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.
20th Century Abstract Figurative Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
A flowing, expressionist portrait of woman lost in dance and embracing the promise of a new day. "I created this painting as 2020 drew to a close and 2021 daw...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
A small bright yellow bird closely perches beside a young woman. Artist Sharon Sieben rendered this expressionist portrait with thick painterly strokes and fragments of dispersed bright colors. The woman, caught in a moment of thought, stands before a lightly shaded background while she entertains the personal visit.
About the Artist
Sharon Sieben prefers working in a loose, fluid technique and finds inspiration in the most unexpected things. Her parents bought her a set of oil paints when she was ten years old and it sparked her love of art. She especially admires the work of Impressionist artists such as Paul Cezanne because of how they broke tradition. When she's not making art, she enjoys reading and playing classical guitar and piano. She currently lives in Arizona.
Words that describe this painting: portrait, face, expressionism, bird, woman, expressionism, people, acrylic painting, blue
Bird Song...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Gesso, Charcoal, Oil Crayon, Oil, Permanent Marker
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century Abstract Figurative Paintings
Gouache
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
"It's all about the subject and the light," says artist Faye Vander Veer, when asked about her inspiration for this painting. "I saw this young girl talking o...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Clay, Acrylic
1960s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Masonite, Oil
20th Century Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
20th Century Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
20th Century Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
A child flies through the air, embraced by her mother. Laughter fills the atmosphere as she feels the wind in her hair. With arms outstretched, the girl feels as though she is one with flight. "This is a poetic painting of a young girl being swung around to mimic the surrounding birds," explains artist Kip Decker.
About the Artist
Kip Decker boasts more than 40 years of experience with acrylic paint. His images come from places he has lived - everywhere from Arizona to Oregon to Colorado. He finds inspiration in nature and admires the work of Post Impressionist artists. He likes to think of his artwork as "lyrical expressionism." Kip currently lives across the street from a small lake where he enjoys watching the birds.
Words that describe this painting: seagulls, girl, beach, mother, child, flying, flight, play, birds, impressionism, people, acrylic painting, blue
Flying with the Gulls...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Acrylic
1960s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Gouache, Archival Paper
1960s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
A cluster of butterflies beckons a young woman. Artist Sharon Sieben used graphite and acrylic paint to create this expressionistic portrait. With Sharon's th...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Acrylic
1980s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Wax
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Board
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Fabric, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Paper, Oil
Artist Comments
"No matter where they are, a flower is a flower!" says artist Sharon Sieben. She offers an expressive portrait of a hummingbird attracted to a blooming flower...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Masonite, Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Fabric, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Archival Paper
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Gold Leaf
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Artist Comments
A gentle touch, a delicate figure, a woman glows under a warm dappled ray of sunlight. "I especially enjoyed painting all of the beautiful colors in this scene," artist Sherri Aldawood says about capturing her model Alana, posing in a garden one spring morning.
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: portrait, woman, figure, figurative, Arizona, southwest, garden, nature, outdoors, spring, flowers, floral, John Singer Sargent, Joaquin Sorolla, impressionism, female, romantic, impressionism, people, oil painting, green
Alana in the Flower Garden...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Coffee, India Ink, Paper, Ink, Mixed Media
Artist Comments
A playful scene of four boys getting ready to take their surfboards into the cool summer waters. While contemplating the incoming waves, the sun moves across the sky drawing long shadows on the sand. "This piece reminds me of fun relaxing times at the beach during the summer months," shares artist Claudia Verciani.
About the Artist
Inspired by the great Impressionist painters, Claudia uses paint emotionally to depict the beauty of life. She is most inspired by light, and as such, tends to paint en plein air frequently. Claudia strives to capture singular, transient moments in time in which the contrast between light and dark values are striking. She presents a body of work that conveys traditionally Impressionist influences across varying choices of subject matter.
Words that describe this painting: beach, ocean, boys, play, impressionism, seascape, surf, surfboards, shore, sand, water, waves, children, kids, impressionism, people, seascape, representational, oil painting, blue
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic