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.
Original-Peony Summer-Impasto-British Awarded Artist-Oil, Goldleaf-plein air
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This Oil impasto and Goldleaf on Paper, named Peony Summer, is a part of Summer Bloom Series by Award winning British artist Shizico Yi. She created the painting in her garden paint...
Gold Leaf
Original Set of 3-Primary Colour series-Awarded artist-gold leaf with oil
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
Shizico Yi's "Primary Series" is a series where she explores the relationship between colours and emotion, particularly the colour yellow ( using gold leaf as the chosen material for...
Gold Leaf
series "Shells", 70x50 cm, acrylic on cardboard
By Tatiana Nega
Located in Yerevan, AM
series "Shells", 70x50 cm, acrylic on cardboard The work is sold without a frame and mat
Acrylic, Cardboard
Original-Strawberry Moon Night-Awarded British Artist-goldleaf with oil on paper
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This oil and gold leaf on Georgian oil paper board is a part of Summer Bloom Series, an extension of the Sunlit in primary colour project. Captured Shizu's garden in the night in th...
Gold Leaf
Untitled Oversize print 40x40 inches Limited Edition
Located in London, GB
Untitled after Paul Klee, 1879 – 1940 Original work : Klee, Paul; Swiss artist; 1879–1940. Untitled. Drawing, 1914. Watercolour on paper mounted on cardboard, 15.6 × 15.6 cm. Inv. ...
Archival Pigment
Monument in the Fertile Country Oversize print 40x30 inches Limited Edition
Located in London, GB
Monument im Fruchtland (Monument in the Fertile Country) 1929. after Paul Klee, 1879 – 1940 Original work : Pastel, 47.5 × 34.8cm. Bern, Zentrum Paul Klee. (Photograph via Archiv...
Archival Pigment
Original Set-Jardin d'Hiver-le bleu series-British Awarded Artist-work on paper
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This Set of 2, work on paper, named Le Bleu are a part of Jardin d'Hiver Series by award winning British artist Shizico Yi. She created the series in her winter studio while longing...
Gold Leaf
Flower in Bowl - Abstract Cool Tone Botanical Mixed Media Painting on Paper
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Krisanne Souter weaves together elements of nature and ancient feminine archetypes, such as the Mother and the Mystic. Botanical themes, playful elements, and unexpected surprises ar...
Paper, Ink, Acrylic, Watercolor, Color Pencil
Tides Out (Abstract Painting in Blue, Orange & Metallic Gold)
By Bruce Murphy
Located in Hudson, NY
Gestural abstract expressionist painting on canvas in colorful hues green, blue, and orange on a gold and silver background "Untitled Green", 2022 by Bruce Murphy 40.5 x 40.5 inches...
Enamel
Red fish
By Irina Burda
Located in Zofingen, AG
The red fish is a symbol of confidence, stable good fortune, and abundance. It represents moving in one’s own rhythm, trusting intuition, and inner stability. The red color emphasize...
Watercolor, Archival Paper
HF 3/1 - Soft pastel color blue, pink abstract geometric watercolor on paper
By Evan Venegas
Located in New York, NY
Evan Venegas studied at the San Francisco Art Institute and earned his BFA in Painting in 1998. Evan Venegas creates artwork that lives at the intersection of geometry and atmosphere...
Watercolor, Archival Paper
Mid Century French Geometric Abstract Starburst in Brown Blue and White
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: Mid Century French Geometric Abstract Starburst in Brown Blue and White by Serge Guerin (b. 1916), French signed lower right “SG”, name stamped verso Acrylic and gouache on ar...
Ink, Acrylic, Gouache
Figure with Orange and Blue - Original Signed Abstract Expressionist Work
By Felix Ruvolo
Located in Soquel, CA
Figure with Orange and Blue - Original Signed Abstract Expressionist Work Dynamic figural abstract piece by Felix Ruvolo (American, 1912-1992). In the center of the composition is a...
Paper, Watercolor, Gouache, Ink
Abstract Watercolor Painting, 'Design for Light', C. 1995 by David Ruth
By David Ruth
Located in Oakland, CA
This is a contemporary abstract watercolor painting by artist David Ruth. This series of paintings often feature bright colors and vibrant layouts that draw the viewer in. They are c...
Paper, Watercolor
Pastel Grid (Spice) - contemporary, minimalist, abstract, pastel on paper
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This colourful contemporary pastel on paper in grid form is by Milly Ristvedt. The classic grid pattern becomes more than a ‘container’ for colour in the hands of master colourist M...
Paper, Pastel
Period Italian Fausto Pirandello Signed Abstract Artwork
Located in Roma, IT
Important work by one of the greatest artists of the Italian artistic avant-garde Fausto Pirandello It depicts one of his iconic subjects ‘Bathers’ with five characters depicted in ...
Paper, Pastel
Contemporary Watercolor Painting, 'Design for Light', c. 2000 by David Ruth
By David Ruth
Located in Oakland, CA
This is a contemporary abstract watercolor painting by artist David Ruth. This series of paintings often feature bright colors and vibrant layouts that draw the viewer in. They are c...
Paper, Watercolor
Original Drawing on Wood-Breakfast with Cat-British Awarded Artist-Large panel
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This special large drawing on wood board (ready to hang) created by Shizico in early autumn where her Cat and the garden take centre stage. The pictorial language in this series pays...
Wood Panel, Charcoal, Carbon Pencil
Original-Night Roses-Rosarian Series 2026 -Awarded Artist-Impasto with Gold Leaf
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
Night Roses-Rosarian, 2026 is Shizico Yi's latest work, inspired by her new rose garden with a nod to the visual language of Japanese woodblock print. In this series, Yi further ex...
Gold Leaf
French Expressionist Abstract Original Painting Artists Studio Provenance
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Composition by Jacques COULAIS (1955-2011) gouache painting on paper/ card unframed: 10.75 x 8.5 inches condition: excellent provenance: all the paintings we h...
Oil
Gates No.1 Abstract Painting, Oil & Crayon on Paper, 1976, Unframed
Located in Bournemouth, Dorset
George Dannatt (1915-2009) 'Gates' No 1 1976 Medium: Oil & crayon on oil wash Image: 21.0 x 33.0 cm Reference no: 0450 George Dannatt’s long career as a painter and sculptor ended ...
Paper, Oil Crayon, Mixed Media, Oil
Original-Benton Irises in Starry Night-Le Bleu-Awarded Woman Artist-Gold Leaf
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This Gold Leaf and Oil on paper, named Benton Irises in Starry Night is a part of Le Bleu Series by award winning British artist Shizico Yi. She created the painting in her garden p...
Gold Leaf
Mid Century French Abstract Expressionist Black Ink Gestural Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: Mid Century French Abstract Expressionist Black Ink Gestural Painting Medium: Black ink/ gouache painting on paper, unframed French, circa 1950's Size: 25.75 inches x 19.75 (h...
Paper, Ink, Gouache
Blue Abstract Ripples Under Moonlight, Contemporary Cyanotype, Water Reflections
By Kind of Cyan
Located in Barcelona, ES
This is an exclusive handprinted limited edition cyanotype. "Abstract Ripples Under Moonlight" is a handmade cyanotype print portraying the subtle movements and abstract ripples of t...
Emulsion, Mixed Media, Watercolor, Photographic Paper, Monoprint, Monotype
First Floor Biogram
By Kory Twaddle
Located in Kansas City, MO
Title : First Floor Biogram Materials : Acrylic, gouache, oil pastel, marker, charcoal, graphite, and conté crayon on paper Date : 2018 Dimensions : 24 x 18 x .1 in. Description : ...
Paint, Paper, Acrylic, Tempera, Watercolor, Graphite, Conté, Oil Pastel,...
'Lily in Charcoal' abstract expressionism photography edition 3 of 10
By Ugne Pouwell
Located in London, GB
'Lily in Charcoal' 2023 From raw energy to sublime. 'Lily in Charcoal' is an expression piece combining an abstract charcoal drawing with a live lily emerging from a gash. The charc...
Paper, Photographic Film, Charcoal, Archival Ink, Archival Paper
French Expressionist Abstract Original Painting Artists Studio Provenance
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Composition by Jacques COULAIS (1955-2011) gouache painting on paper/ card unframed: 19.5 x 13 inches condition: excellent provenance: all the paintings we hav...
Oil
Untitled #I
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork "Untitled #1" is a watercolor on paper by California abstract expressionist artist R. Anthony (Tony) Askew, b.1939. It is signed at the lower right corner by the artist....
Watercolor
French Expressionist Abstract Original Painting Artists Studio Provenance
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Composition by Jacques COULAIS (1955-2011) gouache painting on paper/ card unframed: 8.5 x 5.75inches condition: excellent provenance: all the paintings we hav...
Oil
New Looking Methods: Cobalt Blue & Gold Abstract Expressionist Painting, Framed
By Bruce Murphy
Located in Hudson, NY
Gestural abstract painting on paper with gold metallic powders and cobalt blue, pastel green, and rust colored enamel paint "New Looking Methods", made in 2022 by Hudson Valley paint...
Enamel
Robert Natkin - unique early painting on historic Wells Street Gall. card Framed
Located in New York, NY
Unique historic work Hand signed and dated on the front An exceptionally early gouache from 1957, executed on the verso of a Wells Street Gallery invitation card - one of the first c...
