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.
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
Eco Feminist Mixed Media Botanic Painting Mira Lehr Miami Abstract Expressionist
By Mira Lehr
Located in Surfside, FL
Mira Tager Lehr (American, 1936-2023), Acrylic on canvas painting Interrupted Cell Formation series Circa 2008-2009. Mixed media technique incorporating organic forms, floral motifs...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Spaces 9870: Abstract Landscape Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, 2010-
Located in BARCELONA, ES
I use the word landscape in a broad sense that encompasses internal and external perceptions, but not necessarily what is visible. The landscape, in a space-time context, becomes a t...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
avp_1628 - Original Abstract Red Tone Contemporary Acrylic 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
Ruz Golden Black Big Dejame - original abstract acrylic canvas painting
By Rafael Ruz
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Dejame - original abstract acrylic canvas painting. framed , Rafael (Barcelona 1956) While contemplating the painting of Ruz, we are inclined to talk about real ‘psychodrama’, in t...
Canvas, Acrylic
Abstract 5, Abstract Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Patches of cream, turquoise, and grey fill this abstract painting. Blue and orange accents, along with black lines, create contrast. Scratches and marks bring d...
Oil
Abstract composition
Located in DEVENTER, NL
Paolo Sistilli (1950) Abstract composition Signed lower right corner Sistilli and dated 87 Mixed media 104 x 105 cm. In wooden frame Paolo Sistil...
Mixed Media
Warm Days, Abstract Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A palpable sense of atmosphere and a soft, dreamy mood evoke memories of long summer afternoons bathed in gentle sunlight. Subtle layers and luminous textures i...
Oil
$4,665
Contemporary Minimalist Abstract Painting in Earth Tones by Emma Labattaglia
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
At Escat Gallery, we are committed to upholding the highest standards of trust and professionalism for our collectors. Every artwork in our collection includes a Certificate of Authe...
Cotton Canvas, Oil, Linen, Charcoal
$7,400
Rearranging Form - Large Contemporary Silver Tone Abstract Acrylic 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, Acrylic
$10,000
Luminary Nights, Abstract Expressionist Oil Painting by James Hiroshi Suzuki
By James Suzuki
Located in Long Island City, NY
Luminary Nights James Hiroshi Suzuki, Japanese/American (1932) Date: 1960 Oil on Canvas, signed lower right, dated and titled on verso Size: 23 x ...
Canvas, Oil
$109Sale Price|20% Off
French Expressionist Abstract Original Painting Artists Studio Provenance
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Composition by Jacques COULAIS (1955-2011) gouache painting on paper/ card unframed: 12.75 x 10 inches condition: excellent provenance: all the paintings we ha...
Oil
$1,350Sale Price|25% Off
New England Winter
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Gordon Ham (20th century) New England Winter, ca. 1940. Oil on unstretched canvas panel, 14 x 17 inches. Measuring 17 x 20 inches framed. Signed lower right. Vertical cracking ...
Oil
Growing
Located in Dallas, TX
acrylic & labels on paper
Acrylic, Paper
Expressive impressionist roses bouquet acrylic painting on canvas "Petal burst"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary, expressive, and vibrant floral painting depicting pink roses was created by French artist Natalya Mougenot (born in Kazakhstan, 1981, and living in France for the ...
Acrylic, Cotton Canvas
Sedona Red Bluffs and Seguaro Cactus Abstract
Located in Soquel, CA
Stunning and bright mid-century abstracted Sedona desert landscape of red bluffs and Seguaro cactus by unknown artist, 1957. Signed lower left illegibly and dated "June 1957" on vers...
Masonite, Oil
Psicodélico, Contemporary Art, Abstract Painting, 21st Century
Located in Mexico City, MX
Contemporary Art, Abstract Painting Acrylic on canvas 160 x 190 cm Signed FREE SHIPPING ROLLED UP About the artist Enrique Pichardo (Mexico City, 1973) graduated from Escuela Nacio...
Canvas, Acrylic
New York Misses You Too, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
"The source of inspiration for this painting came as I was walking in Manhattan in the rain," says artist Onelio Marrero. "This street is based on 8th Avenue ...
