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.
Measured Silence II, by Murray Duncan Mixed Media on Paper
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Measured Silence II by Murray Duncan Mixed Media on Paper Size: 32" × 40" Unframed, signed. Measured Silence I is a one-of-a-kind mixed-media work that explores the quiet relations...
Acrylic, Glaze, Oil Crayon, Pencil
$3,050
Becoming Two - Original Colorful Abstract Landscape Mixed Media Art on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Jane Harington is a Saskatoon-based contemporary painter whose expressive oil paintings explore landscape, florals, and place through color, memory, and emotion. Shaped by an interna...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
Soft Resonance Large-Scale Contemporary Abstraction
By Oksana Reva
Located in Zofingen, AG
Soft Resonance speaks not through bold statements, but through quiet whispers. Translucent layers of color, rich textures, and delicate traces of movement create a contemplative atmo...
Oil, Canvas
Le bleu des terres, Contemporary Abstract Landscape, Oil painting
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Le Bleu des Terres is an original oil painting by French contemporary artist Sophie Dumont. Inspired by the landscapes of the Normandy coastline, this abstract composition evokes th...
Oil
$712Sale Price|25% Off
"Andean Jungle" Abstract Oil Painting on Canvas 28x41 inches
Located in Bogotá, Bogotá
Andean jungle. This oil painting on canvas explores the relationship between landscape and abstraction through intersecting planes and fields of color. Vertical and horizontal forms ...
Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Original Diptych-Drawing Time: Garden Story-Brit Awarded Artist-Ink on paper
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This special Diptych includes two original large ink drawings on Italian Fabriao paper, created by Shizico at the height of summer when her collection of lilies take centre stage in ...
Gold Leaf
Subtle balance
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work continues an exploration of silence as an inner space — a state where perception slows down and the boundaries between forms become soft and unstable. It is built on a bala...
Canvas, Mixed Media
A Corner of One's Own
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 122×142 cm (overall size with stretching 132×152 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled This artwork immerses the viewer in a warm, cozy domestic atmosph...
Canvas, Acrylic
Recueillement, Large Geometric Abstract Oil Painting, 2026
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Recueillement, whose title evokes a state of inward contemplation and quiet reflection, is a large abstract geometric painting by French contemporary artist Sophie Dumont. The compo...
Oil
Green-lilac abstraction.
Located in Zofingen, AG
This abstract composition explores the expressive nature of alcohol ink, where flowing pigments create organic forms that emerge without predetermined boundaries. Layers of deep char...
Ink
$1,975
Wild Skies 4 - Abstract Gold Leaf and Acrylic Landscape Painting on Wood Panel
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Adele Webster’s contemporary landscape paintings explore atmosphere, light, and the emotional presence of open space. Working with layered acrylic washes on wood panel, Webster creat...
Gold Leaf
$705
A Place to Breathe - Abstract Gold Leaf and Acrylic Sky Painting on Wood Panel
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Adele Webster’s contemporary landscape paintings explore atmosphere, light, and the emotional presence of open space. Working with layered acrylic washes on wood panel, Webster creat...
Gold Leaf
Quiet Hour
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 97×97 cm (overall size with stretching 107×107 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled This painting captures a moment of absolute peace and cozy domestic...
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,950
I Want That Kind of Forever That Burns Bright - Bouquet Still Life Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Inspired by paintings created by old masters and the immersive nature she experienced in the Black Forest, German artist Katharina Husslein paints in a representational hyperrealisti...
Canvas, Oil
$1,119
White Nights. Abstract expressionist, grey, Japandi, Wabi-Sabi, Shabby Chic
Located in Oslo, NO
The viewer sees a work in which the abstract language of painting acquires poetic power. The work is made using the mixed media technique: the translucency of the epoxy resin, superi...
Canvas, Epoxy Resin, Acrylic
In the Warmth
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 97×142 cm (overall size with stretching 107×152 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled “In the Warmth” invites the viewer into an enveloping atmosphere o...
