Abstract Figurative Paintings
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.
Artist Comments
"This woman is expressing herself and asking for attention with her red gloves," says artist Diana Rosa. "I used black lines to define...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1970s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Ceramic, Glaze
Mid-20th Century Abstract Figurative Paintings
Gouache
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
In this painting, artist Onelio Marrero endeavored to convey the atmosphere of al fresco dining. Onelio often paints scenes of people in restaurant settings w...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
1990s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Sherri posed her model, Bridget, in her backyard garden just as the sun was setting to capture the dramatic backlighting. Golden light silhouettes the figure and works with the shaded areas to build three dimensionality. A timeless and gentle portrait in the warm Arizona light.
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 to extend the drying time.
Words that describe this painting: woman, female, feminine, light, evening, garden, impressionistic, figure, figurative, person, people, Sargent, Sorolla, impressionism, people, representational, oil painting, green
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
1990s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
Artist Comments
"Simple gestures reveal much about a person's character," says artist Onelio Marrero. In this painting, Onelio has caught a moment that may seem mundane. The subject is seen tying a Windsor knot as he readies himself for the day ahead. "Each gesture in the context of the figure's surroundings hint at the character of a person." The man pictured here is the artist himself when he was in his early 40's.
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: groom, suit, figure, interior, curtain...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
1990s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil, Cardboard
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Enamel
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Ink, Watercolor
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1960s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Glitter, Acrylic, Archival Paper
Late 20th Century Abstract Figurative Paintings
Gouache
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Ink
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Acrylic Polymer, Vinyl
Early 2000s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1990s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Enamel
Early 2000s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil Pastel, Acrylic
1990s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
1980s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Paper, Ink
Artist Comments
Onelio endeavored to convey our culture's modern fixation with our phones. "It seems that wherever we are, we feel compelled to 'stay connected' even at the exp...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
Late 20th Century Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century Abstract Figurative Paintings
Gouache
1980s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
20th Century Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Archival Paper, Ink
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
Artist Comments
This piece portrays a quiet, calm feel with its soft colors and transitions. The abstract background movement suggests a winged figure and adds interest to th...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Charcoal, Oil
1950s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Board, Oil
1990s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Charcoal, Oil, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
Late 20th Century Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas