Abstract Landscape 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.
Mid-20th Century Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil, Masonite
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Soft and subtle colors blend to form an abstract landscape. Hints of blue and white suggest a sky, while shades of yellow, red, and green evoke a meadow below...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
Late 20th Century Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Wood, Birch, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
1990s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Onelio Marrero shows a rippling pond surrounded by golden autumnal colors. Part of his series that explores the glistening surfaces of ponds and lakes....
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist George Peebles exhibits palm trees overlooking the Caribbean. He captures the relaxed scene with an impressionist approach. Fresh blue waters drift to ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Spray Paint, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Paint, Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Dorothy Gaziano uses a combination of oil paint and cold wax to portray an abstract landscape. Dark streaks at the cente...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
20th Century Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Resin, Acrylic, Wood Panel
Artist Comments
Artist John Jaster displays a forest with tall aspens rendered in a playfully abstract style. Bold shades of yellow, orange and red suggest a warm autumn day in the woods. In his process, John creates stunning color combinations by utilizing multiple layers of heavy body acrylics and brushwork. He results with captivating scenery with intense contrasting hues and high-spirited energy.
About the Artist
Artist John Jaster paints in a style he describes as realistic impressions, capturing colorful views of his adventures across the Americas. "People always ask me how I get such deep brilliant colors," says John. "The answer is layers. Since acrylic paint dries mostly transparent, it requires multiple layers of paint to build up to a specific color. With the right lighting that depth of layering is like sunshine glistening through clear water." In college, John felt a pull towards computer science and pursued a career in software architecture. Although the two paths may seem unrelated, John says his work in software strongly influences his artwork in terms of distilling complex systems without losing the magic and wonder. Today, John works from a large home studio with a fireplace, lots of natural light, and jazz playing in the background. Since 2010, John’s paintings have been displayed in over 90 juried exhibitions and published in leading art magazines and books.
Words that describe this painting: forest, trees, birch, aspen, nature, playful, impressionism, grove, warm, impressionism, nature, acrylic painting, orange
Forest Abstractions - Chorus Line...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
A rustic farm stretches over the field in artist Janet Dyer's impressionist landscape. The charming Cornwall scene depicts the buildings clustered around the ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1950s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Charcoal
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Clay, Acrylic
1980s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Paper, Watercolor
Artist Comments
A moody night settles in a marina at Rockport, Massachusetts. Glowing lights dance across the water as dark silhouettes of boats blend into the shadows. One c...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
1950s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil, Carbon Pencil, Pigment
20th Century Abstract Landscape Paintings
Paper, Watercolor
Late 20th Century Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1960s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Mixed Media, Tempera
Artist Comments
Artist Kip Decker offers a thriving landscape with vibrant blooms spread across an expansive pasture. Thick trees stand tall on either side of the composition...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Linen, Spray Paint, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Paint, Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Angela WakefieldAbstract Beach Seascape Landscape Light Colours by Contemporary British Artist, 2020
Mid-20th Century Abstract Landscape Paintings
Watercolor, Archival Paper
Early 2000s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Gesso, Acrylic, Mixed Media, Cotton Canvas, Paint, Cotton, Canvas
1960s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Resin, Acrylic, Panel
1960s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Electric blues and geometric shapes evoke a cloudy landscape, setting the stage for a floating city. Sharp lines and layered textures add depth, while a vibrant...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
Late 20th Century Abstract Landscape Paintings
Ink, Laid Paper
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Late 20th Century Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
20th Century Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic, Panel
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
"This piece was inspired by an early morning hike through a lush meadow filled with summer flowers," says Crystal. "The sun was just starting to creep in over...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Gesso, Oil, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Emulsion, Mixed Media, Watercolor, Photographic Paper, Lithograph, Monop...
Artist Comments
A lone multi-colored tree stands proudly in the middle of the composition, hazy and dream-like with its undefined edges. A gentle reflection of these fall col...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Landscape Paintings
Oil