Canvas, Acrylic
Early 20th Century French Expressionist Landscape Oil Painting
Located in Holywell, GB
Early 20th Century Expressionist Landscape – “Le pique-nique” A vibrant landscape executed in the expressive style of early 20th-century Expressionism. Bold, confident brushstrokes ...
Oil
The Endless Summer
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 66×97 cm (stretched canvas, ready to hang) Year: 2026 Materials: Acrylic on canvas Shipping: Stretched canvas, safely packed in Styrofoam and cardboard. This painting transpo...
Canvas, Acrylic
Lilac green fantasy.
Located in Zofingen, AG
This abstract composition is inspired by the quiet rhythm of geological formations and the fluid movement of natural landscapes. Flowing layers of muted olive green, warm taupe, soft...
Ink, Synthetic Paper
$2,356
Suburbs of Lausanne between day and night // texture original oil impasto 3d /
Located in Zofingen, AG
This Impressionist painting conveys a meditative sense of immersion in the silence of nature. The canvas exudes coolness and sensual tenderness. This is not just a landsca...
Oil
Simple Life (Gestural Abstract, Still Life, Warm, Soft, Summer, Vibrant)
Located in Kansas City, MO
Katherine Bello Simple Life (Gestural Abstract, Still Life, Warm, Soft, Summer, Vibrant) Oil and Oil Stick on Canvas 2021 Size: 20 x 20 x 1.5 inches (50.8 × 50.8 × 3.8 cm) Signed, da...
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Oil
Our Own Way
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 132×142 cm (Total canvas size including stretching margins: 142×152 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled "Our Own Way" by Svetlana Brazhnikova is a pr...
Canvas, Acrylic
Kinfolk
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 110×97 cm (overall size with stretching 120×107 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled Kinfolk" is a profound visual reflection on the unconditional acce...
Canvas, Acrylic
"Floral float" Abstract impressionist water lilies painting inspiration by Monet
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Floral Float" is an original expressive water lily painting by French artist Natalya Mougenot, inspired by Claude Monet, created on heavyweight professional acid-free paper and meas...
Paper, Acrylic
$1,500
"Dream of Monet Lilly Pads" Colorful Impressionistic Oil Painting on Wood Framed
By Cindy Shaoul
Located in New York, NY
This painting depicts an impressionistic scene of Monet's home Lily Pond in Giverny, a poetic piece with beautiful details. The work reminds us of Claude Monet, with impressions capt...
Wood Panel, Oil
$759Sale Price|20% Off
Original Set of 2-Le Bleu: Rosaria-British Awarded Artist-Impasto, Gold Leaf
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This Set of 2 Oil impasto and Goldleaf on oil Papers, included 2 paintings: Night Roses-Rosarian Series Rosarian, 2026 (After Van Gogh) This pair is a part of Le Bleu Series by Award...
Gold Leaf
$440
HandPainted Artist's Proof-Strawberry Moon Field-Awarded British Artist-GoldLeaf
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This latest hand-painted Artist Proof ( the final Proof, No 2 of Two) is made on a premium metal/aluminium panel. All its gold-leaf parts are hand-painted and gilded by the artist he...
Metal, Gold Leaf
$2,600
Under - Original Impasto Thick Paint Beige Red Pink Textural 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
$6,800
Leaving the Pieces Alone, 2024, Original Mixed Media Painting by Murray Duncan
Located in Toronto, Ontario
'Leaving the Pieces Alone' - is an original mixed media painting by Canadian artist Murray Duncan. Measuring 48" H × 84" W, the composition features Duncan's signature gestural lin...
Glaze, Oil Crayon, Acrylic, Pencil
$1,884
Held in Burgundy - Contemporary floral colorful large painting dark red
Located in Zofingen, AG
Burgundy earned its name from a wine region, and something of that heritage lingers in the color — the weight of grapes ready for harvest, the patience required before anything can b...
Canvas, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Original-Peony Summer-Impasto-British Awarded Artist-Oil, Goldleaf-plein air
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This Oil impasto and Goldleaf on Paper, named Peony Summer, is a part of Summer Bloom Series by Award winning British artist Shizico Yi. She created the painting in her garden paint...
