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.
Golden Glow. Abstract expressionist, interior painting, large, gold
Located in Oslo, NO
"Golden Glow" is a painting filled with bright, warm light and abstract shapes that convey a sense of powerful energy and inner light. The painting depicts a bright sun piercing the...
Canvas, Acrylic
$616Sale 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
#64, Abstract, Photography, Painting, Expressionism
Located in München, BY
Unique piece in this size More sizes and an Essay from Lyle Rexer about this series on request. Joachim Schmeisser’s work rescues photography from the centuries-old straightjacket ...
Pigment
India Tantric Painting Gold Green Cosmic Egg Minimalist Mixed Media on Cloth
Located in Norfolk, GB
Rahul Kumar Untitled Mixed Media on Cloth 44cm x 27cm 2026 Rahul Kumar is from a family of traditional miniature painters working in Jaipur. The atelier where his family learnt thei...
Cotton, Mixed Media
Tender Memories. Medium size absract painting, coral, lilac, blue, floral
Located in Oslo, NO
This abstract painting is created through layered application of paint, with a strong focus on texture and surface. Soft, muted tones interact with warmer coral and smoky lilac hues,...
Canvas, Acrylic
Marée d'emeraude, Abstract Lanscape, oil, Expressionism, Contemporary art
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Marée d’Émeraude (Emerald Tide) Size unframed: 50 x 50 cm (15.75 x 15.75 in) Size framed 57 x 57 cm or 22.44 x 22.44 in. Sophie Dumont Oil on canvas Presented in a natural wood floa...
Oil
Where Silence Rests
Located in Zofingen, AG
Oil on linen Belgian canvas. This minimalist seascape explores stillness as a spatial and perceptual experience. The horizon dissolves into a unified field where water and atmospher...
Canvas, Oil
Open Configuration – Contemporary Abstract Oil on Linen
Located in Zofingen, AG
Open Configuration This work explores structure as an evolving process rather than a fixed form. Geometric suggestions and color fields come together in an open configuration, where...
Canvas, Oil
“Rest”
Located in Zofingen, AG
The painting “Rest” from the series “From Simple to…” creates a sense of calm, recovery, and inner completeness. The minimalist image of the animal and the pastel, natural color pale...
Acrylic
TBG Origins: You Bring Me Joy - Large Meditative Abstract Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Abstract minimalist artist Jason DeMeo presents a collection of artworks designed to engage viewers in a meditative experience, drawing them closer to the enduring ideals of truth, b...
Gold Leaf
$3,547
Strates de lecture - Modern Abstract painting, Geometric, Original Oil on Canvas
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Sophie Dumont — Strates de lecture Oil on canvas – 23.62 x 23.62 in (60 x 60 cm) Framed: 26.37 x 26.37 in (67 x 67 cm) – Choice of black or natural wood floater frame Year: 2026 – Si...
Oil
$3,400
Fruity Ramen Alchemy: ARRIVAL - Meditative Abstract Blue Tone Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Abstract minimalist artist Jason DeMeo presents a collection of artworks designed to engage viewers in a meditative experience, drawing them closer to the enduring ideals of truth, b...
Gold Leaf
"umbrella girl series" RK69DE7, Abstract, Painting, 21st Century, Acrylic
By Roger König
Located in Dessau-Rosslau, Sachsen Anhalt
Art measures 31.49 x 23,62 inches Frame measures 36.22 x 28.34 x 2.36 inches Framed in a high-quality contemporary wooden moulding. Color: antique gold Artist: Roger König b. De...
Clay, Acrylic
$1,230
Modernist Curves on Mauve, Organic Forms Diptych in Cold Tones, Yellow Accent
Located in Barcelona, ES
This abstract diptych features flowing, organic forms layered in blues, soft neutrals, and warm yellow accents. The composition balances movement and structure, with interlocking sha...
Paper, Oil
$1,800Sale Price|25% Off
Coral Reef, Abstract Mixed Media Painting, Acrylic & Sand, 24x18in, 2025
By a.muse
Located in New york, NY
In the 24 x 18in abstract painting Coral Reef, 2025 a. muse uses acrylic, oil pastel, gouache, sand, and diamond dust to render colorful biomorphic forms from the sea. Warm, cool, an...
