Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
ABSTRACT STYLE
Beginning in the early 20th century, abstract art became a leading style of modernism. Rather than portray the world in a way that represented reality, as had been the dominating style of Western art in the previous centuries, abstract paintings, prints and sculptures are marked by a shift to geometric forms, gestural shapes and experimentation with color to express ideas, subject matter and scenes.
Although abstract art flourished in the early 1900s, propelled by movements like Fauvism and Cubism, it was rooted in the 19th century. In the 1840s, J.M.W. Turner emphasized light and motion for atmospheric paintings in which concrete details were blurred, and Paul Cézanne challenged traditional expectations of perspective in the 1890s.
Some of the earliest abstract artists — Wassily Kandinsky and Hilma af Klint — expanded on these breakthroughs while using vivid colors and forms to channel spiritual concepts. Painter Piet Mondrian, a Dutch pioneer of the art movement, explored geometric abstraction partly owing to his belief in Theosophy, which is grounded in a search for higher spiritual truths and embraces philosophers of the Renaissance period and medieval mystics. Black Square, a daringly simple 1913 work by Russian artist Kazimir Malevich, was a watershed statement on creating art that was free “from the dead weight of the real world,” as he later wrote.
Surrealism in the 1920s, led by artists such as Salvador Dalí, Meret Oppenheim and others, saw painters creating abstract pieces in order to connect to the subconscious. When Abstract Expressionism emerged in New York during the mid-20th century, it similarly centered on the process of creation, in which Helen Frankenthaler’s expressive “soak-stain” technique, Jackson Pollock’s drips of paint, and Mark Rothko’s planes of color were a radical new type of abstraction.
Conceptual art, Pop art, Hard-Edge painting and many other movements offered fresh approaches to abstraction that continued into the 21st century, with major contemporary artists now exploring it, including Anish Kapoor, Mark Bradford, El Anatsui and Julie Mehretu.
Find original abstract paintings, sculptures, prints and other art on 1stDibs.
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Style: Abstract
Chinese Contemporary Art by Wu You - Time Toys
Located in Paris, IDF
Ink & colour on paper - The artwork comes with COA
Framed 101 x 51 x 4 cm
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Ink
Chinese Contemporary Art by Wu You - Withstand
Located in Paris, IDF
Ink & colour on paper - The artwork comes with COA
Framed 101 x 51 x 4 cm
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Ink
Chinese Contemporary Art by Wu You - If Love
Located in Paris, IDF
Ink & colour on paper - The artwork comes with COA
Framed 101 x 51 x 4 cm
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Ink
Chinese Contemporary Art by Wu You - There is No Pressure On The Water
Located in Paris, IDF
Ink & colour on paper - The artwork comes with COA
Framed 51 x 171 x 4 cm
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Ink
Reclining Nude Male Figure, figural expressionist New York artist ink drawing
Located in Beachwood, OH
Joseph Glasco (American, 1925-1996)
Reclining Male Figure (For Nick)
1971
India ink on paper
Inscribed, signed and dated
10.25 x 14 inches
Joseph Glasco was born in Paul’s Valley, O...
Category
1970s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
India Ink
'No Way Back 1, ' by Josette Simon-Gestin, Etching and Pastel Drawing
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
This 11.5" X 10.75" unframed mixed media pastel drawing and ink etching on paper created in 2021 by Josette Simon Gestin is from the artist's series titl...
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Oil Pastel, Etching
Chinese Contemporary Art by Wu You - Heart
Located in Paris, IDF
Ink & colour on paper - The artwork comes with COA
Framed 35 x 141 x 4 cm
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Ink
Chinese Contemporary Art by Wu You - I
Located in Paris, IDF
Ink & colour on paper - The artwork comes with COA
Framed 171 x 51 x 4 cm
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Ink
Untitled, by Clemens Briels Pencil on paper, framed
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Untitled, by Clemens Briels
Pencil on paper
2008
Image size: 11 H cm. x 10.5 W cm.
Framed: 20.7 H cm. x 20 W cm.
Clemens Briels is a painter born in the Netherlands in 1946. At a yo...
Category
Early 2000s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Pencil
'Horizon Rise', American Figurative Abstraction, Native American
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Signed lower right, 'V. Vigil' for Veloy Vigil (American, 1931-1997).
Previously with: Los Robles Gallery, Palo Alto, California
Born in Denver, Colorado,...
Category
1970s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Gouache
Judith Brenner, Sophie Dancing 1, Original Figurative Art, Abstract Sketch Art
Located in Deddington, GB
Judith Brenner
Sophie Dancing 1
Original Figurative Drawing
Acrylic Paint, Pan Pastel, Ink and Watercolour Pencil on Paper
Sheet Size: 84.1cm x W 59.4cm x D 0.1cm
Sold Unframed
Please note that in situ images are purely an indication of how a piece may look.