Gold Leaf
Under the Wing
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 132×142 cm (Total canvas size including stretching margins: 142×152 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled This evocative painting immerses the viewer in...
Acrylic, Canvas
$1,325
Wild Skies 3 - Original Abstract Gold Leaf and Acrylic Painting on Wood Panel
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Adele Webster’s contemporary landscape paintings explore atmosphere, light, and the emotional presence of open space. Working with layered acrylic washes on wood panel, Webster creat...
Gold Leaf
Measured Silence I, by Murray Duncan Mixed Media on Paper
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Measured Silence I by Murray Duncan Mixed Media on Paper Size: 32" × 40" Unframed, signed. Measured Silence I is a one-of-a-kind mixed-media work that explores the quiet relationsh...
Glaze, Oil Crayon, Acrylic, Pencil
"umbrella girl series"Gold Edition No. 17, Abstract, 21st Century, Acrylic
By Roger König
Located in Dessau-Rosslau, Sachsen Anhalt
Rendered in an elegant slate-blue palette, this work embodies understated luxury and sophistication. The rich tonal variations create a sense of depth and tranquility, while the icon...
Clay, Acrylic
$2,179
Au dela des champs, Contemporary Abstract Landscape Painting by Sophie Dumont
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Born in Paris in 1964, French contemporary painter Sophie Dumont creates richly layered oil paintings that explore abstraction through structure, rhythm, and memory. Her works are he...
Oil
Gold Abstract Paintings, Gold Modern Art, Abstract Art-Grace 4024
Located in Delaware , OH
Gold Abstract Paintings, Gold Modern Art, Abstract Art-Grace All of Addison's text in her paintings are her journal. She uses it as an artist expressions and does not read them afte...
Gold
Kinko Abstract Expressionist Painting, Oil & Acrylic, 21st Century
Located in London, London
Chocolate Brown, Burgundy, and Earthy All custom charges are included in the final price agreed. large scale painting colourful flowers still-life. Artist: Katarina Joys 98x198c...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$8,481Sale Price|20% Off
Eternity Abstract Expressionist Painting, XXL Oil & Acrylic on Canvas
Located in London, London
full size 212x118cm full size canvas stretched size204x110x10cm All custom charges are included in the final price agreed. unframed, shipped rolled XXL, Extra-large painting, larg...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$836Sale Price|20% Off
Original Set of 3-Primary Colour series-Awarded artist-gold leaf with oil
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
Shizico Yi's "Primary Series" is a series where she explores the relationship between colours and emotion, particularly the colour yellow ( using gold leaf as the chosen material for...
Gold Leaf
Large Abstract Expressionist Mid Century Modern Oil Painting on Canvas in Frame
Located in AIGNAN, FR
Large original abstract oil painting on canvas signed in the lower left and framed. A very attractive modern vintage abstract that cascades strong colour and form. Here, the artist...
Oil
Christina Gschwantner, Contemporary Rainbow Minimalist Abstract Lines Painting
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
The work reflects the artist’s mastery of gesture and emotion, where each mark becomes a visual language. A striking piece that brings movement, depth, and intensity to any collectio...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
Abstract 2635 - Colorful Impasto Green Abstract Painting
Located in Zofingen, AG
In creating this piece, I poured raw emotion into layers of pinks and greens, evoking a sense of renewal and fragile beauty. The acrylic textures express movement and growth, while t...
Oil, Acrylic
Point d'ancrage – Contemporary Abstract Geometric Painting, Architectural
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Point d'ancrage This original geometric abstract painting by French artist Sophie Dumont is an oil on linen canvas created in 2026. Known for her richly layered paintings that combi...
Oil
Large French Abstract Expressionist Oil Painting Bright Orange and Pastel Colour
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Large French Abstract Expressionist Oil Painting Bright Orange and Pastel Colours Composition by Marie Deloume (French, born 1942) signed verso French abstract expressionist oil pain...
