Abstract More Art
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.
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Wood Panel, Oil
1970s Abstract More Art
Paper, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Emil Morhardt captures a group of acorn woodpeckers diving together from a tree. “They really do this,†says Emil. He spends hours with his lens trained on the birds as they argue loudly among themselves until finally taking a jump. The woodpeckers are painted on a thick layer of absorbent ground, giving them a slightly three-dimensional appearance against the gray-stained canvas.
About the Artist
Emil Morhardt is an acrylic painter from Santa Barbara, California who expresses his passion for birds through realistic acrylic paintings. He paints at home in a studio room that has large windows and a north-facing view of the mountains. He observes the animals from this window, watching roadrunners, foxes, bobcats, deer, and coyote run by. Surrounded by this wildlife, Emil paints bird portraits reminiscent of those by artist John James Audubon. He bases his paintings off hundreds of photographs he takes of birds in the wild and at wildlife recovery centers. Emil captures the freedom and inquisitiveness that birds display in the natural world. Before painting birds, he painted landscapes of San Francisco and the Eastern Sierra. Emil was raised in the high desert of California and learned to paint from his father, who was one of the early California watercolorists...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Ocean waves crash in warm hues of red and yellow under a violet evening glow in this expressionist seascape by artist George Peebles. He conveys a calm and dr...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
"Soft colors, beautiful mild atmosphere, and perspective indicate the mood and energy of the spring," says artist Suren Nersisyan. A painterly Colorado landsc...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Melissa Gannon paints a vibrant landscape of autumnal aspens. Melissa draws inspiration from her adventure of a trip thro...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Nancy Jadatz has a keen interest in working with color and capturing the effects of light as it reflects on the water's sur...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Color
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Color
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Color
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Color
2010s Abstract More Art
Ceramic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Color
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Color
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Color
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Color
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Color
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Color
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Color
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Color
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Paper, Ink, Mixed Media, Watercolor
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Silk
Artist Comments
Artist George Peebles embodies solemnity in a calm and pensive seascape. He envisions the composition reflecting on a dream by the water. Deep ocean waves rhythmically drift along the tantalizing vista. George displays the brief electric moment in nature entirely from his imagination.
About the Artist
Award-winning artist, George Peebles specializes in contemporary panoramic scenes. Breathtaking combinations of brilliant hues and gradients of rich skies map out his paintings. “My art is a reflection of the place inside each of us where we connect to nature,†says George. Based in Michigan, he draws inspiration from electric moments within his environment. Each stroke is an inward expression of his emotions as he paints from memory. George, being colorblind views his work as a lifelong process that leads him to new concepts and ideas best expressed on his canvas. When he’s out of the studio, George works as a chef at their local hospital. His work is represented in eighteen healthcare facilities.
Words that describe this painting: water, sky, clouds, dreamy, moody, dramatic, waves, water, seascape, expressionism, abstract, oilpaint, calm, tranquil, still, peaceful, expressionism, seascape, oil painting
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
The Smithsonian Castle in Washington, DC on a bright summer afternoon. The brilliant green lawn and trees in the foreground ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
1990s Abstract More Art
Ink, Offset
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Silk
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Thread, Mixed Media, Archival Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Paper, Ink, Mixed Media, Watercolor
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Part of artist Marie-Eve Champagne's series where she explores coastal life and memories. "This particular piece speaks of the heat, the dryness, the warmth,"...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
A poignant image of a young woman lying in bed by artist Onelio Marrero. She is clothed in white laying on a plush bed looking wistfu...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Modern blue and white flowers sparkle among wave-like patterns flowing in the background. Part of a series of small-scale works inspired by the bright colors ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
"I had to have my roof replaced last year and to my dismay, a cardinal couple had made a nest on a tree limb that would have been in the way of the roofers taking off old shingles," shares artist Judy Mackey...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
"These amazing giants are my favorite from the Sonoran desert," expresses artist Sharon Sieben. "I feel fortunate to have them in my neighborhood." Bold and s...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
1960s Abstract More Art
Screen
Artist Comments
Artist George Peebles depicts a peaceful panoramic view of a lake with vibrant forests diverging in the middle. A golden glow bursts on the right while deeper hues of red, brown, and purple radiate on the left. Clear and calm waters mirror the skies and the tall colorful trees. George is known for his dramatic landscapes and panoramic ocean vistas. He enjoys painting brief, electric moments in nature. He draws on his surroundings in Michigan but ultimately paints entirely from his imagination.
About the Artist
George Peebles is an award-winning artist specializing in contemporary landscape oils. His paintings are characterized by their pleasing combination of brilliant hues and rich skies. He describes his art as a reflection of the place inside each of us where we connect to nature. Painted from memory, each stroke is an inward expression of his emotions. George views his work as a lifelong process that leads him to new concepts and ideas best expressed on his canvas.
Words that describe this painting: river, lake, shore, trees, water, reflection, sky, peaceful, nature, oilpaint, impressionism, nature, oil painting, blue
The River Walk...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
1990s Abstract More Art
Copper
Artist Comments
"This is a loosely painted scene based on a visit to a ranch in Stanley, New Mexico," shares artist Heather Foster. "I think they thought I was going to feed them. Sometimes a group of cattle will see me and run away like they imagine I'm thinking about burgers. But this group was curious and started towards me, with the ones in the distance moving at a quick pace, worried that they might miss out on something. Then we just paused & looked at each other for a bit." Heather captured the moment with her painting vividly portraying the scene. The cattle stand with inquisitive gazes before her. A bright underpainting shows through exemplifying the heat of the day and the amusing instance.
About the Artist
Artist Heather Foster captures an enduring image of the West. She paints the dramatic landscapes and stalwart animals she encounters on her adventures to ranches and rodeos. Heather says she has always known she wanted to be an artist. As a child, she spent her weekends and summers riding the bus into Philadelphia to attend art classes at Philadelphia College of Art, Moore College of Art, and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Over the years, she's moved around the country quite a bit and done many jobs - everything from driving a pedicab (a giant tricycle that transports passengers) to art restoration and conservation (for one project, she unstretched and then restretched a $17 million painting that would not fit through the door of the buyer's house). The one constant though, no matter where she lived or what side jobs she held, she always made space and time to paint. Today, she works from a home studio in Santa Fe, painting from thousands of reference photographs she shoots on her travels. Her artwork has been featured in the magazines Southwest Art, American Art Collector, and Western Art Collector, and published in the books Art Journey New Mexico and The Book of the Horse.
Words that describe this painting: ranch, cattle, cow, herd, animal, western, country, countryside, panoramic, New Mexico, impressionism, animals, landscape, western, acrylic painting, purple
Gathering on the Plains...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
A small house proudly stands at the top of a grassy hill, warmed by the morning sunlight. "This painting is a typical motif of the family farms found througho...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Metal
2010s Abstract More Art
Linen, Archival Ink, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Artist Comments
The Strait of Juan de Fuca in Washington State provided the inspiration for this semi-abstract landscape painting. A rug...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
