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.
Landscape 1, Abstract Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Shades of blue, rust, and cream shape this abstract landscape. Splashes of grey and black dots scatter across the surface. Scratched and scraped paint introdu...
Oil
$2,723
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
Abstract Composition with Color Fields – Contemporary Oil Painting "Far Blue 2"
Located in Bogotá, Bogotá
"Distant Blue 2." Abstract Composition with Fields of Blue Color is an original oil painting on canvas by Colombian artist Luis Xiua, created in his Bogotá studio. The work explores ...
Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Contemporary Miniature Natural Pigments Painting Cosmic Egg Minimalist orange
Located in Norfolk, GB
Rahul Kumar Untitled Natural Pigment on Paper 35.5cm x 26.5cm Rahul Kumar is from a family of traditional miniature painters working in Jaipur. The atelier where his family learnt t...
Paper, Watercolor
Persian Morning II (Abstract expressionist mid-century Indiana artist painting)
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Mary Ann Robertson (1923-1911). Persian Morning II, 1964. Oil and paper on canvas. 25 x 36 1/2 inches. overall frame size 37 1/2 x 26 inches. notes: Nashville, IN woman artist....
Oil, Handmade Paper
$650
Hand-Painted Canvas Proof#2-Purple Misty Alliums-British Awarded Artist-Last One
Located in London, GB
This Artist’s Proof is approximately 90% hand-painted with original oil paint and gesso by Shizico Yi, applied directly onto a premium Giclée canvas made from her original oil painti...
Gesso, Canvas, Oil, Acrylic, Giclée
$8,810
Topographie du reve, Large Abstract Geometric, Framed, Expressionism, French
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Title: Topographie du Rêve Oil on canvas – 39.37 × 39.37 in (100 × 100 cm) Framed: 42.13 × 42.13 in (107 × 107 cm) – Natural wood floater frame (black optional) Year: 2025 – Signed l...
Oil
$704
Pale Bloom. Medium size abstract painting, floral, soft colors, muted rose, grey
Located in Oslo, NO
"Pale Bloom" explores a restrained yet luminous palette of blush, muted rose, warm beige and soft grey tones. The composition unfolds through layered, gestural brushstrokes that buil...
Canvas, Acrylic
$850
Salat, Yellow and White, Abstract Fish Patterns, Modern Seascape on Paper, 2025
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...
Acrylic, Handmade Paper
Self Heal - Original Framed Floral Artwork on Antique Botanical Book Page
By Lee Herring
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Lee Herring focuses his contemporary paintings on vibrant, textured, and abstract landscapes that convey fleeting moments. Herring's energetic artworks are inspired by everyday momen...
Paper, Mixed Media
$645
Plants in Pottery Pots - Original Abstract Colorful Botanical Painting on Paper
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Krisanne Souter weaves together elements of nature and ancient feminine archetypes, such as the Mother and the Mystic. Botanical themes, playful elements, and unexpected surprises ar...
Paper, Ink, Acrylic, Watercolor, Color Pencil
Venus - Ethereal Abstract Textural Floral Painting in Blush, Coral and Gold
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Drawing inspiration from an immersive and impressionistic interpretation of nature, Canadian artist Vé Boisvert paints textural original artworks that capture the fleeting effects of...
Canvas, Acrylic
Still Life Abstract
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A vibrant mid-century abstract expressionist work, signed and titled verso. Housed in it's original wood strip frame. Framed size is 24.5 x 36.5 inches. Canvas is 24 s 36 inches.
Oil
Cosmic Dance - Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Abstract, 48in x 60in
By Mario Angel
Located in Mississauga, CA
In "Cosmic Dance," Mario Angel offers a hauntingly beautiful study of collective movement and subconscious transit, utilizing his signature figurative abstraction to populate a dense...
Canvas, Acrylic
$422Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary vivid expressive figurative dog's portrait on paper "Little rouge"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Little Rouge” is a contemporary acrylic dog painting by French artist Natalya Mougenot, created on heavyweight Italian paper as part of her expressive series dedicated to dogs. Wit...
Paper, Acrylic
$1,850
Sidera (Honeymoon) -21st Century, Contemporary, Abstract Expression, Flower Love
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Sidera reflects that kind of radiant intimacy, the soul's longing to chart constellations in another person, to navigate the galaxies of their experiences, and to leave behind light,...
Canvas, Ink, Acrylic
Unlikely Refresh, Abstract Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
This abstract landscape painting, built through multiple layers of wet-on-wet mediums, creates a rich surface. The tactile depth contrasts with smooth, glossy p...