Rag Paper, Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Gouache
$3,691
Original-Constable’s Clouds, Van Gogh’s Blue-Brit Awarded Artist-oil-gold leaf
Located in London, GB
Constable’s Clouds, Van Gogh’s Blue is Shizico Yi’s latest series—an exploration of landscape reimagined through memory and material experimentation and emotional resonance. In this ...
Gold Leaf
$5,694Sale Price|20% Off
Red floral
Located in London, London
All custom charges are included in the final price agreed. Floral vintage tapestry abstract decor Red flowers still-life. Artist: Katarina Joys Title: Red bloom Technique: acryli...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$1,850
Solace (Companionship) -21st Century Contemporary Abstract Expression, Love, Dog
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
There’s a silence that speaks when words can’t; the kind of silence that feels like a hand resting gently on your heart. Solace was born from that quiet. I painted this after a long...
Canvas, Ink, Acrylic
Spring Mimosa
Located in Zofingen, AG
Spring Mimosa from the Inner Landscapes series shipped in roll Abstract landscape painting This work is a visual sensation of spring — a moment when space fills with light and air. R...
Canvas, Acrylic
Cafe Bougainvillea, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A sunlit cafe courtyard framed by bougainvillea in full bloom comes alive with color and movement. Expressive brushwork and thick impasto in the foliage create ...
Oil
$10,100
Das Grosse Blau - Large Abstract Expressionism Mixed Media Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The paintings of Bruce Rubenstein seamlessly marry sophistication with affordability. His expressive abstract landscape artwork 'Das Grosse Blau' features whimsical details and vibra...
Enamel
Disciples and Sages #1 - Abstract Acrylic on Canvas, 2010+, New
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary mixed media composition was influenced by cubism. Inspired by the rich history of her Pakistani heritage, Shireen Kamran creates dynamic and enigmatic compositio...
Canvas, Acrylic
$555
Moody - Color Drenched Impasto Inspired Textural Thick Paint Abstract Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Impasto-painted strokes of bright colors are the framework of artist Shiri Phillips’ abstract artworks. Her paintings are flooded with texture through the layering of acrylic paint i...
Canvas, Acrylic
$6,643Sale Price|20% Off
Haiku
Located in London, London
Decor floral vintage flowers, beige, blue, floral, pink, red. Still-life Abstract expressionism, abstract painting on canvas, and interior design. 94x105cm (Full size 98x111cm) acr...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$3,084
"Pearl Roses in Blue Silence" large impressionistic painting on linen canvas
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Look at a tree, a flower, a plant. Let your awareness rest upon it. How still they are, how deeply rooted in Being. Allow nature to teach you stillness." – Eckhart Tolle This origi...
Canvas, Cotton, Linen, Acrylic
Orchidea in silver. 1
Located in Zofingen, AG
This painting depicts an orchid crafted from paste, giving it volume and texture. The orchid is presented in pearlescent hues on canvas. The background canvas is coated with silver a...
Canvas, Acrylic
“Accept”
Located in Zofingen, AG
“Gather Yourself” Series “From Simple to…” This work is about inner composure and focus that emerge from simplicity and silence. About the ability to stay in contact with oneself, to...
Acrylic
First Light, Abstract Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Soft tones, texture, and linework shape this abstract painting. Warm oranges, creams, and yellows contrast with deep blacks, greys, and teals. Artist Dorothy Ga...
Oil
Early Morning
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work is part of the Inner Landscapes series, in which the landscape becomes part of a memory, a lived state, or emotions that cannot be expressed in words and can only be felt. ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$474Sale Price|20% Off
Sakura glamor // Blooming trees in spring / good vibes / flower oil painting /
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this artwork you can feel the vitality and mildness of spring. The blossoms emerge in dynamic strokes, merging impressionism with expressionism's spirit. This painting is ...
Canvas, Oil
$303Sale Price|20% Off
Vintage Abstract Impressionist French Countryside Oil Painting by Jacques Birr
Located in AIGNAN, FR
Vintage mid-century abstract impressionist oil painting on board signed at the bottom, Jacques Birr 91. With expressive cloud swirls created by a large brush, the artist has given u...
