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.
$699Sale Price|38% Off
Powerful Vagina Oil Painting, Abstract Expressionism, 50x50 cm
By Nerea Caos
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Title: The Powerful Vagina Artist: Nerea Caos (Nerea Sánchez Castro) Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 50 x 50 cm (19.7 x 19.7 in) Format: Unframed Year: 2025 Signature: Signed on th...
Canvas, Oil
THE FABULOUS ALCYONE
Located in Zofingen, AG
Long time ago, on the shores of Greece lived the lovers Ceyx and Alcyone, descendants of the gods of wind and sea. They were happy, but fate intervened: Ceyx set off on a journey to ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,287Sale Price|20% Off
French 20th Century Abstract Nude Portrait of Lady Picasso Style Work & Period
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Portrait of Nude Lady by Gilbert Pelissier (French born 1924) signed, circa 1960's-1970 period oil painting on canvas, unframed canvas size: 20 x 24 inches con...
Canvas, Oil
Pause, Oil Painting
By Lisa Nielsen
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
More and more I love to experiment with abstraction. It's amazing how realism with some abstraction somehow looks more true than when rendered using just real...
Oil
"Nude show"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
A composition titled Nude Show unfolds across a deep brown background, where the warmth of the surface grounds the visual tension. Female figures emerge not as literal bodies, but as...
Plywood, Oil
Abstract Female Nude Woman Interior
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Joseph Kardonne (1911-1985). Nude Woman, 1945. Gouache on paper, sheet measures 12.5 x 16 inches. Image measures 11.5 x 15 inches. Signed, dated and titled lower left. Unframed. ...
Paper, Gouache
Contemporary abstract expressionist watercolor woman on paper "Figure in green"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary abstract expressionist woman's figure was created by the French artist Natalya Mougenot and is part of her ongoing series dedicated to Women, where she explores the...
Paper, Watercolor
Modernist Mural, Horizontal Diptych, Black and White Miami Inspired Breezeblocks
Located in Barcelona, ES
Inspired by Miami’s iconic Art Deco breezeblocks, this painting transforms architectural pattern and ornamentation into a refined language of repetition, rhythm, and light. Geometric...
Paper, Oil
Gorgeous Abstract Expressionist Figures by Syril Frank
By Syril Frank
Located in New York, NY
Syril Frank (American, 1929-2021) Untitled, c. 1970s/80s Oil on canvas Framed: 21 3/4 x 25 2/3 x 1 in. This fantastic painting in the abstract expressionist style loosely depicts a ...
Canvas, Oil
"Inhale" - Realist Nude Male Portrait, Oil Painting on Panel
Located in Denver, CO
O’Neill’s work has been showcased in galleries and museums across the United States, Canada, England, and Japan. O’Neill is a graduate of the Ani Art Academy apprenticeship program,...
Panel, Oil
"Nude performance"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
A composition titled Nude Show unfolds across a deep brown background, where the warmth of the surface grounds the visual tension. Female figures emerge not as fixed bodies, but as s...
Plywood, Oil
Contemporary abstract expressionist woman's portrait "Reaching for light"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“Reaching for Light” is a vibrant, expressive portrait of a woman captured in a moment of upward motion — reaching, yearning, opening herself toward something just beyond the frame. ...
Canvas, Acrylic
"The Dancer 2" Fauvist Abstract Original Oil Painting
Located in Soquel, CA
Abstract Expressionist painting by Southern California artist Chris Hamamoto (American, 20th century). Image, 40"H x 30"W. Unframed. Chris, a native of Southern California, has en...
Canvas, Oil
$450
"The Way" (Black & White, Texture, Depth, Antique Linen, Neutral Beige, Nude)
Located in Paris, IDF
The canvas comes to life with a captivating yet understated painting, heavy on texture, using antique linen, crafted with a unique blend of dye, pigment, and acrylic. The artist's su...
Canvas, India Ink, Acrylic
End of October/Beginning of November
By Jackie Felix
Located in Buffalo, NY
An original oil on un-stretched canvas which was featured in the artist's retrospective exhibition at The Burchfield Penney Art Center. Jackie Felix (1929-2009) earned her Bachelo...
Canvas, Oil
$699
Contemporary abstract expressionist painting of women on paper "Shared warmth"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Shared Warmth" by French artist Natalya Mougenot is part of her ongoing series exploring human bonds and connections. This vibrant work presents two abstract figures set against a l...
Paper, Acrylic
Peaceful Places, Oil Painting
By Gary Leonard
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A graceful nude surrounded by a glowing abstraction by artist Gary Leonard. The warm composition blends in the soft flowing contours of the figure as she move...
Oil
$1,398Sale Price|20% Off
Anna - XXI Century, Contemporary Abstract, Figurative Acrylic Painting, Textured
Located in Warsaw, PL
MICHAL SIKORSKI (born in 1972) He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Wroclaw, at the atelier of Professor Stanislaw Kortyka at the department of painting. PhD in Fine Arts. Assis...
Canvas, Acrylic
Nude Figure (Nude woman)
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Serge Hollerbach (1923-2021). Nude Figure, 1968. Casein on illustration board, image measures 8.5 x 11 inches; 14.5 x 17 inches in a custom Kulicke welded steel frame. Signed and dated lower margin. Painter, Instructor Born in Pushkin, Russia November 1, 1923. Education : Academy of Fine Arts in Munich; Art Students League with Ernest Fiene; American Art Scholarship with Gordon Samstag. Holdings : St. Paul Gallery...
Casein
Sitting with Green, 1960s Gouache on Paper, Figurative, 11"x17.5"
Located in Arp, TX
Gloria Dudfield Sitting with Green 1960's Gouach on paper 11"x17.5" unframed. Gloria (Fischer) Dudfield July 12, 1922 – May 27, 2015 Came from a portfolio of her work in the San Fr...
Paper, Gouache
Surreal Nude Woman Abstract Signed Framed Mid Century Modern Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique American modernist oil painting. Oil on canvas. Signed. Framed. Measuring 31 by 21 inches overall and 30 by 20 painting alone.
Canvas, Oil
Whom Alkonost yearns about
Located in Zofingen, AG
Alkonost was considered a symbol of light sadness. The legend of the Alkonost bird tells of the maiden Alcyone, who, having learned of her husband's death at sea, threw herself into ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Abstract Painting of Body Forms, Contemporary, 100x80 cm, New Danny Avidan
By Danny Avidan
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Danny Avidan’s paintings explore the tension between form and formlessness, using it as a way to reflect on the body and the creative process. His expressive gestures continuously at...
Charcoal, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Pencil, Pigment
$1,678Sale Price|20% Off
ABSTRACT Colors Artwork Body Earth Forms Contemporary Artist Danny Avidan
By Danny Avidan
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
At Escat Gallery we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of trust and professionalism for our collectors. Every artwork in our collection comes with a Certificate of Au...
Charcoal, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Pencil, Pigment
$1,230
Looping Horizon, Organic Minimalist Diptych in Blue and Red, Color Band Elipse
Located in Barcelona, ES
This minimalist diptych by Ryan Rivadeneyra explores rhythm, balance, and repetition through softly undulating horizontal bands. Layered tones of blue, charcoal, and red evoke shifti...
Paper, Oil
ABSTRACT Colors Body Forms Contemporary Artist Danny Avidan NEW Large
By Danny Avidan
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Danny Avidan’s paintings explore the tension between form and formlessness, using it as a way to reflect on the body and the creative process. His expressive gestures continuously at...
Charcoal, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Pencil, Pigment
Planal Figure, abstract figure, earth and flesh tones, dark background
By Tom Bennett
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Oil painting on board, unframed, abstracted, figurative, expressionist, energetic brushwork
Oil, Board
"Laying nude"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
This painting, featuring an abstract reclining nude, masterfully blends vibrant colors with a dynamic composition. The figure, rendered in bold, expressive strokes, emerges from a ba...
Canvas, Oil
Sensual Belly Dancers, Morocco
By LeRoy Neiman
Located in Miami, FL
We are presenting a rare opportunity to acquire one of Leroy Neiman's best and most compelling paintings. It is a statement piece. A combination of enticing subject matter with a mon...
Oil, Board
Abstract Nude
Located in Milford, NH
A fine abstract nude by American artist Robert Alberetti (1935-2022). Alberetti was born in Boston to Italian immigrant parents who not only showered him with love but with their hom...
Canvas, Oil
Nude oil pastel drawing by mid 20th Century British artist Ewart Johns
By Ewart Johns
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
A beautifully executed drawing in oil pastels of a nude leaning on a bath by Modern British artist Ewart Johns (1923 - 2013), 1980 Ewart Johns (British, 1923 – 2013) Nude Leaning On...
Canvas, Oil Pastel
Wood collage mid 20th Century figurative work by British artist Ewart Johns
By Ewart Johns
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
A very original and striking wood collage work by Modern British artist Ewart Johns Ewart Johns (British, 1923 – 2013) Forest Figure Wood collage Executed circa 2006 19 x 14.1/8 in....
