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.
$617Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary abstract expressionist woman's portrait on paper "Present moment"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“Present Moment” is a contemporary abstract portrait by French artist Natalya Mougenot, created as part of her ongoing series dedicated to women and their inner emotional landscapes....
Paper, Acrylic
"Just human " Contemporary abstract expressionist man's portrait painting
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Just human" is an original contemporary portrait painting by Natalya Mougenot, featuring an expressive portrait of a human figure created with acrylics and pens on heavyweight, acid...
Paper, Acrylic
$379Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary abstract expressionist woman's portrait painting "Inner light"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary abstract expressionist portrait was created by French artist Natalya Mougenot as part of her ongoing exploration of emotional identity, inner truth, and the human s...
Acrylic, Paper
$985Sale Price|20% Off
Vibrant Abstract, Blue, Colourful Oil Painting, Original
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Vibrant Abstract, Blue, Colourful Oil Painting, Original By French artist 'L.Polevin', 20th Century Signed indistinctly and dated '1986', signed verso Oil painting on canvas, unframe...
Oil
$823Sale Price|20% Off
Rene Leroy Large French Abstract Cubist Mixed Media Painting Framed
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Key Details Artist: Rene Leroy, French, born 1932 Title: Abstract / Cubist Composition Medium: Mixed media, material and oil on canvas, framed Size: Painting: 29 x 36 inches; framed:...
Oil
$637Sale Price|25% Off
In The Making 1 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Abstract, Colour Africa
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
By and by Too many thoughts rooted in my soul So many memories, the good and the bad They all shaped me. Colourful in a wink, darkness looted. But when it's all going grey, it shine...
Canvas, Oil
$2,140Sale Price|35% Off
Mid Century French Figurative Painting Boys in Blue Oil on Board Signed
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist: French School, mid 20th century Medium: Oil on board Size (framed): 34.5 x 23 inches Frame: Framed Signature: Signed lower right (indistinct) Condition: Good condition Descr...
Oil
$332Sale Price|20% Off
Abstract expressionist woman's portrait acrylic on paper "Serenity of the woman"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary abstract expressionist woman’s portrait "Serenity of the Woman" was created by French artist Natalya Mougenot as part of her ongoing series dedicated to Women. Thro...
Paper, Acrylic
$933Sale Price|28% Off
Rene Leroy Signed French Abstract Cubist Figures Oil Painting Framed
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Key Details Artist: Rene Leroy, French, born 1932 Title: Abstract / Cubist Composition Medium: Oil painting on canvas, framed Size: Painting: 24 x 19.5 inches; framed: 26.5 x 22.5 in...
Oil
$427Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary abstract expressionist human portrait on canvas "Identity within"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“Identity Within” – a metamodern reflection on inner truth, duality, and the human journey toward authentic selfhood “Identity Within” is a powerful and introspective portrait in wh...
Canvas, Acrylic
$284Sale Price|20% Off
Modern Abstract Expressionist woman's portrait acrylic on paper " True self"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary abstract expressionist portrait of a woman was created by French artist Natalya Mougenot. Bold, vivid, and emotionally charged, the piece—titled "True Self"—explore...
Acrylic, Paper
$2,400
"NYC - Central Park West" (2019) by Christopher Clark, Cityscape Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"NYC - Central Park West" by Christopher Clark is an original abstract impressionist oil painting on cradled board that is ready to hang. Christopher has been an artist since earl...
Oil, Wood Panel
"Devotion" (2025) By Reen Axtell, Original Acrylic Mixed Media Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Laureen “Reen” Axtell is an acrylic and mixed media artist whose work is inspired by the landscapes, history, and spirit of the American West. Raised in the Denver/Boulder area and s...
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Board
$436Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary colorful abstract portrait of woman acrylic painting on paper
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This captivating artwork, "Woman in a Blue Dress", was created by Natalya Mougenot, a French artist of Russian heritage born in Kazakhstan. The piece offers an abstract portrayal of...
Paper, Acrylic
$1,981Sale Price|20% Off
Large Abstract Cubist Style Multicoloured Original Oil Painting Signed
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Art, Picasso Style, Multicoloured, Original Oil Painting, Signed By French artist Beatrice Werlie, early 21st Century Signed by the artist Oil painting on canvas, unframed ...
Oil
$652
"Quiet mind" Contemporary abstract expressionist woman's portrait painting
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“Quiet Mind” is an original contemporary portrait of a woman by Natalya Mougenot, created with acrylic paints and acrylic pens on heavyweight professional acid-free paper. The work i...