Sophie Dancing 1 is an original nude drawing by Judith Brenner.The figure is continuously moving and the final work is a composition made in an attempt to capture the rhythm of the dance. This abstract-impressionistic work is evocative of Francis Bacon’s style...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Pastel, Ink, Watercolor, Pen
Reclining Nude Male Figure, figural expressionist New York artist ink drawing
Located in Beachwood, OH
Joseph Glasco (American, 1925-1996)
Reclining Figure, facing right (Nikos)
1971
India ink on paper
Signed and dated middle right
26 x 38.25 inches
Joseph Glasco was born in Paul’s V...
Category
1970s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
India Ink
Seated Figure, 20th century figural abstract expressionist ink drawing
Located in Beachwood, OH
Joseph Glasco (American, 1925-1996)
Seated Figure
1970
India ink on paper
16 x 11.5 inches
Signed and dated lower right
Joseph Glasco was born in Paul’s Valley, Oklahoma and grew up...
Category
1970s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
India Ink
Grayscale Abstract Figurative Drawing of a Lounging Woman
Located in Houston, TX
Grayscale abstract charcoal drawing of a lounging female figure. The work features loose, expressive linework with light red accents. Signed in pencil in front lower right corner. Cu...
Category
Mid-20th Century Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Charcoal, Pencil
Chinese Contemporary Art by Wu You - Sad Crane
Located in Paris, IDF
Ink & colour on paper - The artwork comes with COA
Framed 101 x 51 x 4 cm
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Ink
Standing Figure, figural abstract expressionist ink drawing, 20th century
Located in Beachwood, OH
Joseph Glasco (American, 1925-1996)
Figure
1955
Ink on paper
Signed and dated lower center
9 x 12 inches
Joseph Glasco was born in Paul’s Valley, Oklahoma and grew up in Texas. In 1...
Category
1950s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Ink
"Is There No End to This?" Jewel Toned Abstract Figurative Painting
By Ron Hoover
Located in Houston, TX
Jewel-toned abstract figurative watercolor painting by Texas artist Ron Hoover. This painting depicts a figure of a man wearing a suit against a split background. Signed and titled b...
Category
Early 2000s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
Charles Pulsford ARSA Abstract Figure Stained Glass Design Gouache Scottish Art
Located in London, GB
To see our other Modern British Art, scroll down to "More from this Seller" and below it click on "See all from this Seller" - or send us a message if you cannot find the artist you want.
Charles...
Category
Mid-20th Century Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Gouache, Ink, Watercolor
Georgian Contemporary Art by Nino Eliashvili - Parted
Located in Paris, IDF
Watercolor on paper
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
Georgian Contemporary Art by Nino Eliashvili - Daydream
Located in Paris, IDF
Watecolor on paper
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
Georgian Contemporary Art by Nino Eliashvili - I Hissing
Located in Paris, IDF
Watecolor on paper
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
Mystical Indian Tribes of Arizona and Mexico with Head of Vulture
Located in Miami, FL
This work was done on the assignment and illustrate myths and culture of a book on the Pima and Papago Indian tribes of southern Arizona and northern Mexico. Tinkelman's vision of t...
Category
1970s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Ink, Pen
Georgian Contemporary Art by Nino Eliashvili - Incarnate
Located in Paris, IDF
Watecolor on paper
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
Georgian Contemporary Art by Nino Eliashvili - Embody
Located in Paris, IDF
Watecolor on paper
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
Georgian Contemporary Art by Nino Eliashvili - Light Corset
Located in Paris, IDF
Watecolor on paper
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Watercolor, Paper
Georgian Contemporary Art by Nino Eliashvili - G-Love
Located in Paris, IDF
Watecolor on paper
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
Georgian Contemporary Art by Nino Eliashvili - Blued Lightness
Located in Paris, IDF
Watercolour on paper
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
Georgian Contemporary Art by Nino Eliashvili - Finger Crossed
Located in Paris, IDF
Watecolor on paper
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
Chinese Contemporary Art by Wu You - If I Want to Die, I Must Die at Your Hands
Located in Paris, IDF
Ink & colour on paper - The artwork comes with COA
Framed 101 x 51 x 4 cm
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Ink
Chinese Contemporary Art by Wu You - Pain Points of a Human
Located in Paris, IDF
Ink & colour on paper - The artwork comes with COA
Framed 35 x 141 x 4 cm
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Ink
Chinese Contemporary Art by Wu You - Half Memory Half Expectation
Located in Paris, IDF
Ink & colour on paper - The artwork comes with COA
Framed 171 x 51 x 4 cm
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Ink
"Porcupine Quill Jacket" Abstract Minimalist Portrait of a Man
By Lisa Qualls
Located in Houston, TX
Graphite and watercolor drawing on mylar of a figure dressed in a quill jacket made by the Cameroon grass fields people in Africa by Florida artist Lisa Qualls. Titled “Porcupine Quill Jacket,” the work was created as part of a series titled “Strawmen and Sugarbones” made for the "RAW" exhibition at O'Kane Gallery in 2009.