Oil
$1,292
Light of the Hills– Original Textured Abstract landscape , Oil, Contemporary
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
In Light of the Hills, Sophie Dumont, a French contemporary painter, captures the serene rhythm of an abstract landscape built through subtle layers of oil paint. Soft greens, ochres...
Oil
#139, 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
$415
Memory - Muted Color 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
Painting with linen, beeswax and natural pigments, yellow turmeric and brown
Located in Carballo, ES
The painting measures 77 x 39 cm and is an old linen sack filled with polyurethane foam. The pigments include beeswax, oxide vinegar, yellow turmeric, and natural graphite. The work...
Canvas, Wax, Graphite, Pigment
Abstract Oil Painting by Mirko Baricchi – Contemporary Color Field Composition
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Mirko Baricchi (born 1970) is an accomplished Italian painter who currently lives and works between Vicenza and La Spezia, regions located in Veneto and Liguria, Italy, respectively....
Cotton Canvas, Oil
ABSTRACT 2565
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this piece, I poured vibrant emotion into layers of soft pastels, letting acrylics dance freely across the canvas. The swirling pinks, yellows, and blues express an uplifting ener...
Oil, Acrylic
$2,400
Shady Spot, Guatemala - Cool Tone Abstract Landscape Textural Impasto Painting
By Dana Cowie
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Using an impasto, painterly technique Dana Cowie creates cubist-inspired farm and rural landscapes. Working within controlled color schemes, her artworks appear abstract up close and...
Canvas, Oil
$9,118
Contemporary Large New Abstract Dots Colors Artist Christina Gschwantner
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, Oil, Acrylic
$2,131
Abstract Seascape Painting in Soft Neutrals – Original Oil on Canvas, French Art
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Sophie Dumont – “Instant Suspendu” Oil on canvas – 19.69 x 19.69 in (50 x 50 cm) Framed dimensions: 22.44 x 22.44 in (57 x 57 cm) – Choice of black or natural wood frame Year: 2026 C...
Oil
$3,000Sale Price|25% Off
Untitled (abstract expressionist mid-century modern painting)
By Joseph Fiore
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Joseph Fiore (1928-2005) Untitled, ca. 1955. Oil on canvas, 18 x 24 inches. Measuring 25 x 31 inches in custom modernist frame. Signed lower left. Excellent condition. Joseph Albe...
Canvas, Oil
$6,461
Dialogues geometriques, Abstract textured, French artist, Oil paint Contemporary
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Oil on canvas Unframed size: 100 x 81 cm (39.37 x 31.88 in) Framed size: 107 x 88 cm (42.12 x 34.64 in) Choice of natural oak or black floater frame Year: 2025 Signed lower right Cer...
Oil
Magenta abstraction on a gold background. Triptych
Located in Zofingen, AG
The triptych is created in fluid acrylic technique and consists of three vertical panels, each measuring 24 × 30 cm. Together they form a unified composition connected by a continuou...
Canvas, Acrylic
Falling Reef. From the series Polyculture
Located in Miami Beach, FL
These works explore our relationship with the incredible biodiversity of our planet Earth. Visual representations of flowing colours, smells, sounds and the feeling of our life sourc...
Canvas, Acrylic
$4,000Sale Price|20% Off
Hope: Extra Large, Floral, Landscape, Painting in Acrylic and Oil
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Hope - Floral landscape after the Storm Extra large floral showcase Investment Extra large Floral Showcase Investment Nature Landscape Joy Colorful Authentic Original One-of...
Oil, Acrylic
$3,800
Serie Visiones Sin Motivo, Contemporary Art, Abstract Painting, 21st Century
Located in Mexico City, MX
Contemporary Art, Abstract Painting Acrylic on canvas 160 x 120 cm 2025 About the Artist Pilar de Ariño was born in Mexico City in 1992. She studied Industrial Design at Universid...
Canvas, Mixed Media
$4,144
Entre 2 calmes, Contemporary textured Oil on Canvas, Abstract, Geometric art
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
First Lights (Premières Lueurs) is an emblematic work by contemporary French artist Sophie Dumont, capturing the fleeting moment when day breaks over an abstract landscape. True to h...
Oil
Mid-century Ladies of the Evening Surrealist Cityscape Architectural painting
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Nicola Ortiz Poucette (1935-2006). Ladies of the Evening, ca. 1960. Ink and casein on illustration board. Image measures 15 x 26 inches; 19 x 30 inches framed. Signed lower right...