Paper, Acrylic
$637Sale Price|25% Off
In The Making 2 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Abstract, Colour Africa
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
By and by Too many thoughts rooted in my soul So many memories, the good and the bad They all shaped me. Colourful in a wink, darkness looted. But when it's all going grey, it shine...
Canvas, Oil
$534
"Time within" Contemporary abstract expressionist woman's portrait painting
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Time within" is an original contemporary portrait painting by Natalya Mougenot, featuring an expressive portrait of a woman created with acrylics and pens on heavyweight, acid-free ...
Paper, Acrylic
Jazzu - Être ici vivant
By Jazzu
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Jazzu Être ici vivant 2025 Acrylique sur papier fort 2025 42 x 29,7 cm 490 euros
Acrylic
Hidden Portraits I
Located in London, GB
'Hidden Portraits I', acrylic on canvas mounted on board, Florentine School (circa 1980s-90s). This gallery has acquired a number of paintings through an intermediary of an ageing ar...
Canvas, Acrylic
$605Sale Price|20% Off
20th Century Original French Expressionist Oil Painting Abstract Face
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Original oil painting by P. Valetti (French, second half 20th century) oil on canvas, unframed size: 24 x 19.75 inches condition: very good provenance: from the artists estate, Franc...
Canvas, Oil
$1,450
Two Women in a Modernist Village, Signed Original Swedish Oil Painting, Framed
Located in Portland, OR
A bold Modernist portrait of two women standing in a geometric cityscape. Swedish artist Fabian Lunqvist is known for his particular style of abstraction–layers of muted color to cre...
Oil
$3,000
"E.S.H. IV" (animalia, fauna, figurative, horse sculpture, historical, abstract)
Located in Paris, IDF
E.S.H. IV PARIS, France 2023 Inspired by sculptures and statues of Europe, a horse and rider are depicted as a black silhouetted abstraction. White and grey acrylic paint over text...
Canvas, Dye, Acrylic
"umbrella girl series" RK2T12, Abstract, Paintings, Clay, 21st Century
By Roger König
Located in Dessau-Rosslau, Sachsen Anhalt
Art measures 19.68 x 19.68 inches Frame measures 27.56 x 27.56 x 2.76 inches Framed in a high-quality contemporary wooden moulding. Color: antique white - vintage Artist: Roger...
Clay, Acrylic
Jazzu - SKiff kiff un mot à dire
By Jazzu
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
azzu Kiff kiff un mot à dire Collages et techniques mixtes sur papier 65 x 50 cms 2025 Signé et daté au recto Titré , signé et daté au verso 690 euros
Acrylic
JAZZU - L’envol vers le renouveau
By Jazzu
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Jazzu L’envol vers le renouveau Techniques mixtes sur papier fort 2025 Signé et daté au recto au crayon Titré , signé et daté au verso au feutre 76 x 56 cms 890 euros
Acrylic
JAZZU - Cartes sur table
By Jazzu
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Jazzu Cartes sur table Techniques mixtes sur papier fort 2024 65 x 50 cms Signé et daté au recto Titré , signé et daté au verso 690 euros
Acrylic
$617Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary abstract expressionist woman's portrait on paper "Her eternity"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“Her Eternity” is a contemporary abstract portrait by French artist Natalya Mougenot, created as part of her ongoing series honoring women and their inner, timeless worlds. In this w...
Paper, Acrylic
$427Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary vivid expressive figurative dog's portrait on paper "Goofy eyes"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“Goofy Eyes” is a contemporary acrylic painting by French artist Natalya Mougenot, created on heavyweight Italian paper as part of her expressive series of character-driven animal po...
Paper, Acrylic
Portrait Painting Longing Africa Bold Flow Desire Striking Invest Gold Sensual
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: My African Dream - The Longing Portrait Painting Contemplation Africa Bold Flow Dream Striking Investment Color Gold Abstract portrait in Acrylics and Oil sealed with high qu...
Gesso, Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Brave Girl 16
Located in New York, NY
Angels Grau is a Catalan artist who spends her time between Barcelona, New York, and a small village located in the breathtaking Priorat, one of the most notorious wine regions in Europe. This combination allows her to have the best of three worlds; it brings together the creativity and passion that her paintings demand. "I invest time in my work. You must look at paintings on different days, with different eyes. There is a need to go back to it again and again.” Born to a family of artists, she grew up surrounded by drawings, tapestries, and paintings that awakened a special sentiment that over time matured into her work. A graphic designer first and painter by evolution, in 2018 she decided to make the leap into becoming a full-time artist. Nothing has deterred her since. After traveling the world and bringing up four children who are almost living their own lives, the artist feels the need to empower the role of women inspired by her own journey. “Invisible Women” is a tribute to each and every woman that fights from anonymous positions, in everyday jobs and everyday lives, to improve their family, their society, their world. Some of her pieces are part of the personal art collections of different CEOs of fortune 100 companies. “Invisible Women” is part of a recent purchase...
