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.
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
"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
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
"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
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
$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
$1,365Sale 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
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
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
$682
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
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
"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
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 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
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
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
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
Sensual Belly Dancers, Abstract Expressionist Brush Strokes
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
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
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
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
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
$1,638Sale 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
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
$455
"Liberated Beauty" Contemporary figurative woman's nude silhouette painting
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Liberated Beauty"– Original Contemporary Figurative Expressionist Painting (2026), 29.7 × 21 cm (11.7 × 8.3 inches), by French Artist Natalya Mougenot "Liberated Beauty" is an orig...
Paper, Acrylic, Watercolor
$455
"Authentically free" Contemporary figurative woman's nude silhouette painting
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Authentically Free" – Original Contemporary Figurative Expressionist Painting (2026), 29.7 × 21 cm (11.7 × 8.3 inches), by French Artist Natalya Mougenot "Authentically Free" is an...
Paper, Acrylic, Watercolor
$455
"Perfectly imperfect" Contemporary figurative woman's nude silhouette painting
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Perfectly Imperfect" – Original Contemporary Figurative Expressionist Painting (2026), 29.7 × 21 cm (11.7 × 8.3 inches), by French Artist Natalya Mougenot "Perfectly Imperfect" is ...
Paper, Acrylic, Watercolor
$398
"Divine feminine" Contemporary figurative woman's nude silhouette painting
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Divine Feminine" – Original Contemporary Figurative Expressionist Painting (2026), 29.7 × 21 cm (11.7 × 8.3 inches), by French Artist Natalya Mougenot "Divine Feminine" is an origi...
Paper, Acrylic, Watercolor
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
$728Sale Price|20% 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
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
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
$853
"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
$569Sale Price|47% 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
$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
$1,707
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
$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
$2,800Sale Price|20% Off
"Blue Heart Wife Love" San Francisco Figurative School -Joe Lysowski "Prankster"
Located in Soquel, CA
"Blue Heart Wife Love" San Francisco Figurative School -Joe Lysowski "Prankster" Portrait of his ex-wife while studying for his MFA in Fine art in Mexico by Joe Lysowski (American, 1...
Masonite, Oil
$682
Contemporary abstract expressionist painting of a woman "Essence of her light"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary expressionist painting by French artist Natalya Mougenot makes part of her ongoing Women series — a body of work devoted to exploring the inner world, resilience, a...
Paper, Acrylic
$780Sale Price|20% Off
Yellow Figure in Black Stockings - Abstracted Oil Painting
Located in Soquel, CA
Evocative yellow figure in black stockings oil painting by San Francisco artist Michael William Eggleston (American, 20th Century). A semi-abstract rendering of a nude figure, mark...
Paper, Oil
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
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
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
$1,516Sale Price|20% Off
"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
Large French 20th Century Oil Nude Lady Reclining, in the Style of Picasso
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist/ School: French School, late 20th century Title: The Nude Model, in the style of Picasso Medium: oil painting on canvas, framed frame...
Oil, Canvas
$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
$569
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
Abstract Female Nude Woman Interior
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Joseph Kardonne (1911-1985). Nude Woman, 1949. Gouache on paper, sheet measures 13.5 x 13.5 inches. Image measures 12 x 12 inches. Signed, dated and titled lower right. Unframed....
Paper, Gouache
$3,837Sale Price|25% Off
Gold, Yellow & Black Abstract Art in Bronze Frame by Contemporary British Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Gold, Yellow & Black Abstract Art in a Bronze Frame by leading Contemporary British Artist, Angela Wakefield Art measures 12 x 12 inches Frame measures 20 x 20 inches Angela...
Canvas, Acrylic, Board
Dolls - Original Oil Painting 48" x 36"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
The painting is a reflection on a philosophical idea of not always having control over one’s life. The two halves of the painting suggest that the reality of what is happening may be an illusion, and the puppet master is someone else entirely. The nakedness of the woman and the elaborate costume of the jester make us wonder at which is more powerful. Dolls are an excellent decoration that can captivate the curiosity of the viewer. The painting is signed on the back and on the front. The painting is framed. Framed dimensions: 54" x 42" x 2" Unframed dimensions: 48" x 36" x 1.5” Sergiy Andreyev...
Canvas, Oil
$455
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
$432
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
Nude in Damson with Oil on Linen, Painting by Gabrielle Moulding
Located in Deddington, GB
Nude in Damson by Gabrielle Moulding [2020] This painting was completed in my studio from drawings of the model. I love drawing and painting from the life model to capture a mood or...
Linen
GORGEOUS NIO-POUTI by Vasili Zianko, author's volume-contour technique
Located in Zofingen, AG
This Art - work is part of the project "Another Skin" The paint is made in the author's technique of painting by Vasili Zianko based acrylic painting on canvas using a variety of textures, washes, the finest glazing, volumetric contours. Nio-Pouti is a beautiful magical girt - daughter of the half-human half-god Bep-Kororoti. He was a leader of the Kayapoi tribe and the heavenly teacher of the Indians. The legend says gorgeous Nio-Pouti saved tribe from hunger, when brought them a lot of unprecedented food and plant seeds...
Canvas, Acrylic