Oil, Archival Paper
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
$23,494
DAMIEN HIRST - THE CURRENCY. Original work The Currency Project. Dots. Colors
By Damien Hirst
Located in Madrid, Madrid
DAMIEN HIRST - THE CURRENCY: 6274. NOBODY SHOULD HEAR IT Date of creation: 2016 Medium: Enamel paint on handmade paper Edition: 5.149 unique works on paper Size: 21.5 x 30 cm Conditi...
Enamel
$1,090
Festival of Joy - Abstract Expressionism Maximalis Delight Joy Texture Statement
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Festival of Joy Abstract Expressionism Colorful Delight Joy Movement Texture Statement Vibrant Festivitas Laetitiae - Festival of Joy This vibrant artwork, set on a deep cr...
Oil, Acrylic
Whispers of Willingness
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work echoes the theme of a quiet inner decision — that moment when a willingness to open up to the light is born from within. White blossoms appear as a language of softness tha...
Canvas, Acrylic
How Time Flies - Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Abstract, 30in x 40in
By Mario Angel
Located in Mississauga, CA
In "How Time Flies," Mario Angel presents a captivating exploration of the ephemeral, utilizing his signature figurative abstraction to chart the elusive passage of time. The composi...
Canvas, Acrylic
Let's Climb The Mountains - Large Colorful Abstract Nature Landscape on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Maria C Bernhardsson's original artworks are influenced by the architecture and geometry of houses. Born in Sweden, Bernhardsson travels the world photographing and sketching houses ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$650
"Blue Climber" (2025) Abstract Figurative Encaustic Painting on Cradled Panel
Located in Denver, CO
About the Artist: Victoria Eubanks is a visual artist and educator. She brings enthusiasm, passion, design sensibility and years of fine-art-making to her studio and classrooms. Vi...
Encaustic, Wood Panel
$3,434
l'Atelier en suspens, Abstract, Textured, Geometric, Contemporary, French art
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
In The Studio in Suspension, Sophie Dumont reimagines the atmosphere of a working artist’s studio, where canvases, color fields, and subtle objects appear to hover in a poised, quiet...
Oil
$635
Glowing Sunset II - Original Vibrant Warm Tone Textured Abstract Artwork Framed
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The delicate and poetic artworks of painter Frederic Paul reference his Asian roots in expressive and elaborate compositions. Inspired by the bold colors, spices, flora, and landscap...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic, Rice Paper
Las Mascaras XIV. From Las Mascaras (The masks) Series
Located in Miami Beach, FL
This series draws inspiration from Hatillo’s Fiesta de los Santos Inocentes, translating the festival’s vibrant movement and collective energy into a refined abstract vocabulary. Thr...
Paper, Oil Crayon, Pastel
Come Back To Me - Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Abstract, 36in x 48in
By Mario Angel
Located in Mississauga, CA
This evocative acrylic on canvas by Mario Angel, titled "Come Back To Me," serves as a poignant exploration of figurative abstraction, where the artist deftly intertwines themes of l...
Canvas, Acrylic
Divergence - Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Abstract, 36in x 48in
By Mario Angel
Located in Mississauga, CA
This evocative acrylic on canvas by Mario Angel, titled "Divergence" serves as a poignant exploration of figurative abstraction, where the artist deftly intertwines themes of longing...
Canvas, Acrylic
Untitled #SP-222, Mixed Media on Paper by Murray Duncan - Abstract Geometric
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Untitled #SP-222, by Murray Duncan Mixed media on paper Size: 32" x 40” Unframed, signed A bold mixed-media work with dynamic lines and textures. This captivating piece by Murray ...
Paint, Paper, Pencil
Gold in magenta. Abstraction
Located in Zofingen, AG
The work is created in the fluid art technique using acrylic on canvas. The composition is built on the intense interaction of saturated pink, coral, and crimson tones, complemented ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Beyond The Imagination - Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Abstract, 30in x 40in
By Mario Angel
Located in Mississauga, CA
In "Beyond The Imagination," Mario Angel further explores the ethereal boundaries of his Cosmic Conspiracy style, using a sophisticated palette of ivory, sienna, and striking accents...
Canvas, Acrylic
$7,800
Matter and Antimatter - Italian Abstract Art, Gestural Abstraction, Blue, Yellow
Located in New York, NY
Materia et Antimateria by Ruggero Vanni is an exceptional example of abstract expressionism meeting sculptural sensibilities. This unique mixed-media painting blends pigments and tex...