Wood, Acrylic
$332Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary Expressionist portrait woman acrylic painting "Feminine Power"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This modern vibrant abstract expressionist woman's portrait was created by French artist Natalya Mougenot and makes part of her ongoing series dedicated to Women, where she explores ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$664Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary abstract expressionist woman's portrait on paper "Rising Self"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
Contemporary expressive female portrait inspired by Matisse, bold Fauvist color modern art painting celebrating feminine strength, authenticity, and inner transformation. In Rising ...
Paper, Acrylic
$569Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary abstract figurative woman's body portrait on paper "Serene pause"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Serene Pause” is a striking contemporary abstract woman’s body portrait in expressive gestural style by French artist Natalya Mougenot, part of her intimate series exploring women’s...
Paper, Acrylic
$427Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary abstract expressionist woman's portrait on canvas "The calm within"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"The Calm Within" contemporary woman's portrait painting by French artist Natalya Mougenot, in her signature expressive style, opens her ongoing Women series — a profound body of wor...
Canvas, Acrylic
Jazzu - Sourire à la vie Sérigraphy
By Jazzu
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Sourire à la vie Sérigraphie 1 couleur rehaussée acrylique Épreuve d’artiste numéro 3 2025 70 x 50 cms Datée , signée et titrée au recto et au verso 790 euros
Acrylic
$850
"An Urgent Man" (Abstract, Black & White, Figurative Oil Painting, Neutral Tone)
Located in Paris, IDF
AN URGENT MAN 2020 Paris, France Oil and acrylic on canvas portray a ‘derbyed’ man attempting to shed the weighted armor of his obligations and persona. A very loose nod to the character from René Magritte’s 1964 painting, ‘The Son of Man...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
JAZZU - Coup de Chance
By Jazzu
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Jazzu Coup de chance Techniques mixtes sur papier 2025 Signé et daté au recto Titré , signé et daté au verso 76 x 56 cms 890 euros
Acrylic
"Dreamer" (2018) by Ryan Morse, Original Oil Painting, Female Portrait
By Ryan Morse
Located in Denver, CO
Ryan Morse's "Dreamer" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a feminine figure draped in a red fabric and dappled in sunlight. Ryan Morse is a Denver based freelance ar...
Oil, Board
$379Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary abstract expressionist woman's portrait painting "Edge of becoming"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary abstract expressionist woman’s portrait was created by French artist Natalya Mougenot as part of her ongoing series dedicated to Women. In this body of work, Mougen...
Canvas, Acrylic
Portrait, Abstract Acrylic and Mixed Media on Paper Painting by David Stern
By David Stern
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: David Stern Title: Portrait Year: 1997 Medium: Acrylic & Mixed Media on Paper, signed l.r. Size: 30 x 22 inches (76.2 x 55.88 cm)
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Archival Paper
Minimalist Cubist Abstract, Signed Oil Painting by Female Artist Miriam Bromberg
Located in Long Island City, NY
Minimalist Cubist Abstract Miriam Bromberg Oil on Canvas, signed Size: 42 x 18 in. (106.68 x 45.72 cm) Frame Size: 47 x 22.5 inches
Oil
Brave Girl 12
Located in New York, NY
Angels Grau is a Catalan artist who spends her time between Barcelona, New York, and a small village located in the breathtaking Priorat, one of the most notorious wine regions in Eu...
Wood, Acrylic
"Shaping Landscapes" by Danny McCaw (2024) Abstracted Figures, Oil Painting
By Danny McCaw
Located in Denver, CO
Danny McCaw's (US based) "Shaping Landscapes" is an oil painting with impasto brushstrokes that depicts two abstracted figures in an interior of black and grey. Bio/artist statemen...
Oil
$332Sale Price|20% Off
Abstract impressionist portrait of Frida Kahlo "Dreaming with Frida" on canvas
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Dreaming with Frida" is a contemporary, faceless abstract portrait of Frida Kahlo by French artist Natalya Mougenot. Blending elements of impressionism and expressionism, the work reimagines one of the most iconic female figures in art with bold color, emotional depth, and symbolic detail. Frida is depicted with orange flowers in her hair and matching orange earrings...
