Original Mid Century Artwork
Original mid century artwork captures the experimental spirit of the decades following the Second World War through diverse paintings and drawings.
Original Mid Century Artwork
Original mid century artwork encompasses paintings, oil paintings, wall art, watercolour paintings, and drawings produced predominantly during the 1950s and 1960s. These works bridge traditional subjects like landscapes and still lifes with modernist movements such as British Impressionism, realism, and expressionism.
Buyers will most frequently encounter mid-century oil paintings on canvas or board alongside watercolour paintings on paper. Subjects range from maritime coastal scenes and industrial landscapes to floral still lifes and figurative portraits.
How they were made
Artists painted directly onto canvas, wood board, or heavy paper using oil paint, watercolours, and ink. Many mid-century landscapes were executed en plein air to capture immediate atmospheric conditions.
Framing often incorporates traditional wood mouldings, sometimes finished with gilt accents, protecting works on paper behind glass and securing stretched canvas.
Original Mid Century Artwork Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for original mid century artwork among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
Current listings feature oil paint, canvas, wood, paper, and board across British and European schools spanning the 1950s and 1960s.
What varies in quality
Quality rests in the confidence of the brushwork, the handling of light, and the distinctiveness of the composition rather than the fame of the subject. Stronger pieces display deliberate palette choices and assured mark-making that define mid-century expressionism and realism.
Condition varies according to surface preservation, particularly regarding stable adhesion of oil paint on board or canvas, and the absence of foxing or fading on watercolours executed on paper.
Kenneth Cozens·Thomas Miles Richardson Jnr·John R Prentice·Robert Leslie Howey·D L Williams·Marc Chagall·Antonio DeVity·Clive Browne·Peter Brannan·Maurice Brianchon·Frank Dobson·Joseph Biel·James Fry·James Stroudley·Eric Brown·Samuel Rabin·Christine Nesbit·Donald McIntyre·Jack Cross
The Original Mid Century Artwork Glossary
- En plein air
- Painting outdoors to capture natural light and direct observation. This method defines many coastal and landscape works from the mid-century period.
- Impasto
- Paint applied thickly to a canvas or board, leaving visible brush or palette knife strokes. This technique adds tactile three-dimensional texture to the surface.
- Gilt
- A thin layer of gold leaf or gold-coloured pigment applied to picture frames. It provides a decorative border that complements traditional and mid-century paintings.
- Triptych
- A work of art divided into three sections or panels. These joined panels display a continuous or related narrative composition.
Original Mid Century Artwork: Frequently Asked Questions
What defines original mid century artwork?
These pieces comprise authentic paintings, drawings, and watercolours created during the middle decades of the twentieth century. They reflect the stylistic shifts towards modernism while retaining traditional painterly techniques.
Subjects span British landscapes, maritime scenes, and still lifes, showcasing the varied approaches of artists working across these decades.
How do I care for oil paintings on board?
Oil paintings on board require stable indoor humidity and protection from direct sunlight to prevent warping and pigment degradation. Dust the surface gently with a soft, dry brush without using liquid cleaners.
Proper framing ensures the board remains secure within its housing while allowing the wood to adjust naturally to minor environmental changes.
Are watercolours painted on paper fragile?
Works on paper demand careful preservation away from direct ultraviolet light to prevent fading of watercolours and yellowing of the support. Framing behind protective glass shields the delicate pigments from atmospheric pollutants and moisture.
Displaying these pieces on interior walls away from direct sunlight preserves the integrity of the paper and ink over time.
How can I tell a 1950s painting from earlier styles?
Mid-century works often embrace looser brushwork, flattened perspective, and experimental colour palettes distinct from strict Victorian realism. Artists in the 1950s and 1960s moved towards abstraction and expressionist interpretations of everyday scenes.
Examining the materials, framing methods, and artist signatures frequently provides clear indicators of the mid-century period.