Watercolor, Gouache
A Colorful, 1942 Modern Surreal Abstraction by Hananiah Harari "Fruits of Order"
Located in Chicago, IL
A Striking, Colorful 1942 Modern Surrealist Abstract Drawing by Notable New York Avant Garde Artist, Hannah Harari (Am. 1912-2000). Titled "The Fruits of Order" the artwork is gouac...
Paper, Gouache
Sunsets on the Hudson (Abstract Painting in Blue, Pink and Metallic Gold)
By Bruce Murphy
Located in Hudson, NY
Sunsets on the Hudson (Abstract Painting in Blue, Pink and Metallic Gold), 2019 by Bruce Murphy 38 x 42 inches, unframed, enamel paint on archival paper Signed, verso This gestural ...
Enamel
Original Abstract Elephant Graphite Drawing Ex-Christies
By Andy Warhol
Located in Portland, OR
An original graphite on paper drawing titled "Elephant" by renowned Pop Artist, Andy Warhol 1955. The drawing depicts an elephant drawn freely and with a feeling of forward movement...
Paper, Graphite
Emily Mason - ex-Lehman Brothers Art Coll., Signed oil painting on paper, Framed
By Emily Mason
Located in New York, NY
Emily Mason So Slight a Film (from the Lehman Brothers art collection), 1978 Oil on paper Abstract Expressionist painting Signed and dated 'Emily Mason '78' bottom right in pencil Fr...
Oil, Graphite
Untitled 1980
Located in Columbia, MO
Grace Hartigan (American, 1922–2008) Watercolor on paper, signed recto Grace Hartigan’s work is defined by its bold color, gestural intensity, and a striking synthesis of abstraction...
Watercolor, Archival Paper
Sam Gilliam - Ab Ex painting, Ex-Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Collection, Signed
By Sam Gilliam
Located in New York, NY
Sam Gilliam Untitled Abstract Expressionist mixed media painting on paper, Ex-Museum of Modern Art Collection, 1968 Watercolor and Aluminum Paint on Fiberglass Paper. (Framed with Mu...
Fiberglass, Paint, Watercolor
'Migration: In Flux Collection' by Peter Healy, 2020; Framed Watercolor
By Peter Healy
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
'Migration: In Flux Collection,' by Peter Healy, Watercolor Painting, 2020 This framed 27" x 37" watercolor painting is from the 'In Flux' Collection by I...
Ink, Watercolor, Paper
Original-Rosarian, 2026 (After Van Gogh)-Awarded Artist-Impasto oil on paper
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
Rosarian, 2026 (After Van Gogh) is Shizico Yi's latest work, inspired by the lost seventh painting from Vincent van Gogh's celebrated Sunflowers series, often referred to as Six Sunf...
Gesso, Oil, Acrylic, Archival Paper
FS 1 - Soft pastel color abstract geometric watercolor on paper
By Evan Venegas
Located in New York, NY
Evan Venegas studied at the San Francisco Art Institute and earned his BFA in Painting in 1998. Evan Venegas creates artwork that lives at the intersection of geometry and atmosphere...
Watercolor, Archival Paper
Large Scale Ocean Seascape Abstract Monoprint - Acrylic and Pastel on Paper
Located in Soquel, CA
Large Scale Ocean Seascape Abstract Monoprint - Acrylic and Pastel on Paper A dynamic large-scale vintage abstracted seascape Monoprint by Dennis Frings...
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Paper
Abstract Geometric Terracotta Jugs, Mid Century Modern Abstracted Still Life
Located in Soquel, CA
Bold mid century modern abstracted pastel on paper still life of several terra cotta jugs and vessels distilled down to their most basic shapes and ar...
Paper, Pastel
20th century Belgium, Black and White Abstract pencil drawing, Etude
Located in Woodbury, CT
Outstanding pencil on paper Abstract drawing. Marcel Dumont was a Liège artist who painted in oils and gouache, also produced collages and was an illustrator and engraver, doing so in a number of different styles. Early on in his career, he tended to produce paintings displaying a poetic realism but this changed over time until, in 1957, he was employing geometric abstraction and later still, the influence of pop art could be discerned. His geometric style has strong linear structure which occasionally veers to expressionism and the effect of this is an interesting sense of detachment that the viewer of the work can feel and one engages with the subject on a different level than one would normally expect. A critic wrote of him," Sometimes expressionist, sometimes linear, the abstraction forms itself willingly, in Marcel Dumont's world, to leave the rectangular structure to connect to carefully prepared tones. He retains also, in his abundant output, a few poetic pop-art collages together with a number of drawings and engravings illustrating Stefan Zweig...
Paper, Pencil
Vintage Lascaux Caves Abstract Watercolor
By Les Anderson
Located in Soquel, CA
Abstracted composition inspired by prehistoric paintings in the caves of Lascaux, France by Les (Leslie Luverne) Anderson (American, 1928-2009). Signed "Les Anderson" lower right. Fr...