Canvas, Oil
Addisonjones artwork, Anti-Hero pop artwork
Located in Delaware , OH
Addisonjones artwork, Anti-Hero pop artwork A R T I S T S T A T E M E N T: Introducing the iconic Andy Warhol style print with neon colors and screen prin...
Canvas, Acrylic
$427Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary abstract expressionist woman's portrait on paper "Essential force"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Essential Force” is a modern vibrant abstract expressionist woman's portrait created by French artist Natalya Mougenot, part of her ongoing series dedicated to Women, where she expl...
Paper, Acrylic
Portrait of a Woman
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Neo-Expressionist painting depicts a young woman in luminous light. Encaustic on canvas, 13 x 15 inches. Unsigned. Minor paint loss along right edge.
Encaustic
$6,400
"Shapes and Patterns" (2025) By Danny McCaw, Abstract Expressionist Oil Painting
By Danny McCaw
Located in Denver, CO
"Shapes and Patterns" is a beautiful original abstract expressionist oil portrait, created by American artist Danny McCaw. His high...
Oil, Board
$284Sale Price|20% Off
Abstract Expressionist impressionist portrait of a woman on paper "Unbreakable"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary abstract expressive portrait, Unbreakable, was created in 2025 by French artist Natalya Mougenot in her studio in Lyon, France. It presents a faceless woman rendere...
Paper, Acrylic
$427Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary abstract figurative woman's portrait on paper "Inner silence"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“Inner Silence” is a contemporary abstract portrait by French artist Natalya Mougenot, created as part of her ongoing series dedicated to women and their inner emotional landscapes. ...
Paper, Acrylic
$770Sale Price|20% Off
Open Blue, Abstract Oil Painting, Signed
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Open Blue, Abstract Oil Painting, Signed By British Schooled artist, 21st Century Signed indistinctly on the back top corner Oil painting on canvas, unframed Canvas size: 23 x 19.5 inches Undeniably stylish abstract oil painting, using a rich palette of blue hues. I see the objects portrayed in the painting as fish in the deepest, darkest part of the sea. But as all abstract...
Oil
"Seduction Series" RK9IR4, Abstract, Painting, 21st Century, Acrylic, Clay
By Roger König
Located in Dessau-Rosslau, Sachsen Anhalt
Artist: Roger König b. Dessau, Germany (1968) Master student of Kurt Schönburg, HWK Halle, Germany. König combines modern painting with acrylic with old techniques and in this way, h...
Clay, Acrylic
"Renewal" (2024) by Josh Sorrell, Original Oil Painting, Surreal Portrait
By Josh Sorrell
Located in Denver, CO
"Renewal" (2024) by Josh Sorrell depicts a abstract expressionist portrait of a woman in shining blue light. This painting measures 14 x 11 x 2 inches and is unframed but ready to ha...
Oil, Panel
$1,898Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary large figurative painting inspired by Frida Kahlo "Floral Muse"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“Floral Muse” is a vibrant and emotive large painting (70 x 100 cm / 27.5 x 39.5 in) that blends figurative and abstract styles from Natalya Mougenot’s ongoing series dedicated to Wo...
Acrylic, Paper
$1,190Sale Price|30% Off
Beautiful Mind - Portrait Painting Sunbird Flora Earth Delight Contrast Abstract
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title A Beautiful Mind - Sunbird Serenade Portrait Painting Sunbird Color Earth Delight Contrast Abstract Soulful large portrait by Karnish. The earth reflects in her eyes, the Hu...
Gesso, Canvas, Oil, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
$949
Black Angel Abstract Expressionist Oil Painting Gestural Figurative Contemporary
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Black Angel Abstract Expressionist Oil Painting Gestural Figurative Contemporary Artist: Nerea Caos (1993) Title: Black Angel Year: 2023 Medium: Oil on ca...
Canvas, Oil
$1,756Sale Price|20% Off
Large contemporary abstract figurative painting two women dog "Secrets Together"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“Secrets Together” is a contemporary figurative painting depicting two women seated side by side, created by French artist Natalya Mougenot as part of her ongoing Women series, dedic...
Paper, Acrylic
$427Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary abstract figurative expressive human figure portrait "Inner being"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“Inner Being” is a contemporary portrait by French artist Natalya Mougenot, part of her ongoing exploration of the human presence beyond appearance — a direction closely connected to...
Paper, Acrylic
$617Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary abstract figurative woman's portrait on paper "Woman Flowered"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Woman Flowered," a striking contemporary figurative–abstract painting by French artist Natalya Mougenot, continues her four-year exploration of the feminine experience — resilience,...
Paper, Acrylic