![Painting, Calligraphie, Hom Nguyen](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2197125_1_grid.jpg)
Somber Portrait Painters
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![Painting, Calligraphie, Hom Nguyen](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2197125_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Un monde meilleur, Hom Nguyen](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2197121_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, L'angelo, Michelino Iorizzo](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2213508_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Giulia, Michelino Iorizzo](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2213507_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Venus, Michelino Iorizzo](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2213503_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Voix de secours, Cécile Desserle](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2202229_1_grid.jpg)
![Photography, Queen of Flowers - Format S, Clara Diebler](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2213788_1_grid.jpg)
Queen of Flowers - Format S
Clara Diebler
Photography - 30 x 20 x 1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 7.9 x 0.4 inch
$169
![Print, MOD 21, Lidia Masllorens](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2196065_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, L'hymne à la vie, Hom Nguyen](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2197465_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Sans repères, Hom Nguyen](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2197126_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Pablo Neruda - Santiago 81, Ernest Pignon-Ernest](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/999468_1_grid.jpg)
![Fine Art Drawings, Advertisement for Tirreno, Mino Maccari](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/954135_1_grid.jpg)
Advertisement for Tirreno
Mino Maccari
Fine Art Drawings - 24 x 11.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.4 x 4.5 x 0 inch
$733
![Painting, Geisha, Michelino Iorizzo](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2211649_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Dream, Insane 51](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1419816_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Lust / luxure (seven deadly sins), Insane 51](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1483893_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Breast Print 28, Dzovig Arnelian](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2207596_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Breast Print 27, Dzovig Arnelian](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2207567_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Breast Print 26, Dzovig Arnelian](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2207465_1_grid.jpg)
Breast Print 26
Dzovig Arnelian
Painting - 16.8 x 12.2 x 0.4 cm Painting - 6.6 x 4.8 x 0.2 inch
$250
![Painting, Roberta, Roman Gulman](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2200002_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Limor, Roman Gulman](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2200001_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Eros, Insane 51](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1700283_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Le Chewing-gum, Julien Cuny](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1173933_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Keiky, Michelino Iorizzo](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2211628_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, L'année du Tigre, Hom Nguyen](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1943472_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Psyche, Insane 51](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1700757_1_grid.jpg)
![Fine Art Drawings, Couple Reading, Mino Maccari](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/954039_1_grid.jpg)
Couple Reading
Mino Maccari
Fine Art Drawings - 17.7 x 12 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7 x 4.7 x 0 inch
$677
![Painting, Femme au chapeau, Julien Cuny](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1939908_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Danse du soleil, Antonio Saura](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/897045_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Rade, Philippe Pasqua](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/907329_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Autoportrait, Ghislaine Ferreira](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/703743_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Rimbaud, Boulevard Saint-Michel, Ernest Pignon-Ernest](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1973673_1_grid.jpg)
Rimbaud, Boulevard Saint-Michel
Ernest Pignon-Ernest
Print - 80 x 60 cm Print - 31.5 x 23.6 inch
$1,128
![Painting, Élégance, Ghislaine Ferreira](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/537388_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, La forêt carnivore, Julien Cuny](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2132038_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Mémoire des forêts, Julien Cuny](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1610253_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Les oiseaux I, Ghislaine Ferreira](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/813096_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Chouette, Ghislaine Ferreira](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/539578_1_grid.jpg)
![Sculpture, Tête Montagne, Julien Cuny](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2008158_1_grid.jpg)
![Fine Art Drawings, Coupe Walking, Mino Maccari](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/954033_1_grid.jpg)
Coupe Walking
Mino Maccari
Fine Art Drawings - 22.6 x 13.7 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.9 x 5.4 x 0.1 inch
Sold
![Painting, Marie, Ghislaine Ferreira](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/704808_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Blonde Brune Rousse, Ghislaine Ferreira](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/111727_1_grid.jpg)
Blonde Brune Rousse
Ghislaine Ferreira
Painting - 115 x 89 x 2 cm Painting - 45.3 x 35 x 0.8 inch
$1,388
![Painting, Amelinda, Michelino Iorizzo](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2211631_1_grid.jpg)
![Sculpture, Bouquetin, Julien Cuny](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2008152_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Liberté de penser, Cécile Desserle](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1458726_1_grid.jpg)
Liberté de penser
Cécile Desserle
Painting - 70 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
$2,031
![Painting, Le coq, Julien Cuny](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2175158_1_grid.jpg)
![Sculpture, Aigua I, Teresa Riba](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1514322_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Australopithèque, Julien Cuny](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2191981_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Le centaure, Julien Cuny](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1538367_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Abierta 3, Antonio Saura](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/543613_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Abierta 1, Antonio Saura](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/543610_1_grid.jpg)
![Sculpture, Taureau 5, Julien Cuny](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2014554_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, La tête à l'envers, Ghislaine Ferreira](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/111724_1_grid.jpg)