Oil
$1,734Sale Price|40% Off
A moment of the wildest freedom - Large abstract expressionist green painting
Located in Silverthorne, CO
This painting is a wild green song to freedom and nature. I am in love with my abstract expressionist self. While I do love painting tonal pieces and abstract landscape, the quintess...
Oil
$540Sale Price|20% Off
Early American Modernist Abstract Expressionist Framed Mid Century Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Impressive early American modernist abstract oil painting. Framed. Oil on canvas.
Canvas, Oil
Weightless Presence, seafoam green, pink, soft, serene, atmospheric
Located in Cumming, GA
This original abstract painting evokes a sense of ethereal calm, where soft whites and pale aqua tones drift together like whispers of clouds across the sky. The delicate layers and ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Waiting for a Fly, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Fallen tree trunks line the side of Rapid Creek in South Dakota, where a flycatcher waits quietly for its dinner. The evening sun casts long shadows across the ...
Oil
$2,000Sale Price|20% Off
"Easter Lily & Spring Dancers" - Figurative Floral Abstract
Located in Soquel, CA
Vivid Berkeley school figurative abstract titled "Easter Lily and Spring Dancers" by Patricia Gren Hayes (American, 20th Century), 1976 with wash and varnish added 1983. Signed "Gren Hayes", titled and dated "1976 washes, 1983 washes/demo" on verso. Presented in a new bronze colored frame. Image size: 23.5"H x 29.5"W. Bay Area Figurative / Bay Area Feminist Art Movement artist, Patricia Gren-Hayes, studied at Winnipeg Public Art School in 1950. She received early recognition in Museum and Gallery competitions and exhibitions and was awarded a Special Education in Art recognition by the Winnipeg Museum of Fine Art, and was awarded a scholarship to the Banff College of Fine Art. Further studies were at The University of Manitoba. She was a Member of Winnipeg Free Press Sketch Club and was a Cartoonist and paste-up for a French-English bi-weekly, in Eastern Canada; She studied outdoor impressionism in New York in 1960; in 1962, attended The California College of Arts and Crafts, and in 1976 B.A., U.C. Berkeley where she studied under Elmer Bischoff, David Simpson, Joan Brown, Felix Ruvolo, Yolanda Lopez and Vincent Perez...
Canvas, Oil
$3,656
Remembering This Side Of You - Original Minimalist Abstract Painting on Canvas
Located in Manchester, GB
Henry Woolway, Remembering This Side of You, 2025 Overlapping acrylic dyed canvas with frayed edges 68 x 57.5 cm Artwork is hand-framed in a tray frame Hand-signed by Artist on reve...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,706Sale Price|25% Off
Vintage Mid Century Modern Large Geometric Abstract Framed Hard Edge Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Nicely painted large geometric abstract painting. Oil on canvas. Framed. Image size, 48 by 36 inches.
Canvas, Oil
The Emerald Archipelago by Frédérique Domergue - Contemporary abstract painting
Located in Paris, FR
The Emerald Archipelago is a unique painting by French contemporary artist Frédérique Domergue. This painting is made with oxidized bronze leaves on aluminium panel, patina fixed wit...
Bronze
$160,000
Sam Gilliam - Ab Ex painting, Ex-Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Collection, Signed
By Sam Gilliam
Located in New York, NY
Sam Gilliam Untitled Abstract Expressionist mixed media painting on paper, Ex-Museum of Modern Art Collection, 1968 Watercolor and Aluminum Paint on Fiberglass Paper. (Framed with Mu...
Fiberglass, Paint, Watercolor
$3,469
On Hansen Abstract Mixed Media Painting in Earth Tones with Gestural Marks 2025
By On Hansen
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...
Canvas, Ink, Acrylic
$2,153
In the Hydrangea Thickets. Textured floral, Japandi, Wabi-Sabi, Shabby Chic
Located in Oslo, NO
In this work, the artist immerses the viewer in a living, breathing environment—a space where color becomes a state, and texture a tangible memory of summer. Intertwined stems, leave...
