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.
A Quiet Evening Garden
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 97×97 cm (overall size with stretching 107×107 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled This painting captures a quiet, intimate moment set within a lush ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Within the Radiance
Located in Zofingen, AG
Within the Radiance Size: 120×97 cm (overall size with stretching 130×107 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled This painting is part of the series “Past Pass...
Canvas, Acrylic
Dreaming in the Flow of Time
Located in Zofingen, AG
Dreaming in the Flow of Time Size: 97×97 cm (overall size with stretching 107×107 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled This painting is a key piece of the "P...
Canvas, Acrylic
Umbrella - Silent Rain No.10, Abstract Painting, 21st Century, Acryl, Clay
By Roger König
Located in Dessau-Rosslau, Sachsen Anhalt
Part of Roger König's iconic Umbrella Series, this original mixed media artwork explores themes of protection, memory, resilience and human presence. The umbrella is not a symbol of ...
Clay, Acrylic
Crazy Apartment - Abstract Figurative Cubist Portrait Still Life Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Valerie Etitinwo's unique approach to abstract figurative painting celebrates the unconventional beauty found in imperfection and awkwardness. The Nigerian-Swiss artist uses bold col...
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$4,500
"Where Are We Going, From Here?", Abstract Expressionist, Figures, Oil Painting
By Sorin Bica
Located in Franklin, MA
Sorin Bica's "Where Are We Going, From Here?" is a 36 x 36 x 2 inch abstract expressionist oil painting on canvas. Two seated, elongated blue-toned figures with warm red, orange, and...
Canvas, Oil
"I Have Your Back", Abstract Expressionist, Portrait, Red, Blue, Oil Painting
By Sorin Bica
Located in Franklin, MA
Sorin Bica's "I Have Your Back" is a 30 x 30 x 2 inch abstract expressionist oil painting on canvas. Abstract double-faced portrait in vivid red, blue, and yellow tones, bold brushst...
Canvas, Oil
“Let’s Play”
Located in Zofingen, AG
The painting "Let’s Play" immerses the viewer in a playful world, inviting them into a fairy tale reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland. The girl holds a small rabbit tightly in her arm...
Canvas, Acrylic
"Rider on Blue Horse" Contemporary Outsider Urban Expressionism Painting Framed
By Purvis Young
Located in New York, NY
The painting is an expressive, abstract work by Purvis Young with a strong emphasis on dynamic brushwork and a limited color palette dominated by deep cobalt blues, off-whites, and s...
Mixed Media, Found Objects, Magazine Paper
The Fountain in the Garden of Eden
Located in Zofingen, AG
“Fountain in the Garden of Eden” is a painterly dialogue between Albrecht Dürer’s images of Adam and Eve and Marcel Duchamp’s Fountain. In this work, the classical narrative merges w...
Canvas, Acrylic
The Foundation
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 110×97 cm (overall size with stretching 120×107 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled the series "The Inviolable Reserve" Painting "The Foundation" is ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Blush of Spring II - Impressionistic Painting on Linen Canvas, floral art
Located in Zofingen, AG
Blush of Spring II captures a quiet moment of early bloom. Delicate pink buds and soft white petals emerge along slender branches, floating gently across a pale green background. The...
Canvas, Linen, Acrylic
Dos Con Copas, Abstract Expressionist Acrylic Painting on Canvas, 2010
By Ramon Poch
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
146 original acrylic painting Born in Badalona (Barcelona). Photographer and advertising film director. Founding partner of the advertising production company La Cosa de las Pelicul...
Canvas, Acrylic
Where They Do Not Touch
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 110×97 cm (overall size with stretching 120×107 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled Series: Inner Rooms Artwork: Where They Do Not Touch This work op...
Canvas, Acrylic
$760
Contemporary abstract expressionist woman's portrait on paper "Present moment"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“Present Moment” is a contemporary abstract portrait by French artist Natalya Mougenot, created as part of her ongoing series dedicated to women and their inner emotional landscapes....
Paper, Acrylic
$7,900
"Find Your Own Path", Abstract Expressionist, Figurative, Purple, Oil Painting
By Sorin Bica
Located in Franklin, MA
Sorin Bica's "Find Your Own Path" is a 80 x 62 x 2 inch abstract expressionist oil painting on canvas. This modern painting features bold purple, white, orange, and red tones with la...
Canvas, Oil
The Vigilant Guardian
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 130×97 cm (overall size with stretching 140×107 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled the series "The Inviolable Reserve" This artwork explores the them...
Canvas, Acrylic
"Imagine", Abstract Expressionist, Red, Yellow, White, Blue, Oil Painting
By Sorin Bica
Located in Franklin, MA
Sorin Bica's "Imagine" is a 50 x 38 inch oil painting on canvas. It's an expressive, abstract painting of a seated figure rendered in bold, almost glowing blocks of color. The person...
