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.
As Night Falls, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist George Peebles depicts a fiery haze of a sunset across a wet marshland. Tall and wavy leaf-covered silhouettes of trees appear in the distance while gr...
Oil
Pause, Oil Painting
By Lisa Nielsen
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
More and more I love to experiment with abstraction. It's amazing how realism with some abstraction somehow looks more true than when rendered using just real...
Oil
Hamadan Persian Rug – Captivating Design with Striking Patterns
Located in Winterswijk, NL
This piece of jewellery is hand-knotted from fine, hand-spun highland wool and dyed with natural vegetable dye. Highland wool is particularly hard-wearing and durable, as the food in...
Silk
Alpine Flowers, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
"This piece is inspired by a steep hike in the high mountains in summer," shares artist Crystal DiPietro. As a hiker, Crystal imparts the feeling of happiness from these wonderful views she gathers during her adventurous trips. "The flower-filled alpine meadows and stunning views bring joy to the heart."
About the Artist
Many artists work with the landscape, but Crystal DiPietro sees her works as different from most in the genre. "I tend not to see landscapes as soft and pretty, but as rugged, dramatic and colorful." Many of her works depict wild storms and moody sunsets. She spends a lot of time in remote spots and uses layers of color to create her compositions. Her work hovers between a brief impression of a scene and a pure dream. Crystal's landscapes of southern Utah seem to undulate and continuously change. What's interesting, though, is that these mountains and valleys seem to do the same thing in person. In these areas, the view changes constantly throughout the day as the light shifts, throwing shadows of faces, mazes and alien patterns across the cliff faces. Crystal impressively captures what's there, and what seems to be but isn't.
Words that describe this painting: mountains, flowers, hike, landscape, alpine, peaks, wildflowers, southwest, west, western, impressionism, impressionism, landscape, western, oil painting
Oil
Aspen Grove, Oil Painting
By Teresa Smith
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Teresa Smith displays a picturesque impressionist landscape of Aspen groves. "Autumn is here," declares Teresa. The leaves slowly turn a crisp, bright yellow. The sunny fall day along the shoreline brings inspiration from its vivid colors.
About the Artist
Teresa Smith captures the soul of the west coast landscape in her contemplative oil paintings. Teresa gathers impressions of the land around her remote island home on horseback rides accompanied by her Irish wolfhound. Her works capture the light coming through the trees, a richness of color, and the interconnectedness of nature. Her subjects emerge through lyrical brushwork, sometimes with light streaming as if through a stained glass window. Her major influences are Georgia O’Keeffe, Emily Carr, and the Canadian Group of Seven, the latter of whom pioneered a distinctive style defined by a direct connection with nature. In addition to painting, Teresa is a master gardener, and she grows food year-round in her garden and volunteers in the community to educate and diagnose plant problems. She works from her studio on the top floor of a barn overlooking the pond and trees, where deer walk by and ducks swim. According to Teresa, "much of today’s art is based on concept. That is, the artist has an idea, then uses their art to educate and inform. I do contemplative painting, which is different. For me, it is allowing the painting to unfold in a contemplative or meditative way."
Words that describe this painting: landscape, Tom Thomson...
Oil
The jungle of words, 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. **** This happy inspirational abst...
Acrylic
RHAPSODY, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
? Rhapsody ? This extra-large original is a symphony of colour and movement—layers of gestural acrylic brushstrokes that flow like music across the canvas. Just as a rhapsody ...
Acrylic
Black Poppies, Sept 7, 2022 (Ed: 23/50)
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Donald Sultan is an American painter, sculptor, and printmaker. He is particularly well-known for large-scale still life paintings, and one of the first to employ a wide range of ind...
Screen
PONDERING, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
"I'm so proud of how this piece turned out. It’s wonderful when a painting comes together like I’d hoped." The composition is dynamic and fluid, with no fixed top or bott...
Acrylic
$1,500
Untitled (Remembered): Abstract Acrylic Painting on Wood Panel, 21st Century
By Jeremy Nichols
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is an original painting on panel by artist Jeremy Nichols. The piece ships ready to hang in the pictured floater frame and measures 24in height x 18in width. The artist had recently focused on mainly graphite works in this style in recent years and this piece marks an exciting transition back to including paint and color in his process. Jeremy Nichols was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1982. He spent most of his youth in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio and traveling back and forth from Tokyo, Japan. After high school, he went to the Ohio State University to study Printmaking under Charles Massey...
