January 17, 2023

Powerful Portraits

No other genre of art is quite as intimate, personal or, arguably, as important as portraiture. Portraiture is the artistic expression of an individual's appearance and personality. The magic of portraiture is in its ability to capture not only the physical, but also the psychological characteristics of a person. The Bluethumb Art Prize 2022 saw an incredible number of portraiture uploaded to Bluethumb, and this curation is in celebration of those artworks and many more. You'll find our current top 10 portraiture artists within, alongside dozens of other incredible portraiture artists.
Discover our Top 10 Portraiture Artists of 2023 in the blog.

Curated by Christina McDonald

Woman bathing in water

Billabong

ByRyan Ahern

52cm (W) x 52cm (H)

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Oil
A$2,620
(CreativeWork) Scattered Light by Emma Harrison. Oil. Shop online at Bluethumb.

Scattered Light

ByEmma Harrison

46cm (W) x 61cm (H)

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Oil
A$2,530
Painting of two women embracing. Black and neutral abstract brushstrokes in the background and foreground

Maya and Saha

ByKim Leutwyler

72cm (W) x 92cm (H)

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Oil
A$4,200
closeup of woman face, tightly cropped with anguish expression

Anguish Ed. 1 of 6

ByDouglas Molino

20cm (W) x 42cm (H)

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Digital
A$330
(CreativeWork) Reflection by Jemma Cakebread. Oil. Shop online at Bluethumb.

Reflection

ByJemma Cakebread

23cm (W) x 28cm (H)

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Oil
A$540
Figurative abstract art . Pregnancy. Pregnant women. Portrait art
Sold

Motherhood

ByAnahita Amouzegar

45.4cm (W) x 60.9cm (H)

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Acrylic
A$1,150
Variation of a similar portrait I painted in 2020. Acrylic on loose canvas, 117 x 82 cm. Partially inspired by Visconti's film Death in Venice, but more by Mahler's Symphony No5 ( used in the film ) Acrylic on loose heavy weight loose canvas. With unpainted border if to be put on a stretcher . Matisse acrylic paints. Painted in 2021 and signed in top right corner. Intention to be float framed in a box frame, with or without glass . Please check photos for a framing suggestion. Thin layer of Krylon UV Archival ( Gallery series ) satin varnish has been applied. It can be varnished further would shiny look be required. Again, whole series is dedicated to great(est) of them all, F. Goya. Great influence and a silent mentor. Painting portraits and hands is a great passion. They are both delicate and also challenging to paint. Hands reveal great deal of the personality and character of the sitter. Portraits....beautifully difficult to paint. About painting: Trying to understand ( learn about it first ) complex life and work of Goya. It is very rewarding experience reading ( excellent biography by Australian Robert Hughes, simply called -Goya ) and reading other sources about Goya's life and work. Would it be very different ( this painting ) have I done it in Spain or even more, in Bordeaux, where Goya spent last years of his life? I wanted to go deeper into mind of a sitter, loosely based on my niece ( quick sketches I mede during our brief meeting ) so painting was based more and inspired by complex life and many portraits Goya made during his life. Painted on loose piece of primed canvas 85 x 59 cm ( with 3 cm of unpainted border ). Float framed, canvas edges exposed, ready to hang with cord at the back of the frame. Signed on the front. Abut Goya-Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes was a Spanish painter and printmaker. He is considered the most important Spanish artist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He is considered to be both, the last of the Old Masters and the father of modern art.Goya’s importance to modern painters is undeniable. His influence continued throughout the 20th century and is still prevalent today. Though he enjoyed great success as a court painter, Goya withdrew from public life in his later years, no doubt dogged by his increasing deafness and fear of old age and madness. When the political climate in Spain became too unstable, he exiled himself to Bordeaux, where he died in 1828.

Not from Here 5

ByTony Belobrajdic

80cm (W) x 117cm (H)

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Acrylic
A$2,240
Person submerged in water
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Submerged

ByJoshua Miels

130cm (W) x 110cm (H)

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Oil
A$4,740
(CreativeWork) The board 2021 by Rebecca Trajkovski. Oil. Shop online at Bluethumb.

The board 2021

ByRebecca Trajkovski

30cm (W) x 40cm (H)

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Oil
A$910

Bill Ed. 1 of 5

ByStuart MILLER

120cm (W) x 90cm (H)

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Photograph
A$2,800
Sold

Ten Minute Break

ByJason Roberts

76cm (W) x 99cm (H)

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Watercolour
A$8,550

About the Curator

Christina McDonald

Christina is Bluethumb's Social Media & Content Coordinator, here to keep you up to date with all things Bluethumb. Having previously worked as a Visual Artist, Christina has a deep and long-standing passion for the Arts. Christina's goal at Bluethumb is to help all of our artists achieve their full potential, and to help you find the perfect piece for your space.

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