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.
$115Sale Price|20% Off
Gerhard Richter - "Abstract Picture" - unique art print on heavy paper
Located in Winterswijk, NL
Art print on heavy paper. After the original from 1977. A beautiful artwork that looks good in every room and especially in the living room or bedroom. Can be framed accordingly. ...
Paper, Offset
Golden Splendor, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Sherri Aldawood depicts a sunny, autumn day along the banks of Oak Creek in Sedona, Arizona. With the use of a harmonious color palette, Sherri conveys the warmth of the landscape with tones in yellow, orange, red, and olive. Dynamic brushwork represents various textures and the calm countryside.
About the Artist
Sherri Aldawood didn't intend to always paint flowers, but over time her love of gardens started to permeate her art. She focuses on the light and color of the flowers on the canvas. Sherri prefers alla prima, working with wet layers of paint instead of letting them dry. She keeps the paint as wet as possible by using walnut and clove oil...
Oil
Indian Beaded & Embroidered Shisa Mosaic Textile Wall Hanging 8 Feet Long
Located in Rochester, NY
Colorful Indian metallic thread abstract wall hanging or shisha . Enormous amount of hand work. Excellent quality. Shisheh or abhla bharat embroidery (Persian شيشه, abhala bharat; ...
Fabric
A586 - Large Contemporary Blue Abstract Painting With White Frame
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Swiss born artist Marco Schmidli creates minimalist paintings with a contemporary edge. Placing emphasis on process, he lets the mediums naturally manifest within his artwork. “An im...
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,350
The Wellspring - Abstract Contemporary Dynamic Expressive Colorful Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Harrison Gilman's large original artworks begin with a layer of fast-paced gestural abstraction followed by organic shapes and geometric structures. Some of his paintings remain in t...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,065
avp_1021 - Colorful Textured Original Contemporary Abstract Painting on Paper
By Alex Voinea
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The colorful abstract artworks of Romanian artist Alex Voinea are inspired by experiments with paint poured over vibrating surfaces, such as speakers at full volume. Alex Voinea coll...
Paper, Acrylic
Dancing - Colorful Thick Textured Raised Impasto Original Colorful Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Impasto-painted strokes of bright colors are the framework of artist Shiri Phillips’ abstract artworks. Her paintings are flooded with texture through the layering of acrylic paint i...
Canvas, Glitter, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Spring Bouquet, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
"This colorful combination of irises and wildflowers was so inspiring to paint!" shares artist Oksana Johnson. "To make sure all the colors have the center st...
Oil
$2,025Sale Price|25% Off
Untittle, 140x100 cm, acrylic, canvas
Located in Yerevan, AM
Untittle, 140x100 cm, acrylic, canvas
Paper, Pastel, Acrylic
Huge Scandinavian Abstract Wool Tapestry Art Rug Asger Jorn Cobra Artist Denmark
By Asger Jorn
Located in Surfside, FL
Asger Jorn (1914-1973) Ege Axminster, Denmark. Danish Tapestry Rug Art-Line Etiquette de l'éditeur Ege Axminster (Danemark) titrée au revers. Les Emigrants 132 x 98 inches, Pure ...
Wool
$2,500
Raventos Marine Tapestry, Abstract Expressionist, 1990s, Unframed
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Marine. Original tapestry RAVENTÓS Mª Assumpció – (San Sadurní d’Anoia, Barcelona 1930). Raventos trained at the elite Sant Jordi School of Fine Arts in Barcelona. Raventós expanded...
Tapestry
$3,200
Serene Scape - Large Original Minimalist Contemporary Green Abstract Painting
By Clara Berta
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Clara Berta’s acrylic and mixed-media paintings blend texture and color to create harmony, mystery, and depth on the painted surface. Her paintings transform spaces into Zen environm...
Canvas, Acrylic
La Salle Street, Rainy Day, Oil Painting
By Yangzi Xu
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Yangzi Xu depicts an iconic view of LaSalle Street in Chicago, facing south from the bridge. She rendered this piece in a warm muted palette, setting the stage to highlight sporadic lights and reflections on wet concrete. "My focus was to convey the mood and feeling a rainy day brings to my beloved city," shares Yangzi.