Wood
Return of the Goddess - Original Painting of Surreal, Symbolic Goddess Figure
Located in Chicago, IL
As is generally the case with my paintings, this work proceeded from a place of unknowing. The specificity of imagery and technique belie the non-specific character of the ideas and narratives presented. The imagery is not tied to any pre-existent source (textual or other). It is not preconceived by the artist, rather it is produced spontaneously in the process of painting. That said, it seems both easy and sensible to connect the imagery in this painting to common cultural material, especially that from very ancient sources. The central figure is very much like a totemic Neolithic goddess- the sort of which seem to be among the most ancient artistic works, examples are extant from eras stretching back tens of thousands of years. A lot has been written about figures of that kind but of course no one can reasonably claim to truly understand them. Here the great goddess appears with wings and entwined serpents. Crowned also with a glowing orb she has become an emblem of a matristic hermetica. The smaller figure may be less evidently archetypical. She is a younger goddess, a daughter like Persephone to Demeter. She lifts the breasts of her mother signifying perhaps how the presence of the child evokes the nurturing qualities of the mother or how Persephone’s seasonal ascent from the underworld awakens in her mother the impulse to again give life to the world. The cluster of gynomorphic figures contained by the crescent moon at the center of the painting refer to the balanced transformations of the lunar cycle and their mysteriously harmonic physical manifestation in the vital cycles of a woman’s body. At their axis is the cycloptical abdomen of the figure enthroned on the moon. The entire totem rises from a terrestrial gateway into an open landscape. In the background megaliths obscure the horizon. They represent a first boundary in time- the beginning of history. Below is the gateway, the opening to an inner earth...
Acrylic, Panel
Painted figure in blues and whites by modern British artist Ewart Johns
By Ewart Johns
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
Ewart Johns (British, 1923 – 2013) Projections on a figure III Watercolour on paper Signed with initials and dated ‘EJ 92’ (lower left), further titled and dated (on the reverse) 9.5...
Watercolor, Paper
Painted nude in blues and whites by modern British artist Ewart Johns
By Ewart Johns
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
Ewart Johns (British, 1923 – 2013) Projections on a figure VI Black crayon and watercolour Signed and dated ‘EJ 92’ (lower left) and futher signed, titled and dated (on the reverse) ...
Crayon, Watercolor
"Silence in distortion"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Painted from life, this work explores intimacy, vulnerability, and the physical presence of the human body. The figure is simplified into large geometric planes and slightly fracture...
Plywood, Acrylic
Blue Dance, Original Painting
By Robin Okun
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
An expressionist portrait of relationships as a dance. Dominant blue palette with hints of red, purple and pink that offers both cal...
Acrylic
Agnès Delettre Untitled Acrylic on canvas 2020
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Agnès Delettre Untitled Acrylic on canvas Signed lower left Circa 2020 116 x 89 cms 1100 euros
Canvas
$8,000
Seated Male, Mid-Century Male Nude Figurative Expressionist Drawing on Paper
Located in Beachwood, OH
Joseph Glasco (American, 1925-1996) Seated Male, 1969 Ink on paper Signed and dated lower right 25 x 19.5 inches 27.5 x 22 inches, framed Joseph Glasco was born in Paul’s Valley, Okl...
Ink
$874
"Serene woman" Contemporary figurative nude woman acrylic painting on paper
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Serene woman" is a contemporary figurative nude painting by French artist Natalya, created in acrylic paints on heavyweight professional acid-free paper, depicting a seated female f...
Paper, Acrylic
$1,748
Golden Chrysanthemum. Nude, Japandi, romantic, Shabby Chic, Contemporary
Located in Oslo, NO
"Golden Chrysanthemum is an ode to the beauty of the world, the beauty of nature, the beauty of a woman!" said Anna Shesterikova about this painting. "In my abstract painting I tried...
Acrylic
Thoughtfulness
Located in Edinburgh, GB
In "Thoughtfulness", a seated human figure emerges in a vibrant kaleidoscope of chromatic tones against a calm, muted background. Rendered through the artist's signature palette knif...
Oil
Study for Jean Cortot 1992
Located in PARIS, FR
Marco Del Re (Rome 1950 - Paris 2019) Study 1992 Oil on canvas 81,2 x 61,2 cm with frame Monogrammed on lower right Description with date on the reverse : "A Jean Corto, Ami des p...
Canvas, Oil
$757Sale Price|31% Off
Socialism Leaves Us Naked Acrylic and Collage on Canvas, 90x60 cm
By Nerea Caos
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Nerea Caos (Ferrol, Spain, 1993) Title: Socialism Leaves Us Naked Date: 2025 Medium: Acrylic and collage on canvas Dimensions: 90 × 60 cm (35.4 × 23.6 in) Framing: Unframed Conditio...
Acrylic
"Alone"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Alone is an intimate figurative painting created during the period of war and personal solitude in 2026. The work emerged from a time of isolation, when the presence of another perso...