Acrylic, Canvas
$3,200
Serene Scape - Large Original Minimalist Contemporary Green Abstract Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Clara Berta’s acrylic and mixed-media paintings blend texture and color to create harmony, mystery, and depth on the painted surface. Her paintings transform spaces into Zen environm...
Canvas, Acrylic
Pink Cosmos Monotype Print, Abstract Art, 2023, Hand-Pulled by the Artist
By a.muse
Located in New york, NY
In the artist's abstract print series, Cosmos, 2023 by a.muse represents an imaginary cosmos - the universe as a place of longing, dreams, wonder, and ethereal beauty. A 13.75" x 11"...
Ink, Rag Paper, Monotype, Gouache
Contemporary Watercolor Painting, 'Design for Light', c. 2000 by David Ruth
By David Ruth
Located in Oakland, CA
This is a contemporary abstract watercolor painting by artist David Ruth. This series of paintings often feature bright colors and vibrant layouts that draw the viewer in. They are c...
Paper, Watercolor
Contemporary abstract impressionist still-life painting "Table in garden"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“Table in Garden” is a vivid contemporary still-life painting by French artist Natalya Mougenot, part of her ongoing series dedicated to floral compositions and intimate domestic sce...
Canvas, Acrylic
Silence of the Animals, Abstract Oil Painting on Canvas, 95x80 cm
Located in Bogotá, Bogotá
"The Silence of the Animals" is an original oil painting on canvas by Colombian artist Luis Xiua, known for blending figurative and abstract elements inspired by nature and pre-Hispa...
Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$4,600
Large painting on canvas, rose garden, flowers - Between Rain Air and Branches
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 large...
Canvas, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Tiffany, abstraction.
Located in Zofingen, AG
The artwork, created on a canvas made of clay, captivates with its unique texture and a serene palette in Tiffany hues. The upper part of the composition features soft, flowing folds...
Canvas, Clay, Acrylic
$800Sale Price|20% Off
"Paris Light" Abstract Figure w Gown French Haute Couture Oil Painting on Canvas
By Cindy Shaoul
Located in New York, NY
Exploring the purity of the feminine form and the drama of French haute couture, artist Cindy Shaoul creates a dialogue between the figurative and the abstract. Her spirited composit...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
Harmony of Textures. Abstract
Located in Zofingen, AG
The artwork, created on an 8 mm plywood base, captivates with its textures and interplay of materials. The upper part is crafted from high-quality faux leather, resembling soft, flow...
Plywood, Mixed Media, Leather, Acrylic, Panel, Putty
$2,751
Monochrome Ultramarine Blue Abstract Painting on Canvas Artist Gabriela Meunie
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...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic, Pigment
$9,450
ABSTRACT Contemporary Artist French Rose Madone New Artwork Nature earth colors
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 A...
Cotton Canvas, Mixed Media
$2,769Sale Price|20% Off
Flying Dutchman -Original modern abstract-texture painting-Contemporary artwork
Located in London, Chelsea
This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet Contemporary Art Gallery and online. "Flying Dutchman" by Roman Goss is an original abstract painti...
Canvas, Oil
$14,200
A834 - Original Large Scale Minimalist Contemporary Teal Tone Abstract Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Swiss-born artist Marco Schmidli creates large-scale minimalist paintings reminiscent of color field studies with a contemporary edge. Placing emphasis on process, he lets the medium...
Canvas, Acrylic
Ensign No. 1
Located in Columbia, MO
A native of Upstate New York, Matt Ballou was educated at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago (BFA 2001) and Indiana University ( MFA 2005) before coming to The University of ...
Mixed Media, Plastic, Permanent Marker
$1,005
Pink Cadillac Visit - Original L.A. Still Life Color Drenched Acrylic Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Kathleen Keifer's original artworks represent one of the most significant expressions of New California Realism. Keifer brings a fresh perspective to her colorful scenes of everyday ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Ray of Light 1
Located in Santa Fe, NM
Encaustic on panel. It's simple; I create art because it makes me happy. I try not to overthink the process of what I’m painting and let my intuition be my guide. I love laying do...
