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.
Standing in Line, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
"A group of people, dressed in bright, colorful summer attire, wait in line for the store to open," describes artist John Jaster. "People watching has always ...
Acrylic
avp_1633 - Original Abstract Red Tone Contemporary Acrylic 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
avp_1632 - Original Abstract Red Tone Contemporary Acrylic 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
$300Sale Price|50% Off
Lake house, 80х80cm, print on canvas.Edition of 20 pieces
Located in Yerevan, AM
Edition of 20 pieces
Canvas, Color
$750Sale Price|25% Off
Women, 78x54cm, acrylic, paper
Located in Yerevan, AM
Women, 2023, 78x54 cm The work is sold without a frame.
Paper, Pastel, Acrylic
I Was Once a Dweller of Paradise - Painting, Acrylic on wood
Located in London, GB
Neda Dana-Haeri I Was Once a Dweller of Paradise, 2025 Acrylic on wood 30 x 22 cm 11 3/4 x 8 5/8 in
Wood, Acrylic
$825Sale Price|25% Off
Turquoise , 90x70cm, acrylic, canvas
Located in Yerevan, AM
Turquoise , 90x70cm
Canvas, Acrylic
Maple Hill, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A lone multi-colored tree stands proudly in the middle of the composition, hazy and dream-like with its undefined edges. A gentle reflection of these fall col...
Oil
Ocean Breath - Calm Textured Original Oil Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Sergei Inkatov’s original, abstract fine art oil paintings have been exhibited internationally. His expressionistic artworks are vivid and richly textured. Inkatov’s paintings radiat...
Canvas, Oil
Mountain Interval
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
I was inspired to create this piece after spending several days in the Henry Mountains in Utah. It was monsoon season and after some storms, the clouds were c...
Oil
$1,549Sale Price|20% Off
A Perfect Moment-original figurative landscape acrylic painting-contemporary Art
Located in London, Chelsea
This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet Contemporary Art Gallery and online. Therese James captures a timeless, tender scene in her paintin...
Canvas, Acrylic
$580Sale Price|38% Off
Reflections Through The Looking Glass No. 11 - Geometric Colorful Abstract Art
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Impasto-painted strokes of bright colors are the framework of artist Shiri Phillips’ abstract artworks. Inspired by the vibrant surroundings she found growing up on the Mediterranean...
Canvas, Acrylic, Ink, Mixed Media
Evening Stroll in Italy (Passeggiata), Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Evening in an italian town. The title "Passeggiata" refers to a leisurely stroll often taken after dinner where friends meet up on the street. Dramatic lighti...
Acrylic
Slice of Light, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Pamela Blaies was inspired by a little slice of light shining into her studio late one afternoon while she was cleaning up for the day. The illuminated stash ...
Oil
Yellow fields, Eleanor Woolley, Bright Art, Naive Art, Abstract Fields
Located in Deddington, GB
Yellow fields is an original painting by Eleanor Woolley. A beautiful view from May hill with the bright yellow fields of oil seed rape contrasting wildly with the ploughed patches ...
Canvas, Oil
Jam Spread
By Ella Freire
Located in Deddington, GB
Jam Spread [2021] original Acrylic on board Image size: H:40cm cm x W:40cm cm Complete Size of Unframed Work: H:2cm cm x W:40cm cm x D:2cmcm Sold Unframed Please note that insitu images are purely an indication of how a piece may look Warm pinks and orange with a shot of blue, evocative of my sunny morning walks along my favourite beach in Santa Teresa...
Acrylic, Board
"Birth of Venus" by Nasim Nekubakht; 48" x 36" Acrylic on Canvas, 2025
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
This 48" x 36" x 1.5" acrylic on canvas artwork by Iranian-born, Oklahoma-based artist Nasim Nekubakht is part of a wider series where the artist simplifies iconic historical paintin...
Canvas, Acrylic
Heartbeat
Located in East Hampton, NY
This Pollock-esque work is layered in details of pours and drips. The artist has total control of where the paint will go. Abstract Expressionism in the new world Artist Statement: ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Malayer Persian Rug – Striking Design with Red Patterns
Located in Winterswijk, NL
This piece of jewellery from southern Persia is hand-knotted from fine, hand-spun highland wool and dyed with natural vegetable dye. Highland wool is particularly hard-wearing and du...