Oil, Canvas
$471
"Summer Flora" Contemporary abstract expressionist floral acrylic painting
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Summer Flora" is a lively floral painting by French artist Natalya Mougenot. In this piece, she captures the feeling of a summer bouquet in full bloom, using color and movement to ...
Paper, Acrylic
21 (Gestural Abstract, Warm, Heart, Pink, Green)
Located in Kansas City, MO
Katherine Bello 21 Oil on Canvas 2021 Size: 40 x 30 x 1.5 inches (101.6 cm × 76.20 × 3.81 cm) Signed, dated and titled by hand COA provided *On Stretcher Frame, Gallery-wrapped - re...
Cotton Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars
Tête-à-tête
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 132×142 cm (overall size with stretching 142×152 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled This painting captures a fragile, precious moment of genuine inti...
Acrylic, Canvas
$1,575Sale Price|43% Off
No Ulterior Motives (Gestural Abstract, Atmospheric, Blue, Cool, ~43% OFF)
Located in Kansas City, MO
Katherine Bello No Ulterior Motives Oil on Canvas 2021 Size: 40 x 30 x 1.5 inches (101.6 cm × 76.20 × 3.81 cm) Signed, dated and titled by hand COA provided *On Stretcher Frame, Gal...
Canvas, Oil
Girlhood Secrets
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 97×97 cm (Total canvas size including stretching margins: 107×107 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled This painting immerses the viewer into an atmos...
Canvas, Acrylic
Large Mid Century Modern Abstract Impressionist Landscape Oil Painting
Located in AIGNAN, FR
An original signed and dated oil painting by Alfred Levy 'Alvy' (1915-1970) depicting a harbour-side arcade scene in the artist's characteristic modern French style. It's entitled,...
Oil
Hand-Painted large Canvas Limited Edition#6/10–Sunshine Factory-Awarded Artist
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This stunning large hand-painted Limited canvas edition is created in oil by Shizico Yi and is 95% hand painted directly onto canvas. Signed on the front and signed and numbered on ...
Gesso, Canvas, Oil, Acrylic, Giclée, Archival Pigment
$2,123Sale Price|25% Off
Original Set of 9 Garden Story-Le Bleu-British Awarded Artist-Gold leaf on Oil
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This rare offer, Set of 9 latest collection of Garden Story in gold leaf and oil on oil paper board are a part of Le Bleu Series by award winning British artist Shizico Yi. She crea...
Gold Leaf
$14,725
"umbrella girl series" Blue- Gold Edition No.14, Painting, 21st Century, Acrylic
By Roger König
Located in Dessau-Rosslau, Sachsen Anhalt
Set against a rich midnight blue background, luminous gold leaf creates a refined dialogue between elegance, depth and timeless luxury Gold Edition - with real gold leaf, 23,75 cara...
Clay, Acrylic
$2,179
The Shadow Within, Contemporary Abstract Geometric Painting by Sophie Dumont
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
The Shadow Within Sophie Dumont is a French contemporary painter whose work explores the dialogue between geometry, light, and material through richly layered oil paintings. Built o...
Oil
Presence
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 140×97 cm (overall size with stretching 150×107 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled Painting Title: "Presence" Series Title: "The Inviolable Reserve" ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$5,050
The Wellspring III - Large Scale Contemporary Colorful 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, Oil
Presence silencieuse, Contemporary Large Abstract Geometric Oil Paint
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Presence Silencieuse Oil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm (31.5 x 31.5 in) Framed dimensions: approx. 87 x 87 cm (34.3 x 34.3 in) Floating frame available in black or natural wood. Presence S...
Canvas, Oil
$481
Original-Strawberry Moon Night-Awarded British Artist-goldleaf with oil on paper
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This oil and gold leaf on Georgian oil paper board is a part of Summer Bloom Series, an extension of the Sunlit in primary colour project. Captured Shizu's garden in the night in th...
Gold Leaf
The Companion
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 132×142 cm (overall size with stretching 142×152 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled At the heart of the canvas is a laconic yet profound scene of qui...
Canvas, Acrylic
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.