Abstract Interior 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.
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
20th Century Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Glue, Acrylic, Other Medium
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Faye Vander Veer depicts an afternoon in Piazza, Navona, after a gentle rain. She balances the composition, drawing the viewer in as they move among th...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Kip Decker pictures an abandoned barn and silo in the upstate, capturing the rustic countryside as autumn finally sets in. Wildflowers blanket the tang...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Varnish, Mixed Media, Pigment, Other Medium
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Glue, Acrylic, Other Medium
Artist Comments
Artist Faye Vander Veer depicts a late afternoon at a cafe in Rome. Understanding design, value, and color harmony, Faye demonstrates these with keen attention to detail. "You first notice the waiter carefully placing crystal wine glasses on the table," shares Faye. "Then leading to the lady in blue...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Ink, Acrylic, Cardboard
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
1960s Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Stanislav Sidorov presents an expressionist overhead view of Meissen Germany as part of his Cityscape series. The scene boasts old European architecture and stands beautifully in vibrant colors. Blue gusts of wind blow over the red roofs of the houses on a fantastic autumn day. Stanislav paints with a palette knife for a sharp application of structure and color.
About the Artist
Stanislav Sidorov saturates his canvas with the expressive color characteristic of the Russian...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
I spent time in beautiful Provence this summer. Its serene countryside, ancient villages, and the glorious booming lavender fields all inspired this painting....
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
In the style of the Impressionists, artist Faye Vander Veer captures the essence of the early evening glow of the city. She de...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Faye Vander Veer depicts a warm summer day in the city of Vernazza, located in the Cinque Terre region of Italy. Crowds...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Varnish, Pigment, Other Medium, Mixed Media
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Wood, Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
The beauty of the mundane shines on artist Benjamin Thomas' painting of a gracefully lit wall. He captures the brief moment while having lunch on the porch wi...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Enamel
Artist Comments
In this painting, artist Doug Cosbie features small-scale American tobacco farms with their fields. Each has a curing shed that is attached to the main structure. "The atmosphere is humid after the rain, and the air has an overwhelming but delightfully sweet and pungent smell."
About the Artist
Artist Doug Cosbie presents the vibrancy found in nature with his impressionist, rural architecture centered artwork. Longing to create something that connects with people, Cosbie spent countless years perfecting how he portrays the world on canvas. Within his journey, he studied as an apprentice in the studios of Sam Black and Jack Shadbolt. As a plein air artist, Doug's studio is a portable pochade box...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Glue, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Wood, Paper, Mixed Media, Watercolor
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Yellow victorian on a quiet street in Cary, North Carolina. Bright spring light shines from the right, illuminating the new growth in the yard and casting an ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Epoxy Resin, Varnish, Pigment, Other Medium
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
Artist Comments
Artist Sherri Aldawood came across this old church in a forested area east of Santa Fe, New Mexico. "The setting sun cast a warm glow on the building, which I found very appealing," she says.
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: Santa Fe, New Mexico, southwest, western, architecture, Christian, Catholic, adobe, mountains, forest, church, building, architecture, impressionism, western, representational, oil painting, green
Old New Mexico Church...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Graphite
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic, Wood Panel
Artist Comments
Artist Catherine McCargar paints a classic white house perched on top of a hill. Lush greenery circles the delightful scene. She depicts serene surroundings r...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil, Panel
Artist Comments
Light slowly filters through branches and leaves as the sun gradually rises. "It was early morning, the birds were singing, the light falling on the road was ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
1990s Abstract Interior Paintings
Paper, Watercolor
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Oil Pastel, Spray Paint
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Graphite
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...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
Early 2000s Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
A scene from heritage dairy and traditional crop farms located north of Frederick, Maryland. Artist Doug Cosbie painted the structures in oil, based on a plei...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Varnish, Mixed Media, Pigment, Other Medium
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Marble
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Paper, Acrylic