Would You Pay $1,200 for an Oil Painting of…Yourself?

IN THE AGE of Instagram, it seems everyone’s a star: Whether to celebrate an engagement or enshrine a “babymoon,” the celeb-style photo shoot—complete with elaborate costume changes—is how many people reflexively mark meaningful occasions. But what if you want a memento that feels personal, not performative? 

Consider oil and canvas. Portraits have long been fixtures in the homes of the powerful, well-heeled and not necessarily gorgeous. But now that the internet has made access to artists working in an array of styles and price ranges more democratic, one no longer needs the deep pockets—or snooty design sensibility—of a society matron to commission a painted heirloom. Searches for custom oil portraits on the online creative marketplace Etsy have increased by 173% year-over-year in the last three months. Many portrait artists anecdotally support that data, reporting a sharp uptick in inquiries from ordinary people who want to preserve images of their children or Chihuahuas or commemorate milestones like anniversaries.