How do I identify the period of a portrait?

Examine the sitter's costume, hairstyle, and collar design, as these fashion elements change rapidly across decades and centuries. Frame styles and canvas construction methods also offer reliable chronological clues. Compare the painting technique with known artistic movements of the era, noting whether the work displays Baroque theatricality or Victorian narrative detail.

Where were these portraits displayed originally?

Large oil paintings typically hung in the reception rooms, galleries, and staircases of grand country houses to display family lineage and status. Smaller works and miniatures were kept in private chambers or carried as personal tokens. Sculptural busts adorned libraries, antechambers, and neoclassical garden rooms as symbols of classical learning and refined taste.

Can I hang oil portraits in modern rooms?

These pieces integrate well into contemporary interiors, providing a striking focal point above mantelpieces or along hallways. Their rich historical context adds depth to minimalist or eclectic design schemes. Protect the canvas from direct sunlight and excessive humidity fluctuations to preserve the stability of the paint and wood.

What is the difference between an oil on canvas and an oil on board?

Canvas involves woven textile stretched over a wooden frame, offering slight give and a textured surface for the paint layers. Board provides a rigid support panel, often resulting in a flatter, smoother finish favored by some nineteenth-century artists. Both mediums were standard practice, though board was frequently utilised for smaller sketches or plein air studies.

Home > Portrait of Women > Page 12

Antique Portrait of Women

210 items · page 12 of 14

← Page 12 of 14 →

These antique portrait of women pieces span centuries of artistic observation, offering collectors a direct glimpse into historical fashion, status, and personal identity.

Portrait of a Woman by Murphy Dated 1953.

1940 - 1960

Save

Portrait of a Woman by Murphy Dated 1953.

From Deja Vu St Leonards

£260

3+ MONTHS AGO

art

18th century

Save

Beautiful 18th Century Oil on Canvas Portrait of Lucy Digby, Later Mrs Osbaldeston,

From Christopher Tombs Antiques Ltd

£8,950

3+ MONTHS AGO

art

Large Northern European Portrait of a Peasant Women and Her Children

19th century

Save

Large Northern European Portrait of a Peasant Women and Her Children

From H & H Gallery

£7,000

3+ MONTHS AGO

art

19th century

Save

19th Century Oil of a Lady Wearing a Crocheted Bonnet - Oil Painting

From The Collector Antiques

£695

3+ MONTHS AGO

art

19th C. Victorian Portrait of a Lady - Oil Painting

19th century

Save

19th C. Victorian Portrait of a Lady - Oil Painting

From The Collector Antiques

£695

3+ MONTHS AGO

art

In Deep Thought: The Lady in the Park, Circa 1910: Mysterious French Post Impressionist Oil on Canvas

1900 - 1920

Save

In Deep Thought: The Lady in the Park, Circa 1910: Mysterious French Post Impressionist Oil on Canvas

From Skippings Fine Arts

£460

3+ MONTHS AGO

art

Antique Berlin Oval Porcelain Plaque Young Woman Ormolu Frame 19th C

19th century

Save

Antique Berlin Oval Porcelain Plaque Young Woman Ormolu Frame 19th C

From Regent Antiques

£1,450

3+ MONTHS AGO

ceramics

19th century

Save

C19th Chrystoleum of a Beauty

From Fernyhough Antiques Ltd

£295

3+ MONTHS AGO

art

19th century

Save

Portrait Painting

From Devonshire Antiques

£1,250

3+ MONTHS AGO

art

Portrait Oil Painting of a Young Woman with Pearls & a Rose by Alfred Seifert

19th century

Save

Portrait Oil Painting of a Young Woman with Pearls & a Rose by Alfred Seifert

From Benton Fine Art

£4,600

3+ MONTHS AGO

art

Several ladies immortalised in these historic oils share their frames with loyal canine companions and baskets overflowing with freshly picked apples.