotional sc...

The Medieval Boar Hunt, Rheinstein Castle, 19th Century German School Large 19th Century German Medieval Boar Hunting Party, oil on canvas. Excellent quality and condition panorama...

Portrait of Sir Charles Forbes of Edinglassie, Oil on canvas. The size of the portrait is 75 cm x 59.5 cm whilst overall the size is 106 cm x 91 cm In very good condition.There has been some restoration/overpainting etc.There is some minor craquelure. Housed in a period gilt frame decorated with acorns and leaves Overall a good portrait, circle of a fine scottish artist (unsigned) , with an interesting sitter, his details below. sir Charles Forbes of Edinglassie Sir Charles Forbes, 1st Baronet (1774–1849) was a Scottish politician, of Newe and Edinglassie, Aberdeenshire. Forbes was the son of the Rev. George Forbes of Lochell. He was a descendant of Alexander Forbes of Kinaldie and Pitsligo, and was in 1833 served heir male in general to Alexander Forbes, 3rd lord Forbes of Pitsligo, father of Alexander Forbes, 4th Lord Forbes of Pitsligo, attainted in 1745. Forbes was of a bluff but kindly nature, diffident as to his own merits, of a straightforward and manly character. On the death of his uncle in 1821 Forbes succeeded to the entailed estates of the Forbeses of Newe, and was created a baronet by patent in 1823.[1] He married in 1811. His daughter, Elizabeth, married General, Lord James Hay, second son of the seventh Marquess of Tweeddale. Sir Henry Raeburn FRSE, RA, RSA (1756-1823) Scottish portrait painter and Scotland's first significant portrait painter since the Union to remain based in Scotland. He served as Portrait Painter to King George IV in Scotland Raeburn had all the essential qualities of a popular and successful portrait painter. He was able to produce a telling and forcible likeness; his work is distinguished by powerful characterisation, stark realism, dramatic and unusual lighting...

Gilbert Jackson English Active: 1620 - 1650 Portrait of a Girl Oil on panel, signed upper left and Inscribed upper right Image size: 24 ½ x 20 inches Contemporary style hand made...

17th Century Italian School St Peter Oil on Canvas 55 1/2 x 41 inches This large and tender rendering of Saint Peter was painted by the hand of great Italian painter of the 17th Cen...

PAUL Size: 58.5 x 53 cm (including frame) Oil on canvas A striking and expressive mid-century portrait painting, executed in oil onto canvas. The composition depicts a male figure ...

The Thatcher by John Edwards (England, 1940 - 2020) signed oil on canvas, framed framed: 29 x 23.5 inches canvas : 23 x 18 inches Provenance: private collection, England Condition: v...

A Rocky Cornish Coast, early 20th Century by Kathleen Walker (1893-1966) early 20th Century study of a rocky Cornish coast by Kathleen Walker, oil on ...

Artist/ School: Suzanne Dinkés (French, 1895 - 1984) Medium: oil on board, unframed Size : 16 x 13 inches Provenance: private collection, France Condition: The painting is in overall...

John Riley 1646 – 1691 Portrait of William Chiffinch (c.1602-88) Oil on canvas Image size: 30 x 25 inches Original frame Another version of this can be found in the Dulwich Pictur...

Oil on canvas Image size: 20 x 24 inches (51 x 61 cm) Period gilt frame This is a half-length portrait of a gentleman wearing a emerald coat and intricately designed waistcoat, dat...

Three figures, rendered in a muted grayscale palette, pose against a vivid patchwork of floral and geometric patterns, a visual echo of domestic textiles, or wallpapered memory. Thei...

Unsigned. Presented in a swept gilt frame with foliate ornamentation. On tin. Image size: 23 x 18cm.

Oil on canvas Image size: 30 x 25 inches (76 x 63.5 cm) Hand carved gilt frame This is a charming 18th century portrait of a young boy, sporting a golden child's two-piece with a fl...

Derrick Guild is a Scottish artist whose paintings fragment Old Master works to explore the social fabric beneath. This painting references a portrait by Velazquez of the Infanta Mar...

This intimate painting captures a moment of stillness and tension between two figures, possibly partners, family members, or friends. The composition is charged with emotional ambigu...

The Martyrdom Of Saint Andrew, 18th/19th Century follower of Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1617-1682) - signed Murillo Huge 19th Century Span...

A portrait of a lady three-quarter length, seated in an interior, wearing a red silk gown draped in a pink silk sash with an exotic bird perched on her hand and one arm resting on a stone plinth, her young daughter wearing a green silk gown standing at her side. Oil on canvas, housed in a period 'Lely' giltwood frame. This double portrait was painted at the height of Dahl's career in circa 1715 when Dahl had become firmly established as one of the leading portrait painters in Britain. Although the identities of the sitters are currently unknown, it is a sensitive depiction of a close and affectionate bond between a mother and daughter, with the young girl's hand resting affectionately on her mothers lap. The tamed exotic bird adds a charming decorative element which also serves to convey the high social status of the lady, given only the very wealthy would be able to own such a rare and expensive pet and the lively colouring of the bird's feathers is reflected in the colours of the sitters' silk gowns. Provenance: Private collection, London Michael Dahl (Stockholm 1659-1743 London) was born in Stockholm in Sweden and studied under Martin Hannibal (d 1741) and later with David Klöcker Ehrenstrahl. In 1682 he travelled to London, where he became acquainted with Godfrey Kneller and Henry Tilson, and in 1685 he left for Europe with Tilson, working briefly in Paris before continuing to Venice and Rome, where they stayed for about two years. In Rome Dahl converted to Roman Catholicism and gravitated towards the circle of Christina, former Queen of Sweden, who sat for him (Grimsthorpe Castle, Lincs). He returned to England with Tilson via Frankfurt and arrived in London in 1689, staying in England for the remainder of his career. During Dahl's absence, Kneller had consolidated his supremacy in London as the most fashionable portrait painter, but Dahl rapidly became Kneller’s closest competitor. His patrons probably had roots in the Swedish diplomatic circles, but it expanded as a result of his ability and his agreeable personality. His prices were lower than those of Kneller and he favoured softer, more diffused, colour tones and could respond to his sitters with sincerity and humanity. Politically, Kneller supported the ascendant Whigs while Dahl was a Tory, but they frequently painted the same sitters from both parties, and in spite of fundamental differences in technique and temperament, their work was sometimes similar in appearance. Dahl was prolific but rarely signed his work, and comparatively few of his portraits were engraved in mezzotint, the method used by Kneller to widen his reputation. By 1690 he had painted the aged Duke of Schomberg (engraved by William Faithorne) and Prince George of Denmark (London, Kensington Palace). He was ignored by William III but received commissions from Princess Anne, including one for a portrait of herself (Oakly Park, Ludlow, Salop). He also painted the future Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, and his informal portrait of the Duchess (Althorp House, Northants), formerly attributed to Kneller, is perhaps the most intimate of all images of her. During the 1690s he secured the patronage of Charles Seymour, the ‘Proud’ 6th Duke of Somerset, who ordered a series of seven full-length portraits of notable contemporary beauties from Dahl (1690s; Petworth House, W. Sussex, NT). This was originally a scheme similar to Kneller’s more famous ‘Hampton Court Beauties’, but the portraits were subsequently reduced to three-quarter-length formats. The features of the sitters are not individualized, but they possess a decorative, languorous glamour that recalls Lely rather than Kneller. Somerset gave Dahl further employment over the next 25 years. In 1698, following the death of Klöcker Ehrenstrahl, Dahl was offered the post of court painter at Stockholm, which he apparently refused, preferring to remain in London at his studio in Leicester Fields, near the Swedish legation. In about 1700 he was joined by a young compatriot, Hans Hysing, who worked with him for many years. Dahl seems not to have married until after 1708, He had a son Michael (d. 1741), also a painter, of whose work nothing is known, and two daughters. After the accession of Queen Anne in 1701, she and Prince George sat for a number of official portraits. His royal patronage ceased with Queen Anne’s death, and when Dahl refused to paint the infant Duke of Cumberland in 1722. He was suspected of Jacobite sympathies, and relations had cooled between him and the Swedish legation. However, his practice continued to prosper, and he acquired another important patron in Edward Harley, 2nd Earl of Oxford, who shared his political views and whose circle included the architect James Gibbs and the poets Matthew Prior and Alexander Pope, all of whom Dahl painted. Oxford commissioned several portraits of himself. In the earliest (1719; Welbeck Abbey...

A striking formal portrait of the artist's son, dressed in a crisp white shirt and bright red tie, rendered against a contrasting background of teal blue. The composition employs a t...

Portrait Of A Bride, circa 1900 circle of George CLAUSEN (1852-1944) Circa 1900 Impressionist portrait of a young bride with a French landscape b...

"Tessa" by Eric Hargreaves, British mid 20th century signed oil on canvas, framed framed: 24 x 19.5 inches canvas: 20 x 16 inches Provenance: private collection, UK Condition: very ...

Portrait Of A Country Gentleman, early 20th Century by Charles Edwin Andrew (1911-1996) Large early 20th century portrait of an English country ...

This charming Scottish Victorian oil painting is by noted Scottish artist Patrick William Orr. Painted circa 1880, this marine portrait is of two fishermen sailors at sea, sorting th...

English School, 20th century painted in an earlier 'Tudor' style signed oil painting on paper stuck down on board, framed framed: 32 x 25 inches board: 25 x 18 inches provenance: fro...