In her artist statement for this series Qualls states: “I have isolated pieces of costumes and placed them on a person who is naked in order to emphasize the relationship between the object and person, the materials and skin, the symbol and the living being. The garments and ritual objects relate to the body in specific ways and are used to explore gender roles, societal and cultural ideas, aesthetics and spirituality. The voyeuristic element of the audience to the subjects in the drawings further emphasizes the vulnerability of the figures and their introspective and intimate poses. The figures, part soft and vulnerable, part concealed and protected, live in these ambiguous spaces as they would in a vision.”
Dimensions Without Frame: H 36 in. x W 24 in.
Artist Biography: Lisa received her BFA and BA from the University of Texas at Austin. She continued her studies in Fine Art and Design at Parsons and FIT in New York, NY and CISIM in Ravenna, Italy. Her work is currently represented by Ann Connelly...
Category
Early 2000s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Mixed Media, Watercolor, Graphite
Colorful Watercolor Portrait of Seated Female in Pink and Orange Striped Dress
Located in Houston, TX
Colorful watercolor portrait of seated female in a pink and orange striped dress by Mexican artist, Nadine Mayes. Signed by the artist in the bottom right corner and currently displ...
Category
20th Century Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor, Pen
Untitled (Woman working in the fields)
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Untitled (Woman working in the fields)
Graphite on wove paper
Unsigned
Exhibited: Spanierman Galleries, In Praise of Women, Oct. 21-Nov. 20, 2010
Illustrated: Lisa N. Peters, In Praise of Women, Spanierman Galleries (see catalog entry in photos)
Condition: Excellent
Sheet size (sight): 14 1//2 x 10 5/16 inches
Provenance: Spanierman Galleries, New York
The young woman is a known model for Knight. She is depicted in numerous paintings. The striped skirt and wooden shoes she wears also is repeated in Knight's oeuvre.
"Daniel Ridgway Knight was born in Philadelphia to a Quaker family and studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts from 1858 to 1861, the year he became a founding member of the Philadelphia Sketch Club. He went to Paris and studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts from 1861 to 1863 with Charles Gleyre (1808-1874) and Alexandre Cabanel (1823-1889), and attended the Accademia di San Lucca, then in Venice, in 1863. Knight returned to Philadelphia that year, married, and served in the Union Army during the Civil War. He went back to France in 1871 and lived there for the remainder of his long and successful career. He settled in Seine-et-Oise near Poissy to study with the noted academic painter Jean-Louis-Ernest Meissonier (1815-1891) in 1873, and the two artists became close friends. Influenced by his French contemporaries Jules Bastien-Lepage (1848-1884) and Jules- Adolphe-Aimé-Louis Breton...
Category
1890s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Graphite
Leda and the Swan
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Reuben Nakian
Title: Leda and the Swan
Year: circa 1970
Medium: Watercolor on Paper, signed l.l.
Size: 14 x 16.5 inches
Frame Size: 23 x 25....
Category
1970s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
Georgian Contemporary Art by Nino Eliashvili - She Unknown
Located in Paris, IDF
Watercolor on paper
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
Georgian Contemporary Art by Nino Eliashvili - Hill and Hoop
Located in Paris, IDF
Watecolor on paper
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
Georgian Contemporary Art by Nino Eliashvili - Ridley Goes Fashion
Located in Paris, IDF
Watercolor on paper
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
Georgian Contemporary Art by Nino Eliashvili - Inner
Located in Paris, IDF
Watecolor on paper
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
Uniquely Unfit for Constraints, 40"x26" abstract gesture w female figure
Located in Brooklyn, NY
RINY artists Audrey Anastasi and C.Dimitri collaborated to create contemporary collage works.
Born of the Covid pandemic, the team started working remotely, mailing artwork to each ...
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Archival Paper
Georgian Contemporary Art by Nino Eliashvili - Moody
Located in Paris, IDF
Watercolor on paper
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Watercolor, Paper
Georgian Contemporary Art by Nino Eliashvili - Fluffy Style
Located in Paris, IDF
Watecolor on paper
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Watercolor, Paper
Colors - Figurative Abstract
By Kelvin Curry
Located in Soquel, CA
Colorful abstract work by Bay Area artist Kelvin Curry (American, 20th Century). Signed "Kelvin Curry" lower left. Unframed. Image size, 15"H x 11.25"W.
Born in Oakland, California ...
