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.
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Spray Paint, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Spray Paint, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Spray Paint, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1960s Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1950s Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Marble
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor, Archival Paper
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
1960s Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Paper, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Spray Paint, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1930s Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Marble
Artist Comments
"The markets in Paris are so full of life and color!" says artist Faye Vander Veer. "You can almost feel the warmth of the sun as you observe the shoppers passing the various vegetable stands and cafes." Capturing the vibrancy of the scene, Faye used loose and active brushwork. The colors play harmoniously with emphasis on the bright and cheerful midday sun. "Market scenes are among my favorite subjects to paint. They bring the world to life!"
About the Artist
Artist Faye Vander Veer seeks out moments with engaging narratives and captures them with an impressionist style. She describes herself as an observer of people living their day-to-day lives. Her goal is to offer viewers a look into her sensory memory while also prompting the beginning of a story. Faye always keeps her camera by her side, ready to capture reference material. "For me, each painting is an opportunity to explore my emotional reactions to the color and light I observe," says Faye. She enjoys being in her glass-walled studio surrounded by nature to inspire her creative process. When she is not putting paint on canvas, Faye can be found in nature, journaling or writing poetry. Her artwork has been showcased in both American Art Collector and Art of the West magazines.
Words that describe this painting: impressionism, cafe, market, shops, street, city, building, architecture, Paris, France, Europe, figure, women, shopping, Monet, Manet, Degas, building, sunlight, architecture, impressionism, people, oil painting, orange
Le Marche...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Spray Paint, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1950s Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Spray Paint, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Part of artist Yangzi Xu's Winter, LaSalle Street series depicting a cold winter day in downtown Chicago. "I'm captivated by the view of the bridge - it's a b...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic, Glue, Other Medium
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Spray Paint, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Abstract Interior Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
Artist Comments
An open porch welcomes the morning breeze and the warm sunrise. Artist Onelio Marrero recreates the setting from a bed and breakfast inn called "Angel of The Sea" in Cape May...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
A glowing semi-abstract depiction of the Chicago Riverwalk in the early evening. Artist Yangzi Xu paints with both tonal and striking cool colors, highlighted...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Glue, Acrylic
1980s Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Charcoal, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
"The house right at the neighborhood entrance," says Laura. "Never been occupied - it looks so moody at certain time of the day. Love the style and its rustiness, the light on the front of the house and shadow on the ground."
About the Artist
Laura begins the painting process by taking multiple photographs, which she then combines and sketches into one composition. She takes a spontaneous approach to color, and often finds that her final paintings are quite different than her original intentions. As such, her color palette is vibrant and at times unexpected. Laura’s artwork is executed with stylized modernism, featuring heavy outlines and dramatic shadows. Much of her subject matter is architectural. “I especially like historical buildings in my area,” says Laura. “I am fascinated by the geometric shapes of the old buildings, their varieties and repetitions, their dramatic color contrast. To me, their simple structures have personality and dignity.” Laura works best when her studio is clean and well organized, and finds inspiration in the “miles of good paintings” hanging in the world’s great museums.
Words that describe this painting: house, neighborhood, expressionism, architecture, expressionism, representational, acrylic painting, blue
Moody Blue House...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
A woman comfortably sits under a shaded porch on a sunny morning. Artist Onelio Marrero captures the scene from Angel of The Sea, a breakfast inn located at C...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Wood, Spray Paint, Acrylic
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
Mid-20th Century Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Onelio Marrero depicts a mother and her child dropping coins into a fountain for good luck. The quiet moment is painted in brilliant morning light with dappled shadows in the foreground. Behind them lies a verdant backdrop of foliage around a stone church and a view of the distant city beyond. Onelio's rich textures and detailed brushwork greatly enhances the piece. "The separating line between the church and the fountain reminds us of the demarcation between faith and luck," says Onelio.
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: fountain, church, plaza, spring, stonework, architecture...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
An impressionist rendering of one of the supports of the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. "I chose a stark palette knife foreground with a dreamy background for contra...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Part of artist Yangzi Xu's series Winter, LaSalle Street depicting a cold winter day in Chicago with a north-facing view of the bridge. "The painting captures...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Suren Nersisyan paints a sunny day in the city, with dappled brushwork capturing a gentle wind blowing across the Chicago River. "Turquoise and blue shades of the river in contrast with Chicago's skyline look harmonic," says Suren. "Thick, textured brushstrokes add a dynamic sense to the painting, bring the scene to life."
About the Artist
Suren is an impressionist painter eloquently capturing nature, landscapes, and cityscapes in paint. His body of work reflects several different stylistic approaches. Suren’s scenes in oil are inspired by Impressionist masters Monet and Van Gogh, while his watercolor series of flowers and birds are influenced by Eastern styles of painting and the colors of the Middle Eastern environment. Suren believes his role as an artist is to remind viewers that we all are part of the same natural universe.
Words that describe this painting: Chicago, cityscape, city, impressionism, Wrigley Building...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Varnish, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Board, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Interior Paintings
Acrylic, Panel
2010s Abstract Interior Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic