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.
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
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
$460Sale Price|20% Off
Blue Striped Abstract Expressionist Composition in Acrylic on Paper
Located in Soquel, CA
Blue Striped Abstract Expressionist Composition in Acrylic on Paper Bright, saturated abstract painting by California-based artist Ricardo de Silva (American/Brazil, 20th C). This p...
Paper, Acrylic
$600Sale Price|25% Off
Joy, 60x50cm, acrylic on canvas
Located in Yerevan, AM
Joy, 2021, 60x50 cm
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,875Sale Price|25% Off
Power 2, 120x120 cm, acrylic on canvas
Located in Yerevan, AM
120x120 cm, acrylic on canvas
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,875Sale Price|25% Off
Power 3, 120x120 cm, acrylic on canvas
Located in Yerevan, AM
120x120 cm, acrylic on canvas
Canvas, Acrylic
Urban Ramparts, Abstract Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Urban Ramparts, 2017 Tatiana Iliina Acrylic painting on stretched canvas One-of-a-kind Signed on front and back 36 in. h x 36 in. w x 1.5 in. d 5 lbs. 10 oz. Artist Comments This pi...
Acrylic
$825Sale Price|25% Off
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
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
Hollywood, View from the Roof, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
This painting is part of Suren Nersisyan's series of California landscapes focusing on the nature and stunning light around Los Angeles. He draws inspiration ...
Oil
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
$3,824
Star Chaser- Original Still life hyper realism oil paintings-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, Oil
$400
"#3" Mixed Media Abstract Collage, Paper and Gouache, Mid-20th Century
Located in Arp, TX
James Spencer Russell "#3" 1958 Collage with paper, sand, and gouache Signed in pencil lower right 24x18" James Spencer Russell (1915-2000) was born in Monticello, Indiana, but spen...
Paper, Pastel, Gouache
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
Warm Sand and Beautiful Clouds, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Joanie Ford depicts a few beachgoers enjoying a relaxing day out by the shore. Clouds provide a cool shadow from the sun's summer heat as a gentle bree...
Acrylic
Trees In Winter, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
I used my finger tips to apply many layers of translucent cool colors in oil and wax. There is a softly calm feeling to the quiet distance of the winter trees in the background while one sturdy pine comes forth. Hints of apricot and lavender glow from beneath misty layers. My choice in this color palette lends itself to any season's decor, inspired by Wolf Kahn. The edges of this piece are natural wood. This piece is wired to hang.
About the Artist
Valerie Berkely uses her finger tips as brushes to create her abstract paintings. For Valerie, the art is all about the process, the paint, her mood, and the moment. She admires the artist Wolf Kahn, who once said, “the picture is the conclusion of an experiment in which the hint of an image becomes actuality." Like Kahn, Valerie’s paintings combine pictorial landscapes with painterly abstraction. The vibrant primary colors capture the hues of the sun rising and setting, and the texture of her fingers across the surface divides sea, land, and sky. There is something very dreamy about these works, exemplified by their color, texture, and atmospheric quality. Valerie’s first “art epiphany” was seeing Seurat's La Grande Jatte at the Art Institute of Chicago. “Bowled me over! I actually fell down. And I knew I was to become a painter.”
Words that describe this painting: Impressionism, Wolf Kahn, transparent, translucent, layers, abstract landscape, oil, wax, finger painting, impressionism, landscape, representational, oil painting, purple
Oil
Abstract Composition
By David Harper
Located in Brecon, Powys
Abstract Composition - a large colourful acrylic on canvas from the studio of David Harper. This piece pays homage to both Picasso & Matisse in style but is pure Harper in execution....
Acrylic
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
Cosmic Force, Abstract Painting
By DL Watson
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
An expressionist composition filled with scrawling and cascading strokes of blues, greens, purple, black and white. "I do believe that energy and mood are tra...
Acrylic
Chicago - Expo 85-Chicago Sculpture International - 2 works
Located in New York, NY
Includes the deluxe, limited edition color lithograph, 1985, signed by the artist in pencil and numbered 92/100 in pencil, upper left; and the color offset lithograph poster for the ...