About the Artist
Artist Yangzi Xu captures a nostalgia for Chicago and its dramatic seasonal changes in her expressionist cityscapes. Having a full-time job and being a wife and mother, Yangzi makes a habit of painting everyday to keep her passion exciting and fresh. She keeps a queue of ideas and reference photos that she takes throughout the year. She looks through her references, tweaks and adds elements to them. Once inspiration strikes, Yangzi draws several sketches and begins to work with oils on canvas on multiple pieces at once - to keep each painting spontaneous and new. "I try to capture the paradox of life in the city, where one can be in a crowd and yet feel alone," Yangzi says. "My main intent is not to capture the physical reality of a scene, but to express my own moods and feelings to my audience." In her free time, Yangzi enjoys reading, with her current favorite genres being biographies and memoirs. Yangzi is an alumnus of DePaul University in Chicago.
Words that describe this painting: Chicago, La Salle...
Oil
$550
Vie Lumineuse - Romantic Abstract Textural Soft Pink Blush Tone Floral Painting
By Vè Boisvert
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Drawing inspiration from an immersive and impressionistic interpretation of nature, Canadian artist Vé Boisvert paints textural original artworks that capture the fleeting effects of...
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,000
Australian American D. Rankin Abstract Expressionist Oil Painting Rocky Hillside
By David Rankin
Located in Surfside, FL
David Rankin, American (b. 1946) Rocky Hillside, (1990) Oil on paper Hand signed lower right, signed and titled verso. 30 x 22 1/2 inches David Rankin is a New York-based, British-b...
Paper, Oil
Untitled
Located in Phoenix, AZ
hand-knotted cotton with silk Nicholas Krushenick (May 31, 1929 – February 5, 1999) was an American abstract painter, collagist and printmaker whose mature artistic style straddled ...
Cotton
Brutalist Ceramic Abstract Expressionist Lamp Base or Vase Form
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Raymond Gallucci (1923-2005) Lamp Base, ca. 1970. Glazed ceramic. 15 " h, 7 3/8" w, 6" d. Opening for lamp post measures 11/16 inch. While the piece would make a lovely lamp, we...
Ceramic
Untitled Abstract
Located in New York, NY
Oil on yellow paper mounted on board. No visible signature but numbered "414" in pencil on reverse. Overall dimension of board is 15 x 16.75 inches.
Oil
Cosmic Trigger - Large Contemporary Organic Shape Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Harrison Gilman's large original artworks begin with a layer of fast-paced gestural abstraction followed by organic shapes and geometric structures. Some of his paintings remain in t...
Canvas, Oil
$5,000
Sol Lewitt, Geometric Abstraction Louis Vuitton 100% Silk Scarf, Limited Ed. 250
By Sol LeWitt
Located in New York, NY
Sol LeWitt Limited Edition Geometric Abstraction Silk Scarf, ca. 1987 Limited Edition Silkscreen on 100% Italian silk scarf/shawl Signed on the fabric with artist's printed signature...
Silk, Screen
$1,884
A Perfect Moment-original figurative landscape acrylic painting-contemporary Art
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Acrylic
Bold Abstract Latin American Screenprint Scarf Textile Art Print Josep Guinovart
Located in Surfside, FL
This is a thin cotton (that is my best estimate. it does not feel like silk) scarf, woven textile, fabric piece. It is signed in the print and hand numbered. Josep Guinovart (1927 ...
Textile
Shaman, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Abstract, acrylic painting with gestural brushstrokes, evocative marks and personal calligraphy. Metallics and glitter are incorporated to create reflective surfaces. Historically an...
Acrylic
Fiesta (Red) - Abstract Colorful Red Expressionist Textural Drip Painting
By Marc Raphael
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles artist Marc Raphael's abstract expressionism paintings are influenced by New York's abstract expressionist movement. After encountering Jackson Pollock’s work for the fir...
Canvas, Acrylic
My Love For Color - Impasto Thick Paint Abstract Painting with White Frame
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Impasto-painted strokes of bright colors are the framework of artist Shiri Phillips’ abstract artworks. Her paintings are flooded with texture through the layering of acrylic paint a...
Canvas, Acrylic, Glitter
$1,500
Russell Forester - Original ink Drawing, Uniquely signed & dedicated, Framed
Located in New York, NY
Unique original hand signed, dated and personally dedicated drawing by the renowned American (West Coast) architect and artist Russell Forester (1920-2002). The work is elegantly flo...