Canvas, Oil
$1,520Sale Price|20% Off
The Guardians and the Carnival: Large Abstract Painting, Colorful, Joy, Modern
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: The Guardians and the Carnival Abstract Painting Modern Bold Invest Colorful Large Contemporary Joy Love the detail in this artwork by Karnish. This work is part of a serie...
Gesso, Canvas, Wood, Spray Paint, Acrylic, Color Pencil, Stretcher Bars
Whispers in Blue - Abstract Figurative Landscape Textured Impasto Oil Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ekaterina Ermilkina’s original, abstract fine art paintings are created using a skillful combination of applying and removing oil paint with a palette knife on canvas. Her inspiratio...
Canvas, Oil
Close to Me
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 97×97 cm (overall size with stretching 107×107 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled This painting is part of the series “Past Passing Me By”. The figu...
Canvas, Acrylic
Sanctuary of the Soul
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 97×97 cm (overall size with stretching 107×107 cm) Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: stretched canvas My painting "Sanctuary of the Soul" invites the viewer to reflect on...
Canvas, Acrylic
Mediterranean Garden (Under the Mandarin Trees)
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work emerges at the intersection of a personal journey through Italy and the universal image of the garden as a space of harmony and inner order. The Mediterranean garden here i...
Canvas, Acrylic
Early Morning
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work is part of the Inner Landscapes series, in which the landscape becomes part of a memory, a lived state, or emotions that cannot be expressed in words and can only be felt. ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Large Figural Abstract Late 1960s Painting, Mexican American Artist
By Miguel Conde
Located in Beachwood, OH
Miguel Condé (Mexican/American, b. 1939) Untitled, 1968 Oil on canvas Signed and dated verso 55.25 x 44 inches Miguel Condé is a Mexican figurative painter, draughtsman, and print m...
Oil
$1,957
Large French 20th C. Reclining Female Abstract Figures Figurative Oil Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Large French Reclining Female Abstract Figurative Expressionist Oil Painting signed by Gilbert Pelissier (French, born 1924) French abstract expressionist oil painting on canvas, unf...
Oil
"Wild White Horses" Contemporary Outsider Urban Expressionism Painting Framed
By Purvis Young
Located in New York, NY
The painting is an expressive, abstract work by Purvis Young with a strong emphasis on dynamic brushwork and a limited color palette dominated by deep reds, off-whites, and subtle ac...
Found Objects, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Cardboard
"Should I Be Worried?", Abstract Expressionist, Portrait, Red, Oil Painting
By Sorin Bica
Located in Franklin, MA
Sorin Bica's "Should I Be Worried?" is a 60 x 40 inch abstract expressionist oil painting. The image is a vivid, stylized portrait of a woman painted in bold, expressive colors and t...
Canvas, Oil
The Blue Dress 3 - Minimalist Figurative Original Ink Painting on Paper
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Bettina Mauel expresses vitality and sensuality in her abstract and figurative paintings. “I paint what I experience,” she articulates. “This includes landscapes, dancers and people ...
Linen, Ink, Mixed Media
$850
A Lively, Abstract 1950s Mid-Century Modern Sporting Themed Painting, "Swimmers"
Located in Chicago, IL
A Lively 1950s Surrealist Mid-Century Modern Sporting- Themed Abstract Painting, "Swimmers", by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). Oil on Masonite, dating from 1...
Masonite, Oil
Infinite Harmonies - Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Abstract, 48in x 60in
By Mario Angel
Located in Mississauga, CA
This large-format acrylic on canvas masterpiece, titled "Infinite Harmonies", represents a stunning breakthrough in modern abstract surrealism. Moving completely away from convention...
Canvas, Acrylic
$3,275
Stronger Together - Underwater Figurative Ocean Outdoor Swimmer Oil Panting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Artist Michelle Fillmore discovered her passion for oil painting while pursuing her studies at the University of Las Vegas, where she earned a BA in Painting and Drawing in 2015. Kno...
Canvas, Oil
Scene, Sand and Sky - Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Abstract, 48in x 60in
By Mario Angel
Located in Mississauga, CA
This large-format acrylic on canvas masterpiece, titled "Scene, Sand and Sky", stands as a monumental achievement in contemporary surreal landscape painting. Rejecting traditional re...
Canvas, Acrylic
$22,500
Saturday on Wednesday, Large Abstract Expressionist Acrylic Painting, 20th C.
Located in Beachwood, OH
Richard Andres (American, 1927–2013) Saturday on Wednesday, c. 1975 acrylic on canvas signed lower right, signed and titled verso 48.5 x 62.5 inches Richard Andres was born in Buff...