Silk
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
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
$2,601Sale Price|20% Off
Being My Other Self - original abstract minimalist painting - contemporary Art
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
Green Fields of Sky - Painting, Oil and acrylic on canvas
Located in London, GB
Neda Dana-Haeri Green Fields of Sky, 2021 Oil and Acrylic on canvas 75 x 75 cm 29 1/2 x 29 1/2 in
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$5,200Sale Price|38% Off
Geometric Abstraction Oil Painting on Masonite by Juliette Steele, Framed
Located in Encino, CA
Untitled Geometric Abstraction, an original oil on masonite by Juliette Steele, is a piece for the true collector. Steele's use of color and patterns immediately captivates the viewer, reminding us of works by other pioneer abstractionists, such as Piet Mondrian and Wassily Kandinsky. Steele's puzzle-like, discontinuous sections draw you across and into the work. This masterful original artwork comes with a minimalist frame and would make a great addition to an art collection, enhancing most any home, and perfect for those who have an affinity for abstracts, contemporary paintings, and color-rich works of art. Artist: JULIETTE STEELE (1909-1980) Title: UNTITLED GEOMETRIC ABSTRACTION Medium & Surface: ORIGINAL OIL ON MASONITE (framed) Signed: HAND SIGNED AND DATED BY ARTIST ON VERSO Year Created: CIRCA 1950 Country of Creation: UNITED STATES Image Area Dimensions: 22 x 28 INCHES Frame Dimensions:* 23 x 29 x 1.875 INCHES *This work of art is being sold framed. If you would like to change the frame to better match your style or environment, please contact us for Custom Archival Framing options. Additional Info: HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE WORK BY JULIETTE STEELE IN GREAT CONDITION CONSISTENT WITH AGE. THIS IS AN EXCEPTIONAL EXAMPLE OF THE ARTIST'S STYLE AND TECHNIQUE. THE FRAME IS A MINIMALIST WOOD FRAME WITH VERY MINOR SIGNS OF WEAR CONSISTENT WITH AGE. Artist Info/Bio: ARTIST BIOGRAPHY DOCUMENT IS INCLUDED Documentation: CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY IS INCLUDED About the Artist: Juliette Steele, an American artist, was an accomplished printmaker, painter and teacher. Steele was part of the Geometric Abstraction and Abstract Expressionism movements. Her peers included Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Hans Hofmann, Willem de Kooning, Franz Kline, and Clyfford Still. Steele was born in 1909 in Union City, New Jersey. In the late 1920s, she moved to New York to study art and fashion design at the Traphagen School of Design. A decade later, she moved to San Francisco with husband Edward Steele, and earned a Bachelor of Art degree from San Francisco State College. In the 1940s, Steele found inspiration from the new city, and produced a series of lithographs depicting San Francisco landmarks. At the same time, she earned a Master of Fine Arts from Stanford University, and continued her studies at the California School of Fine Arts in San Francisco. Here, she studied with Ray Bertrand and Clay Spohn...
Oil
$1,425Sale Price|25% Off
Blue whale , 100x120cm, acrylic, canvas
Located in Yerevan, AM
Blue whale , 100x120cm
Canvas, Acrylic
$200Sale Price|20% Off
Chroessi Schnell - "Lefthandcompositions" - abstract and natural forms drawings
Located in Winterswijk, NL
Chroessi Schnell - "Lefthandcompositions". Abstract and natural forms (Abstract Art, Figurative Art): Series of 8. Drawn with the left hand because of recurring pain in the right h...
Paper
$472Sale Price|25% Off
Reflections Through The Looking Glass No. 9 - Geometric Colorful 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, Ink, Mixed Media
$270Sale Price|55% Off
Oysters, 80х80cm, print on canvas.Edition of 20 pieces
Located in Yerevan, AM
Edition of 20 pieces
Canvas, Color
$915
Whimsical Wall Art, Small 3D Nature-Inspired Abstract Wall Sculpture in Purple
Located in Sofia, BG
Textured Abstract 3D Organic Sculpture, Nature Inspired Organic Wall Art Dimensions: Height: 15.75 in (40 cm) Width: 11.03 in (28 cm) Depth: 7.88 in (20 cm) Weight: 2.2 lbs / 1 kg...
Organic Material, Ink, Mixed Media
$8,500Sale Price|64% Off
Massive 7-Foot Abstract Oil Painting on Canvas by Ed Gilliam, Frameless Display
By Ed Gilliam
Located in Encino, CA
Untitled Abstract, an original oil on canvas by Edward Gilliam, is a piece for the true collector. Gilliam's use of color and paint thickness immediately captivates the viewer. It is...