Paper, Watercolor
Original-Moonlit Lime Tree-British Awarded Artist-Ink, Goldleaf on oil, gesso
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This Ink and Goldleaf on oil Paper, named Moonlit Lime Tree, is a part of Summer Bloom Series by Award winning British artist Shizico Yi. In this series, Shizico Yi deepens her expl...
Gold Leaf
Pierre Montheillet, Composition in green and yellow, monotype on paper
Located in PARIS, FR
Pierre MONTHEILLET (1923-2011) Composition in green and yellow Mixed media on paper - monotype Signed and dedicated “pour mes amis Sallaz” lower right Dimensions of the work: 28.5 x ...
Watercolor, Gouache, Monotype
Contemporary Watercolor Painting, 'Untitled', c. 1990's by David Ruth
By David Ruth
Located in Oakland, CA
This is a contemporary abstract watercolor painting by artist David Ruth. This series of paintings often feature bright colors and vibrant layouts that draw the viewer in. They are c...
Paper, Watercolor
Charmion Von Wiegand - Intersecting Magic Square gouache on board, signed Framed
Located in New York, NY
Charmion von Wiegand Intersecting Magic Square, ca. 1963 Gouache on paperboard Signed and titled on the back of the artwork. The signature shown on the frame back is a photo of the a...
Mixed Media, Gouache, Handmade Paper, Pencil
Clif McChesney, Abstract Expressionist, Watercolor
Located in Detroit, MI
The 16 in x 23 in watercolor displays striking and colorful qualities that influenced abstract expressionism for decades to come. In 2016 the Dennos Museum in Traverse City, Michigan, in homage to the very first exhibition in the Zimmerman Sculpture Court, installed the first two paintings by the former Michigan State University painting professor, Clif McChesney (1929-2011) on the Court walls, and the glass artistry of Dale Chihuly, featuring works from the Dennos Collection. In 1991, an exhibition of Dale Chihuly glass...
Paper, Watercolor
Untitled Abstraction
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Untitled Abstrraction Gouache, watercolor and pigments on paper, c. 1960 Signed lower right in pencil (see photo) Image: 17 x 22 inches Sheet: 25 1/4 x 29 3/4 inches Frame: 25 1/4 x ...
Watercolor
Bloom 22. Works on paper
By Rita Alaoui
Located in Miami Beach, FL
With the Bloom series, Rita Alaoui pursues a motif that silently runs through her entire work: the flower. Present in her practice for over twenty years, it reappears here like a man...
Paper, Acrylic
Beyond Mind and Matter: Peach & Gold Abstract Expressionist Painting
By Bruce Murphy
Located in Hudson, NY
Gestural abstract painting on paper with gold metallic powders and peach, blue, green and yellow colored enamel paint "Beyond Mind and Matter", made in 2022 by Hudson Valley painter,...
Enamel
The Rooster, Abstrast Charcoal Drawing by Etienne Poirier
Located in Atlanta, GA
A stunning charcoal drawing by French artist Etienne Poirier (1919 - 2002). This rare artwork is a charcoal-on-paper composition depicting an interpretation of the proud rooster. Thi...
Charcoal
Original-Jardin d'Hiver-British Awarded Artist-Impasto , oil, gesso on paper
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
Jardin d'Hiver Series is Shizico Yi's latest collection, created in her winter studio while savouring for the summer left behind. Reflecting on the vibrant days spent painting en pl...
Gesso, Oil, Acrylic, Archival Paper
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...
Paper, Pastel, Ink, Watercolor, Pen
French Expressionist Abstract Original Painting Artists Studio Provenance
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Composition by Jacques COULAIS (1955-2011) gouache painting on paper/ card unframed: 12.75 x 9.75 inches condition: excellent pr...
Oil
"Innocence" by Gilbert Pauli - Watercolor on Paper - 48x36 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Born in the canton of Friborg, Gilbert Pauli (1944 - 2020) lived in Geneva, where he devoted himself to painting and sculpture, a passion he developed since childhood. His favorite t...
Paper, Watercolor
French Expressionist Abstract Original Painting Artists Studio Provenance
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Composition by Jacques COULAIS (1955-2011) gouache painting on paper/ card unframed: 12.75 x 9.75 inches condition: excellent provenance: all the paintings we ...
Oil
June #1 Abstract Acrylic Painting on Paper, 1980s, Signed, 22.5x30.25
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary abstract acrylic painting on paper is by Milly Ristvedt. Few artists ever attain the kind of notoriety and accolades that Milly Ristvedt has rightly achieved. Sin...
Paper, Acrylic
French Expressionist Abstract Original Painting Artists Studio Provenance
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Composition by Jacques COULAIS (1955-2011) gouache painting on board unframed: 7.75 x 7.75 inches condition: excellent provenance: all the paintings we have fo...
Oil