Acrylic
$2,900
"I Can Assure You", Abstract Expressionist, Portrait, Yellow, Blue, Oil Painting
By Sorin Bica
Located in Franklin, MA
Sorin Bica's "I Can Assure You" is a 24 x 24 x 2 inch abstract expressionist oil painting on canvas. This painting is a surreal abstract portrait of three faces in an intimate embrac...
Canvas, Oil
Contemporary abstract expressionist nature canvas "Colors of the summer horizon"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Colors of the Summer Horizon" is a dynamic, contemporary abstract landscape by French artist Natalya Mougenot, part of her Nature series, where she explores the natural world throug...
Canvas, Acrylic
2303 - Original Figurative Neutral Abstract Artwork
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Swiss artist Edith Konrad paints figurative abstract compositions with mixed media on canvas. She layers her expression of her emotional response to the subjects with dynamic texture...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
Whispers of Willingness
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work echoes the theme of a quiet inner decision — that moment when a willingness to open up to the light is born from within. White blossoms appear as a language of softness tha...
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,048
Contemporary large abstract expressionist floral painting "Just flowers"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Just Flowers" is a modern Expressionist floral painting with Fauvist-inspired color and gestural abstraction. Three vivid red blossoms rise against a luminous turquoise backdrop, ea...
Paper, Acrylic
Julia Martins Miranda Large Abstract Oil Painting Warm Ochre Terracotta Tones
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
This work is presented in a scroll-like (parchment-style) format, with the painting executed on a flexible support and suspended using metal rods at the top and bottom, allowing the ...
Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
A Moment Together by Gaetan de Seguin Figurative contemporary Painting
Located in DE
Contemporary figurative painting with lots of details and movement. Beautiful statement piece for any art collection. Combining a lot of different colors in any interiors and settin...
Canvas, Acrylic
City of Angels - Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Abstract, 48in x 60in
By Mario Angel
Located in Mississauga, CA
This striking acrylic on canvas by Mario Angel, titled "City of Angels," offers a compelling journey into figurative abstraction, where the artist masterfully weaves together themes ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,980
Love Conquers All - Extra Large Abstract Painting, Bold Colors, New, Maximalism
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Love Conquers All - Omnia Vincit Amor Extra Large Abstract Investment Bold Color Large rendition in the Unchained Expressions series. It attempts to map the road to freedom...
Acrylic, Gesso, Canvas, Oil, Spray Paint, Color Pencil
$1,756Sale Price|25% Off
Mid Century Don Quixote Portrait Spanish Catalan Expressionist Oil
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Mid Century Don Quixote Portrait Spanish Catalan Expressionist Oil TECHNICAL SHEET Oil on canvas Mid-20th century 55 × 33 cm (21.7 × 13 in) Frame: 58 × 36 cm (22.8 × 14.2 in) Signed lower right Metal frame with matte finish Very good overall condition DESCRIPTION Striking Mid-Century modernist interpretation of Don Quixote by Jaume Muxart, executed in a strong Catalan Neo-Figurative Expressionist language characteristic of Spanish post-war painting. The elongated vertical figure is constructed through palette-knife structure and dense impasto, reducing Cervantes’ legendary knight to a symbolic psychological presence rather than a literal portrait. The helmet-like white head emerging from a deep burgundy background creates a dramatic apparition typical of Muxart’s mature figurative period. The figure represents Don Quixote as an existential literary archetype frequently explored in Spanish modern painting and particularly within the renewal of Catalan modern art associated with artists connected to the Grupo Taüll, one of the key movements in the evolution of post-war avant-garde painting in Barcelona. Compact in scale but visually intense, the painting combines strong decorative presence with the intellectual depth characteristic of Muxart’s Quixote interpretations. ARTIST BIO Jaume Muxart (1922–2019) was a major Catalan painter and founding member of the influential Grupo Taüll, alongside Antoni Tàpies, Modest Cuixart, Josep Guinovart and Joan-Josep Tharrats. After early exhibitions in Barcelona in the late 1940s he travelled to Paris on scholarship, where he encountered the international avant-garde that shaped his expressive language. He later represented Spain at the São Paulo Biennial and exhibited widely across Europe and the Americas. Muxart served as professor and later dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Barcelona and became a member of the Royal Catalan Academy of Fine Arts of Sant Jordi. His work is held in numerous institutional and private collections. ARTISTIC CONTEXT / INSPIRATION This painting belongs to the expressive Neo-Figurative tradition developed in post-war Spain and Catalonia, where literary archetypes such as Don Quixote became vehicles for psychological and symbolic exploration. Comparable resonances can be found in the structural figuration of Bernard Buffet, the expressive intensity of Antonio Saura, and the material experimentation associated with Antoni Tàpies, Modest Cuixart and Josep Guinovart within the post-war Catalan avant-garde. don quixote painting...