Oil, Canvas
$1,771Sale Price|20% Off
Our Blossom Time-original landscape figurative oil painting-contemporary Art
Located in London, Chelsea
This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet Contemporary Art Gallery and online. "Our Blossom Time" by Therese James invites viewers into a ser...
Canvas, 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
$675Sale Price|25% Off
series "Shells", 86x44 cm, acrylic on paper
By Tatiana Nega
Located in Yerevan, AM
series "Shells", 86x44 cm, acrylic on paper The work is sold without a frame and mat
Paper, Acrylic
Vintage Basquiat gallery announcement NY 1994
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Jean-Michel Basquiat at Tony Shafrazi Gallery: Vintage original 1990s announcement published on the occasion of Jean-Michel Basquiat at Tony Shafrazi Gallery, New York, November 20, ...
Offset
$1,950
Celebration 6 - Abstract Expressionist Vibrant Blue Tone Textural Drip Painting
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
$300Sale Price|50% Off
Lake house, 80х80cm, print on canvas.Edition of 20 pieces
Located in Yerevan, AM
Edition of 20 pieces
Canvas, Color
Great Dune
By Paul Dempsey
Located in East Hampton, NY
Snow Fence on Dunes in the Hamptons Black & White Photography Printed to order edition of 10 Title: Great Dune Year: 2018 Medium: Photography (printed on metal) Size: 20" x 30" ...
Metal
Artist Palette / Statue - Original Abstract Layered Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Califonia artist, Brandon Neher captivates with his figurative abstract artworks that seamlessly blend German Expressionism and Pop Abstraction. His original paintings on canvas embo...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,065
avp_1035 - 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...
Acrylic, Paper
$40,000
After Egypt
By Cleve Gray
Located in Phoenix, AZ
oil on canvas Cleve Gray is a painter admired for his large-scale, vividly colorful, and lyrically gestural abstract compositions. He achieved his greatest critical recognition in ...
Canvas, Oil
$1,800
Joan Kahn Indigo Denim Blue Color Abstract Expressionist Modernist Oil Painting
Located in Surfside, FL
Oil paint on heavy paper. (this might possibly be acrylic paint) This does not appear to be signed. Joan Kahn (USA 1953-) grew up in New York City; Princeton, New Jersey; and Vermont; in an environment that patronized the arts. At home her father, a professor, and mother, a state economist and homemaker, collected nineteenth and twentieth century drawings and prints, Middle eastern rugs, and ceramics, pewter, and old tools. Her grandfather, Max Westfield, was an academically trained portrait painter and her great uncle was a well-known gallery owner and art dealer in pre-World War II Germany. One of the influential experiences of Joan’s youth was visiting her grandfather in his studio in Tennessee where the family had first immigrated. Growing up near New York, and spending a year in Paris during high school, provided formative visits to museums and galleries. Joan was academically talented in grade and high school, but after her father’s death during her first years at university she found herself concentrating on studio and history of art. It was a subject above others absorbed and concentrated her focus. Influential in Joan’s development and later work are the historic movements of the Bauhaus and Modernist design and architecture, geometric art and design of diverse cultures, Color Field Painting. Many artists have had a impact on her work, such as Paul Klee, Piet Mondrian, Sonia Delaunay, Mark Rothko, Ad Reinhardt, Antoni Tapies, David Smith, John McLaughlin, Tony Smith, Louise Nevelson, Robert Mangold, Ellsworth Kelly, Agnes Martin, Valerie Jaudon, Jasper Johns, James Turrell, Robert Irwin, Vija Celmins, Caio Fonseca, Peter Halley, Ed Moses, Juan Usle, and Nancy Haynes...
Oil
$6,300
Frame, 2024, vibrant, jewel-like, diaphanous strips of fabric collages
Located in New York, NY
Linda Kamille Schmidt plays with emotional connections and memory in her smaller, framed works. In their encasements, each collage appears as a portal; a...
Fabric, Thread, Pins
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
"Feng Shui, " Mixed-Media Kite
Located in Chicago, IL
Chicago-based artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites crafted from split bamboo frames covered with stretched muslin and a collage of vintage Asian ephemera—including fragments of fabric, scrolls, drawings, and books collected during his travels. In “Feng Shui...