La Petite Laitière Bretonne, dated 1898 by Maurice GRÜN (1869-1947) Large 19th Century French Breton village girl portrait, oil on canvas by Maurice Grun. Exceptional quality and c...

Portrait Of Charles I Of England (1600-1649) Wearing The Order Of The Garter, 17th Century circle of Sir Antony VAN DYCK (1599-1641) Large 17th Century English portrait of King Cha...

German School 17th Century Portrait of Philip Melanchthon Oil on panel, unsigned Image size: 9 x 12 inches (22.6 x 30.3 cm) This charming portrait depicts Philip Melanchthon, the ac...

Henri Émilien Rousseau French 1875 – 1933 Portrait of the Arabian Horse Moscow Oil on board, signed lower left Image size: 15 x 18 inches This splendid rendition of the horse b...

A beautiful french salon double portrait. We adore the wallpaper in the background and the whole in its frame superchic.

The Guitarist Artist: Pierre Neveu (French b.1929) Medium: oil on canvas, unframed Canvas: 46 x 35 inches Signed and titled verso Condition: Good and sound condition Provenance: From...

The Yorkshire Terrier Dog in a Yellow Hair Bow by F. S. Woodard, English second half 20th century signed oil on board framed framed: 20.5 x 19 inches board : 13 x 12 inches Provenanc...

ANGELA Size: 69 x 58 cm (including frame) Oil on Board A brilliantly executed mid-century modernist style figurative nude composition, painted in oil onto board. The focal point of...