Oil
$318Sale Price|20% Off
20th Century French Expressionist Wacky Figures In Blue and Green Abstract
By Akos Biro
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Wacky Abstract by Akos Biro (Hungarian 1911-2002) pastel painting on card, unframed painting: 8.5 x 7 inches provenance: the artists estate, France condition: good and fai...
Pastel
$1,760Sale Price|20% Off
Absolute Wealth - Large Contemporary Abstract Maximalism Painting, Ready to Hang
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Absolute Wealth Large Painting Absolute Wealth - Contemporary Abstract Colorful Maximalism Bold Invest Another soulful artwork by Karnish. Symbols and forms unfold in this m...
Gesso, Canvas, Acrylic, Wood, Charcoal, Spray Paint, Color Pencil, Stret...
"Umbrella - Silent Rain No.2, Abstract Painting, 21st Century, Acryl, Clay
By Roger König
Located in Dessau-Rosslau, Sachsen Anhalt
Part of Roger König's iconic Umbrella Series, this original mixed media artwork explores themes of protection, memory, resilience and human presence. The umbrella is not a symbol of ...
Clay, Acrylic
$819
Contemporary abstract expressionist woman's portrait on paper "Rising Self"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
Contemporary expressive female portrait inspired by Matisse, bold Fauvist color modern art painting celebrating feminine strength, authenticity, and inner transformation. In Rising ...
Paper, Acrylic
$4,680
Contours of Community by Gaetan de Seguin - Figurative contemporary Painting
Located in DE
Contemporary figurative painting with lots of details and movement. Beautiful statement piece for any art collection. Combining a lot of different colors in any interiors and setting...
Canvas, Acrylic
Daydreaming - Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Abstract, 36in x 36in
By Mario Angel
Located in Mississauga, CA
This striking acrylic on canvas by Mario Angel, titled "Daydreaming," presents a fascinating immersion into figurative abstraction. The composition centers around a labyrinth of inte...
Canvas, Acrylic
$10,650
"umbrella girl in the rain " RK5D, Abstract, Painting, 21st Century, Acrylic
By Roger König
Located in Dessau-Rosslau, Sachsen Anhalt
Part of Roger König's iconic Umbrella Series, this original mixed media artwork explores themes of protection, memory, resilience and human presence. The umbrella is not a symbol of ...
Clay, Acrylic
"Angela" Abstract Figure with Gown French Haute Couture Oil Painting on Paper
By Cindy Shaoul
Located in New York, NY
Exploring the purity of the feminine form and the drama of French haute couture, artist Cindy Shaoul creates a dialogue between the figurative and the abstract. Her spirited composit...
Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic, Archival Paper
"Paris in Oscar de la Renta" French Haute Couture Gown Oil Painting on Paper
By Cindy Shaoul
Located in New York, NY
Exploring the purity of the feminine form and the drama of French haute couture, artist Cindy Shaoul creates a dialogue between the figurative and the abstract. Her spirited composit...
Mixed Media, Oil, Archival Paper
$362
Abstract impressionist nature acrylic on paper "Serenity in the mountains"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary abstract impressionist nature painting, infused with a touch of modernity and expressive flair, is titled "Serenity in the Mountains." Vibrant and evocative, this ...
Paper, Acrylic
$1,850
Komorebi -21st Century, Contemporary, Abstract Expression, Friendship, Nature
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
There are days I find myself looking back at moments that live quietly in memory, days filled with laughter, noise, and the warmth of people I once stood beside. I painted this from ...
Canvas, Ink, Acrylic
"Wine-Tasting Holiday in Provence" Contemporary Expressionism Nature Leisure
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
Contemporary Oil Painting – Original Artwork on Stretched Canvas, Ready to Hang (60 × 50 × 1.5 cm / 23.6 × 19.7 × 0.6 in) – "Wine-Tasting Holiday in Provence" “Wine-Tasting Holiday ...
Canvas, Oil
$526
Contemporary abstract impressionist expressive floral painting "Meadow song"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Meadow Song" is a vibrant floral composition by French artist Natalya Mougenot, part of her ongoing series dedicated to flowers — a subject she approaches not as decoration or botan...
Canvas, Acrylic
Vintage Cactus Will James Ranch Saddle
Located in Dallas, TX
Colored pencil & graphite on paper
Paper, Color Pencil, Graphite
Macrocosm - Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Abstract, 48in x 60in
By Mario Angel
Located in Mississauga, CA
This large-format acrylic on canvas masterpiece, titled "Macrocosm", stands as a monumental achievement in contemporary surreal figurative abstraction. Rejecting traditional represen...
Canvas, Acrylic
"Chanel in Paris" Figure with Gown French Haute Couture Oil Painting on Paper
By Cindy Shaoul
Located in New York, NY
Exploring the purity of the feminine form and the drama of French haute couture, artist Cindy Shaoul creates a dialogue between the figurative and the abstract. Her spirited composit...
Paper, Oil, Acrylic