Category
Early 2000s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Oil Pastel
Blue Life - Painting - 2020s
Located in Roma, IT
Blue Life is an acrylic pouring painting on canvased cardboard realized by the Italian artist Amanda Ludovisi.
Hand-signed on the back.
The ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Acrylic
Blue Life - Painting - 2020s
Located in Roma, IT
Gold Life is an acrylic pouring painting on canvased cardboard realized by the Italian artist Amanda Ludovisi.
Hand-signed on the back.
The art...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Acrylic
Shell 1 (Abstract Black and White Mixed Media Grid Collage with Graphic Shell)
Located in Hudson, NY
Graphic Abstract mixed media collage of black and white shells with pops of peach, yellow, and marbled paper
"Shell 1", by David Dew Bruner, 2020
Mixed Media on paper in a white pain...
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Mixed Media
Grey Life - Painting - 2020s
Located in Roma, IT
Grey Life is an acrylic pouring painting on canvased cardboard realized by the Italian artist Amanda Ludovisi.
Hand-signed on the back.
The ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Acrylic
Bronze Life - Painting - 2020s
Located in Roma, IT
Bronze Life is an acrylic pouring painting on canvased cardboard realized by the Italian artist Amanda Ludovisi.
Hand-signed on the back.
Th...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Acrylic
Seated Mother and Child, 1 (executed 1982)
By Henry Moore
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Charcoal and gouache on paper
Paper size: 9x 11.5 inches
Framed size: 23.5 x 25.75 inches
Signed lower right
Provenance:
Raymond Spencer Co.;
Galerie Dominion, Montreal, 1982;
Dr Max Stern, Montreal, 1982;
Leslie Sacks Fine Art, Los Angeles;
Purchased by Haynes Fine Art...
Category
20th Century Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Charcoal, Gouache
Sea Creatures Abstract Watercolor
By Les Anderson
Located in Soquel, CA
Vibrant and fun figurative abstract of creatures on the ocean floor by Les (Leslie Luverne) Anderson (American, 1928-2009). From the estate of Les Anderson in Monterey, California. U...
Category
1980s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
Black Life - Painting - 2020s
Located in Roma, IT
Black Life is an acrylic pouring painting on canvased cardboard realized by the Italian artist Amanda Ludovisi.
Hand-signed on the back.
The...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Acrylic
Purple Life - Painting - 2020s
Located in Roma, IT
Purple Life is an acrylic pouring painting on canvased cardboard realized by the Italian artist Amanda Ludovisi.
Hand-signed on the back.
The a...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Acrylic
42A410
Located in Boston, MA
Artist Commentary:
no comment.....
Keywords: representaional, people, humor, surreal, imagination
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Color Pencil, Paper
Cell 06 - Contemporary Art, Abstract, White, Black, Organic, Minimalist, Drawing
By Alina Aldea
Located in Berlin, DE
Cell 06, 2021
black ink on white paper
39 3/8 H x 27 9/16 w cm
100 H x 70 W cm
The drawings signed by Alina Aldea show the meticulousness and perfection of microscopic observation....
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Ink
Pistachio Nut, 1970s Mixed Media Collage, Paper Collage on Board, Red Orange
By Margo Hoff
Located in Denver, CO
Crayon and paper collage on board depicting a pistachio nut by 20th century artist, Margo Hoff circa 1970. Presented in a custom wood frame, outer dimen...
Category
1970s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Crayon, Mixed Media
Realistic Pencil Drawing of Man Using a Flying Contraption from Brewster McCloud
Located in Houston, TX
Realistic pencil drawing of a man using a flying contraption. Inspired by Robert Altman's 1970 dark comedy film Brewster McCloud. The film follows a young recluse (Bud Cort, as the t...
Category
1970s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Pencil
Geisha. Paper, colored pencils, 22x21 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Geisha. Paper, colored pencils, 22x21 cm
Ivars Zaikins (1942-2017)
Zaikins Ivars - an artist. He was born in 1942. During of the Soviet Union period, h...
Category
Early 2000s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Color Pencil
Moons of Jupiter (Study I): Black and White Abstract Geometric Graphite Drawing
Located in Hudson, NY
Small abstract geometric drawing of circular white moons on a gray graphite background with grid patterns
“The Moons of Jupiter (Study I)” by Hudson Valley artist, David Dew Bruner,...
Category
2010s Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Graphite
Abstract figurative drawings and watercolors for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Abstract figurative drawings and watercolors available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add figurative drawings and watercolors created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, purple, green, orange and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Zsolt Berszán, Nino Eliashvili , Antoni Janusz Pastwa, and David Dew Bruner. Frequently made by artists working with Paper, and Paint and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Abstract figurative drawings and watercolors, so small editions measuring 3 inches across are also available. Prices for figurative drawings and watercolors made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $121 and tops out at $90,000, while the average work sells for $1,150.