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.
Artist Comments
Inspired by nature's blooms, artist Lisa Elley rendered this piece solely with the use of a palette knife. She creates thick tangible textures, leaping off th...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
This painting is part of artist Onelio Marrero's latest series exploring the terrain and geology of the hilly northwest of New Jersey. On his painting hikes, ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Waves lap and crash upon rocks in this peaceful end-of-day seascape. Artist Elizabeth Garat takes inspiration from the movement of light off of California's b...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Doug Cosbie pictures an impressionist view of a farm in Virginia. Bales of hay set upright the rustic barns of Fauquier County...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Mixed Media, Permanent Marker, Lithograph, Offset
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
In his signature style, artist John Jaster paints this famous tree in Pebble Beach, California. Overlooking Carmel Bay, The Lone Cypress...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Silk
Artist Comments
Artist Kip Decker pictures a stunning bouquet of red flowers with an expressionist approach. The dark crimson petals kindle a burning sense of tender romance....
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Elizabeth Garat presents an impressionist landscape of lavender fields. The piece recalls a warm day in July during the height of summer. Billowy clouds in pink and blue hues stretch the horizon in a beautiful display of reflected sunlight. She paints on location in the countryside of Provence, France.
About the Artist
Growing up in California and Colorado, Elizabeth spent much of her formative years outdoors. “Exposure to nature early on planted the seed of landscape painting in me,†she says. She enjoyed spending time on her grandfather’s sunny sheep ranch and going to the beach with her grandmother. Her grandmother also would bring her to art galleries in Laguna Beach, where she was first introduced to California Impressionism...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
"The Tutukaka Coast in New Zealand abounds with natural beauty," says artist John Jaster. Inspired by its tropical pale golden beaches, lush native forests, a...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
1970s Abstract More Art
Paper, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Silk
2010s Abstract More Art
Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Tatiana Iliina expresses a solemn woodland at sunrise. "The air is crisp and a cool breeze touches the hardwood trees," narrates Tatiana. The sun slowl...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Nancy Jadatz presents a refreshing water scene with a contemporary touch. A variety of shapes, lines, and shadows recede in...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Stanislav Sidorov paints a view of Cesky Krumlov, a small town in the South Bohemian region of the Czech Republic. A fairy-tale-like atmosphere prevails with its incredible medieval architecture. The red roofs of the gothic, renaissance and baroque structures charmingly stand out. Stanislav paints the Vltava river encompassing the grand display and subtly reflecting the neighborhood scenery.
About the Artist
Stanislav Sidorov saturates his canvas with the expressive color characteristic of the Russian Realist...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Color
Artist Comments
Ruth LaGue expresses an arrangement of two red poppies in a yellow ceramic vase. A lone petal falls onto the table's surface adding a dramatic touch. Ruth use...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
1960s Abstract More Art
Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Fabric
Artist Comments
Painting from life, artist Mary Pratt creates a clear glass vase with light reflecting on its shiny surface. With pronounced brushstrokes, Mary sets a joyful ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Silk
Artist Comments
An impressionist view inspired by the Great Lakes of North America by artist Valerie Berkely. Using her fingers, Valerie forms a gentle rendering of crashing ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Onelio Marrero shows a view of the Lambertville Canal facing south on a spring morning. He conveys the composition in his signature impressionist style...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Silk
2010s Abstract More Art
Ceramic, Porcelain
Artist Comments
"Spring is a wonderful time to paint flowers," says artist Oksana Johnson. "Everything is blooming and the colors all around are inspiring. In this compositio...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Acrylic, Wood Panel
Artist Comments
An impressionistic image showing the intensity of foundry work captured by artist Onelio Marrero. Three men busily work at pouring multiple molds with molten ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Sharon Sieben paints an expressive portrait of a long-haired woman. The subject shuts her eyes, appearing in a meditative state. Rich shades of deep purple and indigo make up a dreamy atmosphere. The background consists of multiple layered colors mixed with cold wax.
About the Artist
Sharon Sieben prefers working in a loose, fluid technique and finds inspiration in the most unexpected things. Her parents bought her a set of oil paints when she was ten years old and it sparked her love of art. She especially admires the work of Impressionist artists such as Paul Cezanne because of how they broke tradition. When she's not making art, she enjoys reading and playing classical guitar...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Mandy Main paints a vast Tuscan countryside. A field of red poppies dazzles in the foreground as masses of impossibly bright yellow rapeseed flourish in the background. Mandy paints the nearby hills shrouded in vibrant blues and greens as the far mountains recede into the distance with gray tones. She suggests natural elements throughout the scene with loose brushwork.
About the Artist
Mandy Main is an art historian and landscape painter based in the Southern California desert. She has long been passionate about 19th Century American landscape paintings...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Ceramic, Porcelain
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
1950s Abstract More Art
Mosaic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Silk
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Silk
Late 20th Century Abstract More Art
Screen
2010s Abstract More Art
Paper, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Silk
Artist Comments
Artist Onelio Marrero paints an impressionist scene of a man painting under a makeshift structure of fallen trees. The idyllic shelter shades him from the sun...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist George Peebles presents a sweeping view of a grassy shore facing the open sea. A picturesque capture of a beautiful day with a dream-like quality. Colo...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Fabric
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Onelio Marrero presents a view of a canoeist traversing the New Jersey river as storm clouds brew in the distance. The piece embodies the adventure of ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Silk
2010s Abstract More Art
Paper, Ink, Mixed Media, Lithograph, Offset, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Silk
1990s Abstract More Art
Mixed Media, Lithograph, Offset
2010s Abstract More Art
Ceramic, Porcelain
Artist Comments
In this large composition, artist John Diehl crafts a monolithic piece using the Pythagorean theorem and advanced light-absorbing paint. While its elegance is...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
"I used a palette knife to paint a feeling," says artist Judy Mackey. In this upbeat still life, Judy rendered a bouquet of bright red carnations, adding abstract dashes of yellow and red to build the emotion of the scene she experienced in her studio. She worked all prima, layering wet on wet paint until she achieved the desired sculptural surface.
About the Artist
Originally from Japan, Judy Mackey embarked upon her professional artistic career over a decade ago after connecting with a local artist. He taught her how to skillfully wield a palette knife instead of a paintbrush, which gave rise to her own stylistic development. Judy uses this technique to create heavy texture. Her medium of choice is oil paint, with which she enjoys mixing and creating new colors with limited pigments. Her work glows with sweet simplicity in a painterly, impressionistic style.
Words that describe this painting: flowers, floral, vase, still life, impressionism, palette knife, alla prima, texture, carnations, impressionism, flora, representational, oil painting, blue
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Metal
Artist Comments
"When we rise above ourselves, our souls also rise and begin an arduous venture which leads to the fulfillment of our innate potential," states artist Shyun S...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