Oliver Messel 1904 - 1978 Portrait of a Young Man Oil on canvas, signed and dated 'Oliver Messel 1930' (on the stretcher) Image size: 30 x 25 inches (76.2 x 63.4 cm) Original frame Oliver Messel was born to Leonard and Maud Messel, née Sambourne, on the 13 January 1904 and was the youngest of three children. The family moved to Nymans, the Messel family home in Sussex, from nearby Balcombe in 1915. The house remained in the family until 1953 when it was bequeathed to the National Trust, following a fire in 1947 which destroyed a large portion of the house. The Messels originated from a line of German Jewish bankers on Leonard’s side, however, both family lines boast a number of artistic influences, including Maud’s father. Maud was brought up at 18 Stafford Terrace, Kensington (now known as the Linley Sambourne House Museum), amongst collections of antique porcelain and eighteenth-century furniture, and with a host of artistic visitors such as Henry Irving and Oscar Wilde. Oliver’s own upbringing appears to be influenced by his mother's, as the Messel family were also affiliated with artists and writers and were keen collectors of art, filling their home with textiles, paintings and collections of European and Asian fans from travels abroad. It was amongst such treasures that Oliver, Anne and Linley spent their childhood, in addition to the beauty of Nyman’s extensive gardens. Oliver was schooled at Eton but rather than going up to university was encouraged by family friends, gallery owner Archie Propert and painter and sculptor Glyn Philpot, to attend art school. In 1922 he enrolled at the Slade School of Fine Art in London, where he studied under Henry Tonks. Here, he met the artist Rex Whistler with whom he remained firm friends until Whistler’s death in WW2. Upon leaving the Slade in 1924 Oliver was apprenticed to the studio of portrait artist John Wells, where he learnt various Old Master painting techniques, and met artists such as Jacob Epstein, Augustus John and William Orpen. Whilst at the Slade Oliver developed his interest in Papier Mâché masks, a pastime popular amongst many art students at the time. Whilst apprenticed to artist John Wells several of Oliver’s masks were exhibited at the Claridge Gallery, London, alongside pieces by Whistler and other young artists. These were seen by Serge Diaghilev, director of the Ballet Russes, and Charles B. Cochran, a theatrical producer, both of whom made Oliver offers of work. His first job in the theatre was creating masks for the Ballets Russes’ Zéphyr et Flore, 1925, designed by the French artist Georges Braque, followed by numerous musical revues for Cochran, including Wake Up and Dream!, 1929, with music by Cole Porter. It was during these revues, working with Porter and Noel Coward, that Oliver also began to design headdresses and costumes. In 1932 he was rewarded with his first full commission to design both costume and sets for Helen!, directed by Max Reinhardt. The production design is still celebrated today for its innovative approach and ground-breaking ‘white on white’ aesthetic, which referenced ‘Greek temples, Rococo drapes, Baroque colonnades and Louis XIV carousels’. The success of Helen! led to further offers within the theatre including Reinhardt’s version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Old Vic in 1937, starring Vivien Leigh as Titania and Robert Helpmann as Oberon, the Jean Cocteau play The Infernal Machine in 1940, and Christopher Fry’s translation of Jean Anouilh’s Ring Round the Moon, 1950. One of Oliver’s best-known productions during this period was the Russian ballet The Sleeping Beauty, performed by Sadler’s Wells Ballet in 1946 at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Encompassing over 200 costumes and four set changes, Oliver’s romantic designs were celebrated for bringing colour back to post-war London, and variations on his designs are still used today. Additional designs for the ballet included Comus in 1940, for which he was released from war duties, and Homage to the Queen, choreographed by Frederick Ashton and performed in 1953 for the Queen’s coronation. His first opera was in 1940 for Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte at the Royal Opera House, followed by a series of productions at the newly founded Glyndebourne Opera House in Sussex, for which Oliver also designed the proscenium arch. He triumphed in 1956 designing a season of four different productions for their Mozart bicentennial, also providing illustrations for the programme covers. His popularity also spread beyond theatre to film, were he worked on over eight different feature films including Romeo and Juliet, 1936, directed by George Cukor. During a three-month research trip to Italy Oliver collected over 3,000 reference images including postcards of artwork by Piero della Francesca, Giovanni Bellini and Leonardo da Vinci, along with prints and photographs of textiles and architectural features. A production of Gabriel Pascal’s Caesar and Cleopatra, 1946, starring Vivien Leigh and Claude Rains, was celebrated for Oliver’s ability to recreate the opulence and luxury of ancient Egypt under the constraints of wartime rationing. Such was his skill that Vivien Leigh in a letter to Oliver declared that “I have of course told Pascal that nobody in the world must do the costumes except you.” He was later nominated for an Academy Award for his work on his final film Suddenly, Last Summer, 1959; an adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ American Southern Gothic mystery. Having started his artistic career as a portrait apprentice, capturing the faces of family and friends, Oliver continued to develop this practice until the end of his life.  His style is said to have been influenced by Glyn Philpot, the Messel’s family friend who encouraged Oliver from an early age in his pursuit of art and design. His most prolific period came in the 1950s during which he produced over 50 portraits, which were shown in exhibitions in New York, London and Barbados. The exhibitions included both well-known faces and anonymous sitters captured on Oliver’s travels, and a number of these works have entered private collections. He continued to paint after moving to the Caribbean in 1966, capturing society figures and the rich and famous including fashion designer Carolina Herrera and Bianca Jagger. His style remained unchanged throughout his career, using the same soft painterly strokes and subtle palette as in his theatre designs. By far his greatest contribution in addition to theatre and film was Oliver’s interior and architectural designs. Another, much celebrated commission included Rayne shoe shop in Old Bond Street, where he created jewel-like interiors using the same practice of scaled models as his set designs. Other notable interior designs include those for Norwich and Bath Assembly Rooms, Flaxley Abbey in Gloucestershire, Rosehill Theatre in Cumbria and the Reader’s Digest offices in Paris. However, upon moving to Barbados in 1966, Oliver embraced a new career envisioning architectural concepts for private houses, hotels and public buildings, utilising his experience with interior design to furnish them with bespoke items of furniture and textiles. His first project was Maddox, the deserted eighteenth-century plantation house bought by himself and his partner Vagn Riis-Hansen in 1964. The existing building and gardens were remodelled to Oliver’s designs embracing an inherent theatricality with views out to sea. These were framed by terraces and verandas which extended out from the living rooms creating what is often referred to as a Caribbean style of ‘indoor-outdoor’ living. For the woodwork he used a shade of green that is now known as ‘Messel green’ and often associated with the island of Barbados. Oliver was born into a wealthy family; he travelled extensively and was exposed to art and culture from a young age. A privileged youth, his name is often mentioned amongst the ‘Bright Young Things’, for whom costume parties at country houses and jaunts to Europe on a whim became a thing of fable. This informal group included people such as Cecil Beaton (a life-long friend whom Oliver first met at Eton), Lord Berners, Noel Coward, John Betjeman, Harold Acton, Nancy Mitford, Edith Sitwell, Stephen Tennant...

Portrait of a Young Man by Laure Noetzin-Azam (French 1929-2024) pupil of André LHOTE oil on canvas, unframed canvas: 16 x 13 inches Provenance: all the paintings we have by this art...

Woman in Beige by Laure Noetzin-Azam (French 1929-2024) pupil of André LHOTE oil on canvas, unframed canvas: 29 x 20 inches Provenance: all the paintings we have by this artist have ...

The Woman in the Turquoise Dress by Laure Noetzin-Azam (French 1929-2024) pupil of André LHOTE oil on canvas, unframed canvas: 29 x 23.5 inches Provenance: all the paintings we have ...

A 19th century black and white spaniel standing in a landscape, with a country house in the distance. Signed C B Spalding, lower right. Oil on canvas in a giltwood frame. Charles B...

A striking abstract-expressionist portrait by contemporary artist Kerstin McGregor (1962-2012). Unsigned. Acquired with a collection of signed works. On canvas on stretchers.