Plywood, Acrylic
$800Sale Price|20% Off
Colorful Abstract Expressionist Nude Painting - 1970s Oil
By Tom Hamil
Located in Soquel, CA
Colorful Abstract Expressionist Nude Painting - 1970s Oil Vivid abstract expressionist painting of a colorful nude female figure by the artist Tom Hamil (American, b. 1928). The fig...
Linen, Oil
"From the Nude sketch series"
By Roman Dub
Located in Edinburgh, GB
This graphic sketch was drawn from life. The quick, expressive charcoal lines capture the form, movement and unique atmosphere of the moment. Framing options: The artwork is sold fra...
Paper, Charcoal
Untitled Abstract Figures, by Maurice Golubov, Oil Painting on Board, c. 1950s
By Maurice Golubov
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
This 22" x 30" oil painting on board by American abstract painter Maurice Golubov is an oil painting on board framed for a full measurement of 27.5" x 35.25" x 1.375". The work is si...
Oil, Board
$7,000
Standing Nude Man, Mid-Century Figural Expressionist Painting, New York Artist
Located in Beachwood, OH
Joseph Glasco (American, 1925-1996) Standing Man, 1955 India ink and gouache on textured paper Signed, dated and titled verso 10 x 8 inches 16.75 x 13.5 inches, framed Joseph Glasco...
India Ink, Gouache
$466
Contemporary abstract expressive watercolor painting on paper "Blue Rapshody"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary abstract expressionist painting depicting four women in dance was created by the French artist Natalya Mougenot and this piece makes part of her ongoing series dedi...
Paper, Watercolor
$582
Contemporary abstract expressionist painting of a woman "A moment of summer"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“A Moment of Summer” is a contemporary figurative painting by French artist Natalya Mougenot, part of her ongoing series dedicated to Women — a theme she has been exploring for sever...
Paper, Acrylic
$937Sale Price|25% Off
Abstract Mid-Century Style Painting 'Discovering Beefcake 1965 #1' Nude Male Gay
Located in Glenford, NY
In the Mid-Century Modern style of the 1960s, artist Gregory Cary recalls discovering "Beefcake" male nude photography when he was thirteen years...
Acrylic, Photographic Paper
$413
"Woman Under an Apple Tree" , Nude Naked Woman Mixed Media Painting on Paper
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
Original figurative painting, expressive nude artwork, contemporary nature-inspired wall art, “Woman Under an Apple Tree,” captures a powerful and poetic connection between the human...
Paper, Acrylic, Watercolor
Abstract painting of two Matisse inspired nude figures in Pink and White
Located in Woodbury, CT
Acquiring a contemporary English abstract figure painting inspired by Henri Matisse in Pink and White from me is an invitation to bring a vibrant and modern expression of artistic e...
Canvas, Laid Paper
$760Sale Price|20% Off
1970s San Francisco Queer Art Muscle Man Abstract Expressionist Drawing
Located in Soquel, CA
Vintage 1977 queer art San Francisco Muscle Man abstract expressionist drawing by Allie William “Bill” Skelton (American, 1942-1986) "Star" hovers above a colorful queer muscle man c...
Laid Paper, Felt Pen
$524Sale Price|45% Off
Abstract Nude Composition, Gestural Acrylic Painting on Canvas Expressionist
By Nerea Caos
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Abstract Female Figure, Expressionist Gestural Acrylic on Canvas Expressive abstract composition by contemporary Spanish artist Nerea Caos. The painting can be interpreted as an ab...
Acrylic
$442
Contemporary abstract expressionist painting of a woman "Silhouette of light "
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This abstract expressionist painting, "Silhouette of Light" by the French artist Natalya Mougenot, captures the ethereal essence of the human form through bold color and movement. Th...
Paper, Acrylic
Abstract Painting of Body Forms, Contemporary, 100x80 cm, New Danny Avidan
By Danny Avidan
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Danny Avidan’s paintings explore the tension between form and formlessness, using it as a way to reflect on the body and the creative process. His expressive gestures continuously at...
Charcoal, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Pencil, Pigment
Contemporary abstract expressionist woman's portrait "Pensive woman"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Pensive Woman" by French artist Natalya Mougenot is a striking abstract expressionist painting that captures introspection and emotional depth. The artwork depicts a solitary figure...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
$1,901Sale Price|20% Off
French Figurative Bar Scene Ladies Night Interior Oil Painting Natalia Antadze
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist: Natalia Antadze Medium: Oil on canvas Size: 60 x 50 cm Signature: Signed Condition: Very good condition Description A characterful figurative interior scene depicting two el...
Oil