Encaustic
$4,426
ABSTRACT Black Bamboo Painting Texture Italian Artist Silvia De Marchi Minimal
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...
Gesso, Ink, Handmade Paper, Bamboo Paper
Morning Magic, Abstract Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Dorothy Gaziano layers orange and light blue with oil paint and cold wax. Using black to enhance details, she applies marks and scratches, adding contr...
Oil
$3,828Sale Price|20% Off
Forming 6 - Contemporary oil abstract painting by Polish Young Artist
By Klaudia Lata
Located in Warsaw, PL
Contemporary large abstract painting ABOUT THE ARTIST KLAUDIA LATA (born in 1993) Graduate of painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice. Diploma in 2017 in the studio of pr...
Canvas, Oil
ECHO
Located in Zofingen, AG
This painting resonates with silence dissolved in shades of blue. Gentle layers of color, from the lightest to the deepest, unfold into an invisible vibration—an echo that seems to...
Canvas, Oil
$780Sale Price|20% Off
Antique American Framed Mid Century Modern Abstract Expressionist Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Very nicely painted mid century abstract expressionist oil painting. Oil on board. Framed. Great colors and bold brush strokes.
Canvas, Oil
$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
Abstract Composition
By Bill Parker
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Signed bottom left center and again verso along with title and date 1979. Bill Parker (from the Chase Gallery letter of December 6,1974) Born Texas 1922 Worked in Paris from 1951 o...
Oil
Trees in Bloom Along the River Landscape in oil on Heavy Cardstock
By Honora Berg
Located in Soquel, CA
Trees in Bloom Along the River Landscape in Oil on Heavy Cardstock Bold oil landscape by Honora Berg (American, 1897-1985). Trees with pink and white blooms line the bank of a river. The river is shown in streaks of pink, green, and yellow, reflecting the surrounding landscape. At the far edge of the river, bright green mountains sharply rise from the bank. Acquired with a collection of the artist's work. Stamp from the Larry Miller Fine Art on verso. Unframed. Board size: 14.75"H x 22"W Honora Berg (American, 1897-1985) was an Abstract Expressionist and Bay Area Figurative School artist who studied at the San Francisco Art Institute with David Park, Elmer Bischoff and James Budd Dixon...
Oil, Illustration Board
Piling In Front 2
By Ky Anderson
Located in Dallas, TX
Pigment & acrylic on paper
Paper, Acrylic, Pigment
$6,500
Sitting with the Shadows: framed painting w/ photos, Black African American art
Located in Bryn Mawr, PA
This is a large, framed acrylic painting with collaged photographs, gold leaf, metallic paint, and other mixed media. Is it by artist Lavett Ballard, who is the first Black woman to ...
Gold Leaf
$1,400
Diamond XXXII /// Contemporary Abstract Geometric Minimal Painting Striped Art
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Jack Graves III (American, 1988-) Title: "Diamond XXXII" Series: Diamond *Signed by Graves lower right. It is also signed, titled, and dated on verso Year: 2021 Medium: Orig...
Canvas, Paint, Acrylic
$880Sale Price|20% Off
Parisian Abstract Expressionist Original Oil Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Stunning original oil painting by the French abstract artist, Yvette Dubois-Habasque (1929-2016). The painting has excellent provenance having come from the artists studio sale in Pa...
Oil
Enchanted - Meadow of Abundance, Abstract Floral Painting on Canvas, Unique
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Enchanted - Meadow of Abundance and Stillness - In Pink Floral Flowers Abstract Unique Exclusive One-of-a-kind Striking Abundant Meadow Landscape Nature We all need to feel...
Acrylic
$2,751
Monochrome Ultramarine Blue Abstract Painting on Canvas by Gabriela Meunie
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...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic, Pigment
Equinox - Abstract Acrylic Painting, Nature-Inspired, 40x36 Inches
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary acrylic abstract painting was inspired by nature. This joyful mélange of colour looks and feels like a moment in early spring has been captured on canvas. Claudia ...
Canvas, Acrylic, Wood Panel
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.