Oil
$525
The Marigold Dress 1 - Abstract Flowy Minimalist Figurative Painting on Paper
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Bettina Mauel expresses dynamism and sensuality in her paintings: “I paint what I experience,” she articulates. “This includes landscapes, flowers, and people in motion, capturing th...
Linen, Ink, Mixed Media, Graphite
$7,592Sale Price|20% Off
Emanation
Located in London, London
Flowers still-life. Cobalt Blue, Blue, yellow, green, flowers, nature, beige, pink, red, golden, ochre, XXL size, extra large abstract painting, large scale, design artwork. Artis...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Soft Summer - Large Contemporary Abstract Textured Cool Tone Landscape Art
By Lee Herring
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Lee Herring is a contemporary painter specializing in vibrant, textured, and abstract landscapes that convey fleeting moments. Herring's energetic artworks are inspired by everyday m...
Canvas, Varnish, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$5,800
Infinity Bliss - Bue Tone Abstract Atmospheric Landscape Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Mark Acetelli’s oil and mixed media paintings awaken the viewer’s sense of exploration and adventure; they demand a new discovery. His artworks exhibit a chemistry of complexity and ...
Canvas, Oil
$15,000
"Love for Meadow VIII", Colorful Bright Abstract Painting, Textured Impasto
Located in Carmel, CA
Sveta Hessler (Russian, born 1973) "Love for Meadow VIII" 2026 Acrylic and mixed media on stretched canvas The artist signed the back of the painting. "Love for Meadow VIII" is a ri...
Canvas, Stretcher Bars, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$2,300
Atmospheric Balance - Contemporary Abstract Painting, Soft Blue and Neutral
Located in Cumming, GA
Atmospheric Balance original painting captures a luminous, tranquil moment inspired by light, air, and natural equilibrium. Soft layers of pale blue, warm ivory, and subtle neutral t...
Canvas, Acrylic
Red fish
Located in Zofingen, AG
The red fish is a symbol of confidence, stable good fortune, and abundance. It represents moving in one’s own rhythm, trusting intuition, and inner stability. The red color emphasize...
Watercolor, Archival Paper
Anticipation
Located in Burlingame, CA
Eleanor Rahim’s work explores the emotional and perceptual power of water through painting and drawing. Her images do not describe a specific place so much as a state of being, where...
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,500
avp_1521 - Original Abstract Vibrant Blue Tone Contemporary Painting on Paper
By Alex Voinea
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The colorful abstract artworks of Romanian artist Alex Voinea are inspired by experiments with paint poured over vibrating surfaces, such as speakers at full volume. Alex Voinea coll...
Paper, Acrylic
Mediterranean Garden (Under the Mandarin Trees)
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work emerges at the intersection of a personal journey through Italy and the universal image of the garden as a space of harmony and inner order. The Mediterranean garden here i...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,500
"Still Life" (2025) Abstract Figurative Oil and Mixed Media Painting on Canvas
By John McCaw
Located in Denver, CO
John McCaw's (US based) "Still Life" is an abstract oil painting in greens, grey, black and yellow. John McCaw (b. 1967), the eldest son of American expressionist Dan McCaw and bro...
Canvas, Oil
$4,200
Timelessness – Original Abstract Marsh Landscape Painting, blue, green, water
Located in Cumming, GA
Timelessness original abstract marsh landscape painting is inspired by the quiet beauty of coastal wetlands and serene waterscapes. Soft blues, muted greens, and layered neutral tone...
Canvas, Acrylic
"Last Light" (2025) Abstract Figurative Oil and Mixed Media Painting on Canvas
By John McCaw
Located in Denver, CO
John McCaw's (US based) "Still Life" is an abstract oil painting in greens, grey, black and yellow. John McCaw (b. 1967), the eldest son of American expressionist Dan McCaw and bro...
Canvas, Oil
Inner Order: Abstract Expressionism Oil Painting, Geometric, Library
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Title: Inner Order Artist: Sophie Dumont Year: 2022 Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions (unframed): 60 × 73 cm (23.62 x 28.74 in) Dimensions (framed): 67 x 80 cm (26.37 x 31.49 in) Si...