Muslin, Silk, Wood
$2,400
Joan Kahn Rome Vibrant Bold Color Abstract Expressionist Modernist Oil Painting
Located in Surfside, FL
Oil paint on heavy tar paper. Hand signed and dated verso. Joan Kahn (USA 1953-) grew up in New York City; Princeton, New Jersey; and Vermont; in an environment that patronized the arts. At home her father, a professor, and mother, a state economist and homemaker, collected nineteenth and twentieth century drawings and prints, Middle eastern rugs, and ceramics, pewter, and old tools. Her grandfather, Max Westfield, was an academically trained portrait painter and her great uncle was a well-known gallery owner and art dealer in pre-World War II Germany. One of the influential experiences of Joan’s youth was visiting her grandfather in his studio in Tennessee where the family had first immigrated. Growing up near New York, and spending a year in Paris during high school, provided formative visits to museums and galleries. Joan was academically talented in grade and high school, but after her father’s death during her first years at university she found herself concentrating on studio and history of art. It was a subject above others absorbed and concentrated her focus. Influential in Joan’s development and later work are the historic movements of the Bauhaus and Modernist design and architecture, geometric art and design of diverse cultures, Color Field Painting. Many artists have had a impact on her work, such as Paul Klee, Piet Mondrian, Sonia Delaunay, Mark Rothko, Ad Reinhardt, Antoni Tapies, David Smith, John McLaughlin, Tony Smith, Louise Nevelson, Robert Mangold, Ellsworth Kelly, Agnes Martin, Valerie Jaudon, Jasper Johns, James Turrell, Robert Irwin, Vija Celmins, Caio Fonseca, Peter Halley, Ed Moses, Juan Usle, and Nancy Haynes...
Oil
$6,900
Flux, 2024, vibrant, jewel-like, diaphanous strips of fabric collages
Located in New York, NY
Linda Kamille Schmidt plays with emotional connections and memory in her smaller, framed works. In their encasements, each collage appears as a portal; a...
Fabric, Thread
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
Close to Heart 2 - Wood sculpture by Zlata Kornilova
Located in Paris, FR
Sculpture Close to Heart 2 Limited edition of 12 Mediums: old pine, steel, acrylic hand painted, oil CLOSE TO HEART - Collection Working on the series I used a “wood with history”...
Steel
Dilly Dallying, Original Abstract Painting, Original Art, Expressionist
By Janet Keith
Located in Deddington, GB
The Way Home is an original abstract painting by Janet Keith. The Way Home is an expressive, gestural painting evoking a feeling of movement, light and fresh air. The painting is bui...
Canvas, Acrylic
Black and White
Located in La Canada Flintridge, CA
The artist Pinajian signed lower right with ink. it is ink on paper.
Archival Ink
$2,150
Fly Me to the Moon - Monochrome Abstract Acrylic Textural Drip Metallic Painting
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
$315Sale Price|55% Off
What mask are you wearing? 80x80cm, print on canvas.Edition of 20 pieces
Located in Yerevan, AM
Edition of 20 pieces
Canvas, Color
$3,210Sale Price|20% Off
A Stroll Through - original impressionism cityscape painting - contemporary art
By Shazia Imran
Located in London, Chelsea
This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet Contemporary Art Gallery and online. “A Stroll Through the Mist” by Shazia Imran takes viewers on a...
Canvas, Oil
$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
To Battle
Located in New York, NY
Woodcut printed in blue on tan wove paper, 1950. Signed by the artist and dated in pencil, lower center margin. Numbered 4/11 in pencil, lower left margin. Printed and published ...
Woodcut
$4,416Sale Price|20% Off
Luminous- original abstract impressionism waterscape painting - contemporary art
Located in London, Chelsea
This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet Contemporary Art Gallery and online. Immerse yourself in the tranquil teal blue world of Adam Zolto...
Canvas, Acrylic
"Outside The Pub". Contemporary Figurative Oil Painting
Located in Brecon, Powys
Christopher Barrow has studied the smallest details of life in urban society and translated these details into engaging paintings. His scenes are familiar to us but also ever so slig...
Oil, Board
$35,000
Rocks, Post-Modern Abstract Landscape Woven Tapestry, Textile Sculpture
Located in Wilton, CT
Rocks (1985), Wool, Post-Modern Abstract Landscape Woven Tapestry, Textile Sculpture. Zofia Butrymowicz (1904-1987) was born in Warsaw, Poland. Artis...
Fabric, Textile, Tapestry, Wool
$1,986Sale Price|20% Off
Funky Punky Rockers (New York) - original cityscape painting-contemporary Art
Located in London, Chelsea
This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet Contemporary Art Gallery and online. In "Funky Punky Rockers," Therese James captures the vibrant a...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,125Sale Price|25% Off
Evening mood , 60x60cm, oil on canvas
Located in Yerevan, AM
Evening mood , 60x60cm, oil on canvas
Canvas, Oil