Antique painting raises passions among all kinds of public. . Great art galleries such as the Prado Museum or the Louvre count their visitors by the millions, eager to admire in person the excellence of paintings such as 'Las Meninas'by Velázquez, or 'La Gioconda'by Leonardo da Vinci. And of course, we cannot obviate the enormous value that these works reach at auctions... It is precisely these two qualities, the beauty of the works and their material value, that have given a strong impulse to the collecting of antique paintings during recent times.

Where to get pieces of antique paintings?

Finding antique paintings for sale is not complicated, but verifying their authenticity or appraising their value can be. Precisely for this reason, it is very important to always purchase pieces from reliable auction houses, stores or dealers that guarantee their quality. Among the antique art for sale that can be found available today, paintings made between the 15th to 19th centuries are objects of desire for many collectors. . And yet their styles are totally disparate: the evolution between the earliest and the latest is spectacular, although this in no way diminishes the quality and beauty of Romanesque and Gothic art.

What are the defining characteristics of the different periods of antique painting?

Works made between the 16th and 18th centuries are known as "high period painting". Many of the antique paintings for sale that can be found today, especially of religious subject matter, were made in these centuries. A large number of works from the 17th and 18th centuries can be found, with those from the 16th century being rarer and more sought-after. The antique paintings for sale are usually inscribed in what are known as "schools": pictorial trends that reflect the styles followed by the painters of each country. The best known are the Italian school, the Spanish school and the Dutch school.

In general, there are a number of characteristics that can give us clues as to the period to which an antique painting belongs:

• 15th century. At this time the style known as flamboyant Gothic takes off in Spain, by figures such as Pedro Berruguete or Gil de Siloé. The perspective begins to appear; The works are usually of religious themes and show magnificent use of color. In Italy the art of Fra Angelico stands out, who will be the precursor of the Florentine Renaissance.

• Sixteenth century It is a dazzling period in European painting. Figures such as Leonardo, Michelangelo or Raphael emerge, all of them in Italy. In Spain, during the second half of the century the figure of El Greco, one of the most talented painters of all time, stands out. The perspective improves, and both figures and landscapes or interiors gain in realism and detail.

• 17th century. During this century, Baroque painting reached its maximum expression. In Spain, great masters such as Diego de Velázquez and Zurbarán emerged, while in Europe enormous figures such as Rembrandt, Rubens and Caravaggio emerged. Painting was committed to theatricality and theatricality, with powerful contrasts of light and shadow, faces with intense expressions and bodies that curved in complex postures. At this time, the line begins to gain freedom and anticipates modernity.

• Eighteenth century. With the Enlightenment, European painting recovers repose and serenity. Still some Baroque legacies are maintained, such as the use of light and freedom of composition. In Spain, the work of Francisco de Goya stands out, a true ahead of his time: his paintings reflect a convulsive era and prefigure the expressionism of the twentieth century. It is the century of Rococo, exemplified by Fragonard and Watteau in France, and of the first social painting, with the English painter Hogarth as the greatest exponent.

• Nineteenth Century. This century marks a radical change in all areas. The Industrial Revolution arrives and technical advances are spectacular. Art echoes the new times in works such as those of William Turner, precursor of impressionist and abstract painting of the twentieth century. Naturalistic painting reflects social problems; for the first time, classical themes (mythology and religion) are abandoned to focus on everyday life, politics and events. This is evident in the work of artists such as Eugene Dèlacroix and Theodore Gericault. During the second half of the century, movements such as Romanticism or Pre-Raphaelism will anticipate the avant-garde.

It is clear: investing in antique paintings and getting started in the collecting of these works is an excellent decision. We invite you to discover our offer of antique art for sale, the best selection of authentic works from all periods. The perfect place to find those treasures that add so much value to any collection.