Acrylic, Wood Panel
$2,625Sale Price|25% Off
Dialog , 100x140 cm, acrylic on canvas
By Tatiana Nega
Located in Yerevan, AM
Dialog, 2023, 100x140 cm
Acrylic
Prickly Pear, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Crystal DiPietro reflects a magnificent view of Southwestern Arizona. On an evening hike, Crystal came across prickly pear ...
Oil
$35,000
Sandstorm, Post-Modern Abstract Landscape Woven Tapestry, Textile Sculpture
Located in Wilton, CT
Sandstorm (1985) Wool, Post-Modern Abstract Landscape Woven Tapestry, Textile Sculpture. Zofia Butrymowicz (1904-1987) was born in Warsaw, Poland. St...
Fabric, Textile, Tapestry, Wool
The Art of Seduction, Painting, Oil on MDF Panel
By Craig Moran
Located in Yardley, PA
She beckons them to her. They dance like fish in water. Clouds of flame scatter. :: Painting :: Abstract Expressionism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authentic...
Oil
$1,500Sale Price|25% Off
Personal contacts, 70x90cm, acrylic on canvas
By Tatiana Nega
Located in Yerevan, AM
Personal contacts, 70x90cm
Canvas, Acrylic
Impressions of Fall, Oil Painting
By Lisa Elley
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Lisa Elley created this glowing impressionist scene after a fall trip to the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains and Yosemite National Park. "The quaking a...
Oil
$2,533Sale Price|20% Off
Being My Other Self - original abstract minimalist painting - contemporary Art
By Fiona Debell
Located in London, Chelsea
This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet Contemporary Art Gallery and online. Fiona Debell's "Being My Other Self" is a captivating abstract...
Canvas, Acrylic
I see white Rabbits I-III, Freestyle Resin Art, Unique Piece, handmade
Located in München, BY
Triptychon / Unique Piece handmade Resin and Pigments on Wood Artwork consists of 3 Parts: - 50 x 150 cm / 75 x 150 cm / 125 x 150 cm 20 x 59 in / 29.5 x 59 in / 49 x 59 in As a sel...
Resin, Epoxy Resin, Wood
Landscape From Greek Islands, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Suren Nersisyan shows a beautiful Mediterranean view of a Greek island. The picturesque scene overlooks a charming Grecian ...
Oil
$900Sale Price|25% Off
Lemon leaves, 100x70cm, acrylic/canvas/pastel
By Fleur
Located in Yerevan, AM
Lemon leaves 100x70 cm
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Acrylic
The River Walk, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
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...
Oil
Sketching in the Baroque Collection, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Part of artist Onelio Marrero's ongoing series featuring museum interiors and gallery-goers. In this piece, Onelio depicts a woman sketching...
Oil
"Celestial Pond, " Mixed Media Collage
Located in Chicago, IL
Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his...
Fabric, Silk, Wood
$3,150Sale Price|25% Off
Summertime, 170x100 cm, acrylic on canvas
Located in Yerevan, AM
Summertime, 170x100 cm, acrylic on canvas
Canvas, Acrylic
Edge of the Woods, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist James Hartman draws inspiration from the experience of seeing sunlit colors and details appearing through the strong vertical tree pattern. He expresses the painting sections to appear like stained glass. James highlights small areas where collaged 100-year-old paper show through the surface, he does this in a non-disruptive way. James applies heat to fuse the oils into a mixture of beeswax and damar crystals to seal the work.
About the Artist
When James Hartman was in art school, he became fascinated with the Society of Six, a group of artists who painted en plein air (outdoors) and exhibited together in the San Francisco Bay Area during the early 20th Century. James's paintings of the Northern California landscape pay tribute to some of the great Bay Area artists of the past. His expressive scenes feel alive through his vibrant use of color and his painterly brushwork. James’s paintings have an immediate visual impact from a distance, yet up close, dissolve into a series of confident marks and strokes. There is a simultaneous complexity and steadiness in his flattened, color-blocked planes. Knowledge and observation are essential elements of James’s working practice. To this end, he spends a large proportion of his time painting on location. His body of work captures the fresh and sunlit essence of the coastal California hills.
Words that describe this painting: expressionism, encaustic, beeswax, collage, antique ephemera...
Encaustic
Poppies - Still Life, Original Painting
By Ruth LaGue
Located in San Francisco, CA
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...
Acrylic
Morning Comes to the Meadow, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
"This piece was inspired by an early morning hike through a lush meadow filled with summer flowers," says Crystal. "The sun was just starting to creep in over...
Oil
The Derby Race
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
This painting was inspired by the idea that we are shaped by outside forces, but remain unchanged, we persist in the face of adversity. It is what makes us human. My energetic oil paintings of stallions explore and illustrate movement through nature. This work represents an immigrant journey or strength and perseverance. I incorporate both contemporary (watercolor) and traditional (ink calligraphy) painting styles into this series.
About the Artist
Art has been with Shao Yuan Zhang for the majority of his extraordinary, and at times difficult, life journey. Raised in communist China...
Oil
Sunflowers in Bloom, Oil Painting
By Jeff Fleming
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A glowing still life of sunflowers and wildflowers arranged on a rich blue backdrop. Artist Jeff Fleming describes his painting style as kinetic impressionism. Jeff started the piece with a pencil sketch on the canvas, then with gloved hands, he generously applied oil paint using his fingers. Jeff says he created this scene purely from imagination.
About the Artist
Artist Jeff Fleming uses fingerpainting to create exuberant portraits of dogs. Growing up in Southern California, Jeff was first introduced to fingerpainting in kindergarten. He painted through high school and college and won several art awards, including Best of Show in a city wide student competition. After graduating with a degree in journalism and advertising, he went to work as an art director. For the next 40 years, he created print, radio and television ads for a number of top agencies. "After retiring in 2019, the clouds of stress and pressure cleared and allowed me to set my creative energy free," says Jeff. He began developing new techniques focused on the excitement and energy of painting. Today, he uses a variety of methods and tools, including fingerpainting wearing nitrile gloves, traditional paint brushes, bamboo shish kebab sticks, kite string, spraypaint and splattering. While working, Jeff always listens to music, including Broadway musicals, dance music and rhythmic Hawaiian tunes.
Words that describe this painting: impressionism, flowers, vase, spring, blooms, Iris Scott...
Oil
$240Sale Price|60% Off
Lake house, 80х80cm, print on canvas.Edition of 20 pieces
Located in Yerevan, AM
Edition of 20 pieces
Canvas, Color
$240Sale Price|60% Off
Lake house, 80х80cm, print on canvas.Edition of 20 pieces
Located in Yerevan, AM
Edition of 20 pieces
Canvas, Color
$240Sale Price|60% Off
Lake house, 80х80cm, print on canvas.Edition of 20 pieces
Located in Yerevan, AM
Limited edition of 5 pieces
Canvas, Color
Taos Gorge Landscape, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A fall landscape at sunset, with golden clouds rushing across the expansive sky. "Northern New Mexico is known for mythical light, sculptural land forms and d...
Oil
$2,480Sale Price|20% Off
Junonia, Hand Blown Murano Glass Vase, Multicolor
Located in Miami, FL
The JUNONIA vase is a creation by the renowned Venetian glass master Afro Celotto. The dimensions of this artwork are 18.25" x 9" x 4.5". Every vase is hand signed at the bottom by...
Glass, Blown Glass
Spring Cycling in Yellow, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Warren Keating displays an image of a man riding a bicycle from an aerial view. "This painting was inspired by an early morning cyclist traveling on a ...
Oil
A Sunrise at the River, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Sunrise. Colored clouds recede into space, dominating this painting looking upriver. This painting is done in oil on stretched canvas. It is sealed with wax...
Oil
Viridian Dream, Oil Painting
By Lisa Elley
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
In her signature deep impasto style, artist Lisa Elley paints an emerald birch forest emerging in the sunshine. With marked palette knife work, she imparts ge...
Oil
Lofty Perch, Oil Painting
By Mary Pratt
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Mary Pratt paints a surreal expressionist habitat surrounding a brightly colored bird perched on a branch. She believes birds are earthly showstoppers and captures them as such. These animals enhance our lives by encouraging us to pause and observe. "Oh look, there goes a beautiful bird—I always stop to look," says Mary.
About the Artist
Mary Pratt, a Georgia...
Oil
Costal Impressions - Sunset Over the Bay, Original Painting
By John Jaster
Located in San Francisco, CA
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...
Acrylic
Breathless Sky, Original Painting
By Nancy Merkle
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Nancy Merkle captures a big open western sky over a grassy prairie. Large, fluffy clouds sweep up to the heavens, reflecting the pastel colors of the s...