Ink
$8,200
Spring Vibes -textile abstract geometric beige, grey, brown stitched wool framed
By Alma Prism
Located in New York, NY
Alma Prism stands at the intersection of art and ethics, creating geometric abstraction designs that are as responsible as they are beautiful. Through our collaboration with skilled ...
Wool
$3,150Sale Price|25% Off
Midday in Lombardy, 100x170 cm, acrylic on canvas
Located in Yerevan, AM
Midday in Lombardy, 100x170 cm, acrylic on canvas
Canvas, Acrylic
Summer Peonies, Oil Painting
By Lisa Elley
Located in San Francisco, CA
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...
Oil
Apple Green - Impasto Thick Paint Green Abstract Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Impasto-painted strokes of bright colors are the framework of artist Shiri Phillips’ abstract artworks. Her paintings are flooded with texture through the layering of acrylic paint i...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,875Sale Price|25% Off
Triptych "A Story for Three" 100x50cm x3, acrylic, canvas
Located in Yerevan, AM
Triptych "A Story for Three" 100x50cm x3, acrylic, canvas
Canvas, Acrylic
$7,000
James Siena - Bracket Drawing, colored pencil, signed twice + provenance, Framed
By James Siena
Located in New York, NY
Original color pencil on paper drawing Hand signed twice: Pencil signed, titled and dated on the back of sheet Also, pencil signed, titled and dated on the attached back board Proven...
Color Pencil
$1,350Sale Price|25% Off
Night flowers , 100x60 cm, oil on canvas
Located in Yerevan, AM
Night flowers , 100x60 cm, oil on canvas
Canvas, Oil
Floral Study 13, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Valerie Berkely presents a floral still life in expressive and fluid paintwork. She executes the piece with wet-on-wet f...
Oil
$1,795
Waves of Freedom - Abstract Gold Tone Textural Floral Acrylic Canvas Painting
By Vè Boisvert
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Drawing inspiration from an immersive and impressionistic interpretation of nature, Canadian artist Vé Boisvert paints textural original artworks that capture the fleeting effects of...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,500
Frank Stella's Moby-Dick: Words and Shapes (Hand signed and inscribed monograph)
By Frank Stella
Located in New York, NY
Frank Stella's Moby-Dick: Words and Shapes (Hand signed and inscribed), 2000 Elegant, beautifully illustrated hardback monograph with dust jacket Hand signed, dated and inscribed by Frank Stella 10 1/4 × 8 3/4 × 1 1/4 inches Ink Inscription reads: for Ed & Rochelle Frank Stella '02 Book info: Published by The University of Michigan Press, 2000 Hardcover; 326 pages Publisher's Synopsis: One of the world's leading painters and printmakers, the artist Frank Stella spent over a decade creating a huge series of works linked with Herman Melville's classic novel Moby-Dick. The completed series consists of more than 135 pieces: large metal reliefs...
Ink, Mixed Media, Lithograph, Offset
Limits, Abstract Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
This abstract painting uses minimal components to evoke a sense of calm and clarity. The touch of gold leaf adds warmth and richness, contrasting with the stark...
Acrylic
series "Non-standard configurations", 42x30 cm, acrylic on paper
By Tatiana Nega
Located in Yerevan, AM
series "Non-standard configurations", 42x30 cm, acrylic on paper The work is sold without a frame and mat
Paper, Acrylic
A512 - Large Contemporary Colorful Abstract Painting With White Frame
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Swiss born artist Marco Schmidli creates minimalist paintings with a contemporary edge. Placing emphasis on process, he lets the mediums naturally manifest within his artwork. “An im...
Canvas, Acrylic
Figurative, Contemporary Art, Textile Art, 21st Century
Located in Mexico City, MX
Figurative Textile Art, Cotton, Handmade Free style weaving 80x80cm UNDER COMMISSION About the artist Matthias De Vogel The Textile art studio Fau...
Textile, Cotton
$3,702
Red Lobster- original Oil on Canvas Still Life, Hyper-Realism, Signed, 100x80 cm
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Oil
The Hills - Impasto Thick Paint Tall Colorful Abstract Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Impasto-painted strokes of bright colors are the framework of artist Shiri Phillips’ abstract artworks. Her paintings are flooded with texture through the layering of acrylic paint i...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$1,500Sale Price|25% Off
Pinky , 120x100cm, acrylic on canvas
Located in Yerevan, AM
Pinky , 2022, 120x100cm
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Permanent Marker
Twentieth Century Untitled Abstract Limited Edition Stone Lithograph Joan Miro
By Joan Miró
Located in ludlow, GB
Twentieth Century Untitled Abstract Limited Edition Stone Lithograph by Joan Miro. Originally in a catalogue and consequently there is slight evidence of a fold in the centre. We h...
