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, Wood, Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Spray Paint, Archival Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
"Fall is a transitional time of year," says artist Brian McCarty. Golden leaves dot an evergreen yard and driveway of a quiet home. Strong trees stand tall as...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
1990s Abstract Interior Paintings
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Artist Brian McCarty depicts a quiet rural home behind a red barn. Surrounded by a field of grass and autumnal trees, a car sits on the winding dirt path. "Everyday life is caught in a moment," says Brian. "Arriving home, or getting ready to leave home. A lazy afternoon." Just the type of subject Brian loves to paint.
About the Artist
Artist Brian McCarty paints idyllic landscapes and bucolic architecture. “Growing up in rural New Jersey, I’ve always found old houses, barns, and the countryside interesting subjects,†says Brian. Influenced by his mom who was a self-taught artist and art teacher, she encouraged Brian to pursue anything artistic. After graduating from Newark School of Fine and Industrial Art and earning his BA in Art from Thomas Edison State College, he worked professionally as a graphic designer in New York for the largest publishing houses in the country. A career that spanned thirty-six years. Brian has done comedy and sketch writing with the Groundling Theater, and worked in a few major feature films as an actor. To begin his process, Brian takes photos of his references with an iPad, crops the images to his liking, and paints directly on his canvas with a quick oil wash. Recently returning to painting full time, he converted a room in his house into a working studio. “I get lots of natural light, and listen to music and podcasts while I paint.â€
Words that describe this painting: country, house, home, barn, farmhouse, farm life, country living, road, architecture, impressionism, autumn, oilpaint, architecture, impressionism, oil painting, green, brown
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
20th Century Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Enamel
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
Mid-20th Century Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Varnish, Mixed Media, Pigment, Other Medium
Late 20th Century Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
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
20th Century Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Suren Nersisyan shows a beautiful Mediterranean view of a Greek island. The picturesque scene overlooks a charming Grecian ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
1950s Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Doug Cosbie presents a rustic farmstead in a winter landscape with an impressionistic approach. "This scene is typical of the old farms along Hwy 37 along the St Lawrence River," says Doug. The winter sky, at first glance, appears grey and leaden while the snow appears white. On closer inspection, subtle shades of blue, purple, and even pink luster depending on the winter light.
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
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Chalk, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
Late 20th Century Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1950s Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Doug Cosbie pictures an impressionist view of a farm in Virginia. Bales of hay set upright the rustic barns of Fauquier County...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Stanislav Sidorov paints a view of Cesky Krumlov, a small town in the South Bohemian region of the Czech Republic. A fairy-tale-like atmosphere prevails with its incredible medieval architecture. The red roofs of the gothic, renaissance and baroque structures charmingly stand out. Stanislav paints the Vltava river encompassing the grand display and subtly reflecting the neighborhood scenery.
About the Artist
Stanislav Sidorov saturates his canvas with the expressive color characteristic of the Russian Realist...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
1950s Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
Early 2000s Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Ink, Acrylic, Cardboard