Acrylic
$4,717
Red, Yellow, Orange, Green, White-original still life realism oil painting-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, Oil
Just Blue - 8"x8", Textured, Minimal Abstract Painting On Canvas
Located in Mississauga, Ontario
This minimal abstract painting is a quiet shade of sky blue. The detailed texture creates movement drawing the eye across the canvas while maintaining a sense of calm. While subtle i...
Canvas, Acrylic
Off The Path, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
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, ...
Oil
Sunrise at Malibu
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
In Sunrise at Malibu, I wanted to capture the rich plum silhouettes of the Santa Monica mountains just after dawn. On clear days after the sun rises, the cap...
Oil
White Farmhouse, Berks County Pennsylvania, Oil Painting
By Doug Cosbie
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A late August summer day at an old Berks County farm. Artist Doug Cosbie painted fields of pastel greens, burnished yellows, and br...
Oil
$1,125Sale Price|25% Off
Night music , 65x49cm, acrylic on paper
Located in Yerevan, AM
Night music , 65x49cm, acrylic on paper
Paper, Acrylic
Beach Strolling on Lake Michigan, Original Painting
By Sally Adams
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A young boy and his dog walk along the a sunny shore in artist Sally Adams's tranquil piece. "Lake Michigan is a beautiful but very...
Acrylic
$375Sale Price|25% Off
series "Personal Contacts", 61 x 48 cm, acrylic on paper
By Tatiana Nega
Located in Yerevan, AM
series "Personal Contacts", 61 x 48 cm The work is sold without a frame and mat
Paper, Acrylic
Santiago Medina - UNITY ( OUTDOOR MONUMENTAL), Sculpture 2021
Located in Stamford, CT
Marine outdoor Italian stainless steel with turquoise tint. Sculptor Santiago Medina Italian stainless steel sculptures are at marquee public art venues worldwide such as Harvard, S...
Stainless Steel
Femme Arabe Tapestry, Abstract Geometric Wool, Late 20th Century
Located in New York, NY
Femme Arabe 1975 Tapestry Hand-woven by Ateliers Pinton, Aubusson, France Artist proof 80 x 54 inches ( (203.2 x 137.16 cm) Medium: Natural Wool Monogram on lower right Original la...
Tapestry, Wool
Sculpture on Wall, Installation, Migrant Diptych I
Located in Cuernavaca, Morelos
Nanotechnology Material, Lead, Galvanized Pipe and Caps on Aluminum Exhibited at the International Art Fair, Zona Maco 2019 in Mexico City. Exhibited at Mana Contemporary at Jersey ...
Metal
Red Barn Off Grand Avenue, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Elizabeth Garat shares a glimpse of a pastoral landscape with an impressionistic approach. "This iconic red barn off of Grand Avenue in the east end of Ojai, California is a favorite scene for me," shares Elizabeth. She beautifully captures the warm sunny day when the golden...
Oil
Santiago Medina - INNER STRENGTH (OUTDOOR MONUMENTAL), Photography 2021
Located in Stamford, CT
Marine outdoor Italian stainless steel. This sculpture will be shipped directly from the artist's studio. All sculptures are made with the highest quality Italian stainless steel a...
Stainless Steel
Blue Angel, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Part of Naoko's signature series, Who Are These Angels. A diaphanous angel stands quietly in a deep blue landscape. The tonal quality of the painting accentua...
Oil
$375Sale Price|25% Off
series "Personal Contacts", 61 x 48 cm, acrylic on paper
By Tatiana Nega
Located in Yerevan, AM
series "Personal Contacts", 61 x 48 cm The work is sold without a frame and mat
Paper, Acrylic
Unbashed (diptych)
Located in East Hampton, NY
Large Abstract About the Artist: Julie Schumer, a native of Los Angeles, California, and born in 1954, lives and paints in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She discovered her love of abstract ...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Costal Impressions - The Lone Cypress, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
In his signature style, artist John Jaster paints this famous tree in Pebble Beach, California. Overlooking Carmel Bay, The Lone Cypress...
Acrylic
Monterey Magic, Oil Painting
By Lisa Elley
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Lisa Elley displays an impression of a breezy coastal seascape on a beautiful summer's day. She draws inspiration from one of her plein air painting tr...
Oil
Hidden Pink House, Provence, Original Painting
By Janet Dyer
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A lush glade of trees nestles a charming pink house in artist Janet Dyer's expressionist piece. She draws inspiration from scenes of...
Acrylic
$2,100
Dancing with Flowers - Large Scale Abstract Textural Acrylic Painting on Canvas
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