Oil Portraits

The oil portrait paintings presented on this page explore the human figure as a space of presence and emotional resonance. Rather than aiming for strict likeness, these portraits focus on expression, posture, and the subtle relationships between figure, color, and background.

Through oil painting, gestures and brushwork play a central role, allowing forms to remain open and expressive. Faces and bodies are suggested with restraint, creating a balance between observation and interpretation, where identity emerges through atmosphere rather than detail.

Created by Virginie Martin-Blaise, these oil portraits reflect an ongoing investigation into portraiture as a contemplative practice, emphasizing sensitivity, materiality, and the quiet intensity of human presence.