Lithograph
Arrival To Earth - Colorful Abstract Floral Painting
By Vè Boisvert
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Drawing inspiration from an immersive and impressionistic interpretation of nature, Canadian artist Vé Boisvert paints textural original artworks that capture the fleeting effects of...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,261Sale Price|20% Off
"PaperLandscape" by Marilina Marchica – Original Collage on Papyrus and Antique
Located in Agrigento, AG
"PaperLandscape" by Marilina Marchica – Original Collage on Papyrus and Antique Wallpaper, One-of-a-Kind with Custom Handmade Frame – 60x50 cm, 2025 Description: PaperLandscape i...
Handmade Paper
$900Sale Price|25% Off
Banana leaves, 100x70cm, acrylic/canvas/pastel
By Fleur
Located in Yerevan, AM
Banana leaves 100x70 cm Fleur Professional artist from Belarus
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Acrylic
$2,212Sale Price|25% Off
Phantom Intimacy, 100х100 cm, acrylic on canvas
By Tatiana Nega
Located in Yerevan, AM
Phantom Intimacy, 100x100 cm
Canvas, Acrylic
Stalling and Waiting, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
The title of this painting expresses artist Onelio Marrero's observations of people sitting alone in restaurants and cafes. In this case, a woman waits agains...
Oil
Blue Pillars, Contemporary Art, Textile Art, 21st Century
Located in Mexico City, MX
Blue Pillars Textile Art, Cotton, Handmade Free style weaving, framed 120x60cm 2025 About the artist Matthias De Vogel The Textile art studio Fault Lines is Founded in 2015 by Mat...
Textile, Cotton
Red with Blue Fabric Collage, Abstract Style, 1970s, Unsigned, 38x28
Located in Arp, TX
Sylvia Rutkoff (1919-2011) "Red with Blue" 1970s Fabric collage on stretch bar 38"x28" unframed Unsigned Collection acquired from family estate Sylvia Weinreb Rutkoff (1919-2011) Bo...
Fabric, Stretcher Bars
Glaciers - Large Original Ice Blue and Green Abstract Contemporary Artwork
By Clara Berta
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Clara Berta’s acrylic and mixed-media paintings blend texture and color to create harmony, mystery, and depth on the painted surface. Her paintings transform spaces into Zen environm...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$10,899
Untitled XXXII by Ferle - Large abstract painting, earth tones, spiritual, red
By Elvire Ferle
Located in Paris, FR
Untitled XXXII is a unique oil on free-standing canvas painting by contemporary artist Ferle, dimensions are 200 cm × 140 cm (78.7 × 55.1 in). The artwork is signed, sold unframed an...
Canvas, Oil
Pink Study in Contrasts, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
**** The shipping is free for the rolled canvas. If you would like it ready to hang, please contact me with your zip code for a shipping quote. **** - Title: Pink Study in Contra...
Acrylic
$400Sale Price|30% Off
Reflections No. 3 - White Textured Geometric Colorful Circles Abstract Art
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Impasto-painted strokes of bright colors are the framework of artist Shiri Phillips’ abstract artworks. Her paintings are flooded with texture through t...
Canvas, Acrylic
$750Sale Price|25% Off
At sunset , 40x50 cm, oil on canvas
Located in Yerevan, AM
At sunset , 40x50 cm, oil on canvas
Canvas, Oil
Pink Things - 8"x10", Pink And White, Minimal Abstract Painting
Located in Mississauga, Ontario
So little with so much to say. This pink and white abstract puts emphasis on simplified composition with the use of paint and paper collage. Heavy layers of paint build up a highly t...
Canvas, Paper, Acrylic
Abstract Composition - Lithograph by Antonio Marasco - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Abstract Composition is a print realized by Antonio Marasco in the 1970s. Lithograph on paper. Hand-signed and numbered, edition 25/125 prints. Good conditions. The artwork is r...
Paper, Mixed Media
Abstract Composition - Mosaic by Tommaso Cascella - 1990s
Located in Roma, IT
Mosaic realized by Tommaso Cascella in 1990s. Mounted on a wooden panel. Excellent condition.
Mosaic