Lithograph
$315Sale Price|55% Off
What mask are you wearing? 80x80cm, print on canvas.Edition of 20 pieces
Located in Yerevan, AM
What mask are you wearing? 80x80cm, print on canvas Edition of 20 pieces
Canvas, Color
Beckoning Glow, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Elizabeth Garat paints an alluring empty backyard woods bathed in the golden sunset. The crisp fall foliage turns the terrain ...
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
$270Sale Price|55% Off
Still life with oysters, 80х80cm, print on canvas.Edition of 20 pieces
Located in Yerevan, AM
Edition of 20 pieces
Canvas, Color
My Real Passion, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A man casts off from a dock in morning sunshine, his reflection softly distorted in the lapping water below. "The fisherman prefers catching fish early in the...
Oil
Sunflowers in Sunlight, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A delightful still life of three home-grown sunflowers from artist Nicole Lamothe's garden each in their own vase. Forever capturing the essence of summer, Ni...
Oil
Zao Wou-Ki's limited edition plate "Pierre de Ciel" crafted by Bernardaud
By Zao Wou-Ki
Located in PARIS, FR
In the realm of artistic alchemy, Zao Wou-Ki's limited edition plate, "Pierre de Ciel," crafted by Bernardaud, unfolds as a poetic composition in Limoges porcelain—a masterpiece that...
Porcelain
$300Sale Price|50% Off
Still life with oysters, 80х80cm, print on canvas.Edition of 20 pieces
Located in Yerevan, AM
Still life with oysters, 80х80cm, print on canvas Edition of 20 pieces
Canvas, Color
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
Blue Swirl 2 - Large Scale Abstract Flowy Minimalist Ink Painting on Paper
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Bettina Mauel expresses dynamism and sensuality in her paintings: “I paint what I experience,” she articulates. “This includes landscapes, flowers, and people in motion, capturing th...
Linen, Ink, Mixed Media
Green Swirl 2 - Large Scale Abstract Flowy Minimalist Ink Painting on Paper
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Bettina Mauel expresses dynamism and sensuality in her paintings: “I paint what I experience,” she articulates. “This includes landscapes, flowers, and people in motion, capturing th...
Linen, Ink, Mixed Media
Winter Study, Light and Shadows, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
"Snowed in for days, this dogwood with a few lingering leaves caught my eye one sunny morning," shares artist Elizabeth Garat. "I wanted to record the play of...
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
Yellow Bushes by Lake, Original Painting
By Janet Dyer
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Janet Dyer shares an impressionist perspective of a still lake on a quiet spring day. She paints pristine waters reflecting the lively trees in complem...
Acrylic
Floating Lightly, Abstract Painting, Oil on Canvas, 80 x 60 cm, 2024
Located in London, GB
Neda Dana-Haeri Floating Lightly, 2024 Oil on canvas 80 x 60 cm 31 1/2 x 23 5/8 in
Canvas, Oil
Costal Impressions - Sunset Over the Bay, Original Painting
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
Early Summer Creamsicle, Oil Painting
By Judy Mackey
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Judy Mackey says she asked her patrons to help her title this impressionist painting of orange tulips, and she loved the sug...
Oil
Chroma 38 - original figurative abstract - female form - contemporary art
By Calvin Lai
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...
Oil, Board
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
French Canal, Original Painting
By Janet Dyer
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Janet Dyer depicts a lush green garden accented with a lazy brook reflecting the trees and clear sky above. "The grounds of French chateaux are usually extremely manicured," says Janet. "With geometrically designed features like straight-edged canals, the manor residence shows its preference of the time for order and symmetry."
About the Artist
Janet Dyer doesn’t like to spend too much time talking about her art, as she’d rather be creating it. She doesn’t have an artist statement, the traditional statement of purpose crafted by visual artists to explain their method. On becoming an artist, Janet simply states, “I picked up some crayons and pencils and brushes and kept using them.†She believes the process of creating art is equal in importance to the final product. The artist enjoys relinquishing control of her paintings to find delightful surprises in her so-called “mistakes.†Janet's expressively gestural yet bucolic landscapes are a testament to the success of her method.
Words that describe this painting: France, water, sunny, summer, brook, river, stream, garden, Europe, trees, hedge, landscape, impressionism, acrylicpaint, reflection, impressionism, landscape, acrylic painting, green
French Canal...
Acrylic
Distant Lavender, Provence, Original Painting
By Janet Dyer
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Janet Dyer displays an impressionistic landscape of lush lavender fields in Provence, France. Expressive strokes in bold shades of green and hints of g...