La tête à l'envers
Ghislaine Ferreira
Painting - 80 x 65 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 25.6 x 0.8 inch
$711
![Painting, A magical Landscape, Dzovig Arnelian](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1504794_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Rimbaud, Ernest Pignon-Ernest](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1217868_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Rise Up, Insane 51](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1214052_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Abierta 2, Antonio Saura](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2166557_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Recouvrance 2006, Ernest Pignon-Ernest](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2182221_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Empty Paintings on The Wall, Teona Yamanidze](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1449162_1_grid.jpg)
Empty Paintings on The Wall
Teona Yamanidze
Painting - 144 x 97 x 3 cm Painting - 56.7 x 38.2 x 1.2 inch
$8,011
![Painting, Sargal Djiguene, Sancko](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1103007_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Strong, Sancko](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1102989_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Un homme mystérieux, Lisbeth Buonanno](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2193118_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Visage, Philippe Pasqua](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1185948_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Une chair d'ombre, Melanchton I, Antonio Saura](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2174972_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Poule ou coq ?, Julien Cuny](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1274490_1_grid.jpg)
![Sculpture, Architectura 1, Julien Cuny](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1173966_1_grid.jpg)
![Fine Art Drawings, Wagner, Ernest Pignon-Ernest](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/348844_1_grid.jpg)
Wagner
Ernest Pignon-Ernest
Fine Art Drawings - 36 x 40 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.2 x 15.7 inch
$20,309
![Painting, Frou-frou, Julien Cuny](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1638492_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Le marin, Julien Cuny](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1172886_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Mes silences, Cécile Desserle](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2182738_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Power of to love, Cécile Desserle](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2155812_1_grid.jpg)
Power of to love
Cécile Desserle
Painting - 146 x 114 x 2 cm Painting - 57.5 x 44.9 x 0.8 inch
$5,416
![Painting, The Captives, Teona Yamanidze](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1449102_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Femme au chapeau 2, Julien Cuny](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2040066_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Mon amour, Lisbeth Buonanno](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2212755_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Tu es toujours dans mes pensées, Lisbeth Buonanno](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2212165_1_grid.jpg)
Tu es toujours dans mes pensées
Lisbeth Buonanno
Painting - 15 x 10 x 0.1 cm Painting - 5.9 x 3.9 x 0 inch
$338
![Painting, Près de mon coeur, Lisbeth Buonanno](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2211875_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Autoportrait II, Ghislaine Ferreira](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/728700_1_grid.jpg)
Autoportrait II
Ghislaine Ferreira
Painting - 100 x 81 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 31.9 x 0.8 inch
$2,708
![Print, Rimbaud, Ernest Pignon-Ernest](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1217862_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Middle white mask, Marc Prat](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1175850_1_grid.jpg)
![Sculpture, Cardinal, Olivier de Sagazan](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/514937_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Trois visages, Hom Nguyen](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1243407_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Proud, Sancko](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1102995_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Ma belle aventure, Cécile Desserle](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2156971_1_grid.jpg)
Ma belle aventure
Cécile Desserle
Painting - 130 x 97 x 2 cm Painting - 51.2 x 38.2 x 0.8 inch
$4,739
![Painting, Progresio IX, Marc Prat](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/795813_1_grid.jpg)
![Sculpture, Minus, Yoann Merienne](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/581325_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Toro I screenprint 2018, Marc Prat](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/379922_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Vanité, Julien Cuny](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2176869_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Peace, Marie-Ange Daudé](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1443132_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Meditacion P VII, Marc Prat](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1066308_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, A bout de souffle, Julien Cuny](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2192001_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Ordinature, Julien Cuny](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2191985_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Bouquet inabstrait, Julien Cuny](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2191984_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Preparing the pan, Dzovig Arnelian](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2181563_1_grid.jpg)
Preparing the pan
Dzovig Arnelian
Painting - 25.5 x 16.5 x 0.5 cm Painting - 10 x 6.5 x 0.2 inch
$600
![Painting, Vert outremer, Julien Cuny](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2177686_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Virgo energy, Insane 51](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2158447_1_grid.jpg)
Somber Portrait Painters
Sadness, melancholy and gloom have found an outlet in artists throughout history and in the depiction of figurative art. Through artists, humanity and their emotional and physical states are portrayed to be viewed and related to. The instant recognition of such a grave subject also plagues human history itself, thus carving out its own rightful spot amongst the history of art movements. In Edgar Degas' 1875 painting L'Absinthe, where viewers see a portrait of a young woman solemnly contemplating her situation, disengaged from their gaze, her surroundings, maybe even from herself.
Dark hues and colors define somber portrait painting and can highlight the cause of such sadness, whether that be the subject's emotional state or a greater rendering of the world's expanse and the human existence within it. Existential or not, the traits of somber artwork can be found in our own collection of portraits on Artsper. The portraiture work of Nicolas Fropo de Habart works the body in all its dimensions to create an absolute feeling of vastness while Antoine Stevens also depicts wandering souls in his dimmed portraiture. But given the nature of humanity, somber depictions of the figure are not entirely unexpected…