Oil
$544Sale Price|20% Off
Apotheosis of Twilight, Abstract Oil Painting on Canvas, 61x80 cm
Located in Bogotá, Bogotá
Painting on canvas constructed through overlapping layers of color. The composition is organized by chromatic fields that intersect and extend in different directions. The surface pr...
Cotton Canvas, Oil, 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
$16,000
"I Dream in Flowers", Vibrant Colorful Heavily Textured Mixed Media Abstract
Located in Carmel, CA
Sveta Hessler (Russian, born 1973) "I Dream in Flowers" 2025 Oil and mixed media on stretched canvas The artist signed the back of the painting. “I Dream in Flowers” is a heavily te...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Stretcher Bars, Oil
"Hear"
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work is about a state of openness and attentiveness to oneself and to the world. About the ability to listen — to stay in contact with one’s own feelings and with what is happen...
Acrylic
8.19. #6 - Color Drenched Expressive Abstract Mixed Media Painting on Paper
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Impasto-painted strokes of bright colors are the framework of artist Shiri Phillips’ abstract artworks. Her paintings are flooded with texture through the layering of acrylic paint i...
Paper, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$900
Sea in Orange, School of Fish in Turquoise, Abstract Patterns Seascape, Paper
Located in Barcelona, ES
This series by Enric Servera explores the relationship of humans to salt and seawater. The intention of these works is to submerge us into the sea, a salty treasure that surrounds us...
Paper, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Watercolor
$18,000
Sonia Gechtoff - Portico, painting on masonite, Signed, Ex- Andre Zarre, Framed
Located in New York, NY
Sonia Gechtoff Untitled portico, from the estate of gallerist Andre Zarre, 1977 Acrylic and graphite on masonite Signed and dated '77 in graphite on the front Unique Provenance: Acqu...
Masonite, Acrylic, Graphite
The Hush of Winter, Abstract Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A quiet, enveloping atmosphere emerges. The abstract scene evokes the stillness of winter days when hushed sound and landscape rest within a veil of calm. Subtl...
Oil
Twilight Landscape 2 - Abstract Expressive Earth Blue Ink Painting on Paper
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Bettina Mauel expresses dynamism and sensuality in her paintings: “I paint what I experience,” she articulates. “This includes landscapes, flowers, and people in motion, capturing th...
Linen, Ink, Mixed Media, Graphite
Strates en suspens, Large Abstract Landscape, Oil painting, Contemporary
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Oil on canvas Unframed: 100 × 100 cm (39.4 × 39.4 in) Framed: 107 × 107 cm (42.1 × 42.1 in) Framed in a black or natural wood floater frame (collector’s choice) Sophie Dumont is a F...
Oil
$2,135
Warm Evening. Semi-abstract floral painting, warm color, large, horizontal
Located in Oslo, NO
What we see here is not an ordinary floral landscape, but a state of time, that brief moment between day and night, when the air still retains warmth, but the light has already becom...
Canvas, Acrylic
$750
Painting Blue Dog Classic Gold Contemporary Nature Abstract Serenity Floral Calm
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Sunbeam Serenity Painting Animal Dogs Modern Gold Contemporary Striking Invest Energy Nature Blue This painting forms part of an artwork series called BLUE. I borrowed from ...
Gold
Resurfacing Mix Media on Canvas, Abstract, 48x48, 2025
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Resurfacing, 2025 by Murray Duncan Mixed media on canvas 48 × 48 inches Resurfacing is a quietly assertive abstract work that explores repetition, erosion, and the persistence of...
Glaze, Acrylic, Pencil
Pink peony on a golden background
Located in Zofingen, AG
A delicate close-up of a blooming pink peony, built on a subtle play of light and tonal transitions. The petals appear to glow from within, shifting from pale blush to richer raspber...
Canvas, Acrylic
$5,050
Cosmic Trigger V.2 - Large Contemporary Organic Shape Abstract Oil Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Harrison Gilman's large original artworks begin with a layer of fast-paced gestural abstraction followed by organic shapes and geometric structures. Some of his paintings remain in t...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
The Italian-American’s 2020 abstract painting “The Hoe” personifies his “art of not knowing.”
In his current show at New York's Lehmann Maupin gallery, the Puerto Rican–born talent reveals new paintings with a semiautobiographical aspect.