Acrylic
Swim Lesson, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Gail Ragains portrays two gestural figures clad in swimwear on a hot summer day. The piece pays homage to the Bay Area figurative movement yet retains ...
Acrylic
"New Morning, " Mixed Media Kite
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 travels. His ongoing series of large-scale kites bridge the gap between flat art and sculpture, each crafted of split bamboo frames covered with stretched muslin and a collage of vintage ephemera – including kimonos, obis, paintings, scrolls, drawings, metal leaf, bleeding paper, book pages, or anything with a story to tell. In “New Morning,” panels of teal and indigo leach across the expansive canvas with captivating irregularity. Contrasted by a neutral field of vintage block prints...
Fabric, Silk, Wood
Fa Caldo, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Onelio Marrero paints this piece based on a visit to Rome, Italy. He depicts a scene of Constantine's Arch and The Colosseum on a warm late May...
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
$750Sale Price|25% Off
In crowd, 78x54cm, acrylic, paper
Located in Yerevan, AM
In crowd, 2023, 78x54 cm The work is sold without a frame.
Paper, Pastel, Acrylic
$1,425Sale Price|25% Off
Nothing is clear, but very interesting, 150x120cm, acrylic on canvas
Located in Yerevan, AM
Nothing is clear, but very interesting, 150x120 cm
Acrylic
Tryon 8, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
"This painting looks like a place I saw in my dream," says artist Naoko Tadotsu. "It was a large forest, filled with bright warm light. Birds were singing mer...
Oil
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
Luck And Faith, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Onelio Marrero depicts a mother and her child dropping coins into a fountain for good luck. The quiet moment is painted in brilliant morning light with dappled shadows in the foreground. Behind them lies a verdant backdrop of foliage around a stone church and a view of the distant city beyond. Onelio's rich textures and detailed brushwork greatly enhances the piece. "The separating line between the church and the fountain reminds us of the demarcation between faith and luck," says Onelio.
About the Artist
Onelio Marrero paints city scenes of everyday life. In an impressionistic style he captures the romanticism of New York City, the picturesque fountains in Central Park and the wet city streets after a rainy afternoon. His use of warm tones creates a sense of nostalgia and the feeling that you have visited or seen this particular scene before. Onelio will often paint from direct observation, or he will work from a combination of photographs and combine numerous sources into one piece. In this way his work combines reality with fantasy, creating a new story with each painting. His work captures an appreciation for beauty in all of its greatest forms; nature, art, and people.
Words that describe this painting: fountain, church, plaza, spring, stonework, architecture...
Oil
$1,425Sale Price|25% Off
A premonition of spring , 75x100 cm, oil on canvas
Located in Yerevan, AM
A premonition of spring , 75x100 cm, oil on canvas
Canvas, Oil
Koi, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Sherri Aldawood shares her fascination with light by using highly contrasting colors. In this piece, she makes elegant Koi fishes her subjects. The symbol of love, strength and dedication. She mimics their graceful movements into her strokes resulting into this tranquil composition.
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
"Sawyer, " Mixed Media Kite
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
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
Santiago Medina - FOREVER (INDOOR MONUMENTAL), Sculpture 2021
Located in Stamford, CT
Italian stainless steel with a turquoise tint. This sculpture will be shipped directly from the artist's studio. All sculptures are made with the highest quality Italian stainless ...
Stainless Steel
Sunny Vineyards, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Suren Nersisyan presents a vibrant vineyard flourishing under the warm sun. As the bright sunlight falls on the rows of grapevines, intricate shadows c...
Oil
$1,275Sale Price|25% Off
Maenad, 100х50 cm, acrylic on canvas
By Tatiana Nega
Located in Yerevan, AM
Maenad, 100x50 cm
Canvas, Acrylic
Cayucos Coastline No. 1, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
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...
Oil
House with Olive Trees, Original Painting
By Janet Dyer
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
With an undertone of cool colors, artist Janet Dyer presents a serene composition of summer in Provence, France. Lush greene...
Acrylic
Between Breaths
Located in Santa Monica, CA
**Jayne Walther's "Between Breaths, 2024"** Jayne Walther's "Between Breaths, 2024" is a striking acrylic painting that captures the essence of stillness and introspection. Measurin...
Acrylic