Canvas, Oil
AWH 338 - Abstract Minimalist Textured Layered Colorfield Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Bernhard Zimmer produces deeply layered, subtly textured abstract paintings that contain diametrically opposed elements—order and chaos, abstraction and representation, boldness and ...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
$1,974Sale Price|20% Off
Huge French Contemporary Modernist Abstract Oil Painting Futurist Fantasy Scene
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Composition signed by Jacqueline VERDET (French, 1931-2023) oil painting on canvas, unframed canvas: 51 x 38 inches inscribed verso condition: the work is in overall very so...
Canvas, Oil
Original Diptych-Spring Duet-British Awarded Artist-Abstract UK Contemporary
Located in London, GB
Spring Duet is part of Shizico Yi’s ongoing exploration of the diptych format—a project that began in 2024. Painted en plein air, every canvas captures both the landscape outside her studio and the intimate interior surrounding it. This duality unfolds across two paintings, creating a visual dialogue that shifts and harmonises like a musical duet. The work belongs to Shizico’s long-running Memory Landscape Series (est. 2015), in which she moves fluidly between mediums—installation, sculpture, painting—and across visual languages from impressionism and expressionism into abstraction. In this spring chapter, she turns to the gentle hues of the Northern European early spring: soft greens, creamy whites, pink-apricot light—tones that hold the tender, awakening atmosphere of the season. Each canvas functions like a musical note; together, the pair forms a coherent visual phrase. Their relationship is harmonious yet flexible, offering multiple ways of living with the work in your home. -Artist's Lifetime Warranty for the original artwork Details Diptych (set of 2 paintings) Medium: oil, acrylic, mixed media on canvas Size: • Each canvas: 50 × 39.5 cm • Total combined size: 50 × 79 × 1.5 cm (Unframed measurements) -Versatile Display: The diptych may be hung: • Side by side as a traditional diptych set • Separated across different walls to create visual punctuation and subtle connection between spaces This flexibility allows the work to adapt to a variety of homes and interior styles. -Guarantee End to end tracking Delivery Worldwide by Royal Mail Worldwide at lowest flat Rate £22. About the artist: Dr. Shizico Yi is a London-based artist working across installation, film, and painting. Her practice explores themes of loss, repetition, the everyday, and the significance of memory. Drawing on a background in design and film, she creates works that weave personal experience into wider social and human narratives. Yi holds a PhD in Fine Art from the University of East London (2017), an MFA, and a BA in Womenswear from the University of the Arts London. Her practice also includes plein air painting from spring to autumn and studio-based work in winter, allowing place and season to inform the energy, scale, and materiality of her pieces. Her work has been exhibited internationally in the UK, Korea, and Italy, and is held in private collections across the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, and the UK. Notably, Shizico Yi secured the title of Winner of the Women Film Makers: Best Shorts Competition in 2013 in Los Angeles, USA. She also serves as a guest jury member at the 14th-16th Annual New York City Independent Film Festival from 2022 to 2024 and is a curator and founder of no barking aRt...
Gesso, Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Las Mascaras III. From Las Mascaras (The masks) Series
Located in Miami Beach, FL
This series draws inspiration from Hatillo’s Fiesta de los Santos Inocentes, translating the festival’s vibrant movement and collective energy into a refined abstract vocabulary. Thr...
Canvas, Spray Paint, Acrylic
$4,263
ABSTRACT textured Minimalist Handmade Paper Black Sand Tones by Alicia Gimeno
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...
Ink, Handmade Paper, Acrylic
$1,057
Original-Impasto-Moonlit Dahlias-Jardin d'Hiver-British Awarded Artist-Gold leaf
Located in London, GB
Jardin d'Hiver Series is Shizico Yi's latest collection, created in her winter studio while longing for the summer left behind. Reflecting on the vibrant days spent painting en plein...
Gold Leaf
The Divine Goddess - Warm Soft Jewel Tone Abstract Floral Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Drawing inspiration from an immersive and impressionistic interpretation of nature, Canadian artist Vé Boisvert paints textural original artworks that capture the fleeting effects of...
Canvas, Acrylic
$770Sale Price|20% Off
Mid Century French Geometric Abstract in Multicolour Gouache on Paper
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: Mid Century French Geometric Abstract in Multicolour Gouache on Paper by Serge Guerin (b. 1916), French Signed with initials bottom right and name stamped verso Gouache and in...
Ink, Gouache
Large Vintage American Modernist Framed Abstract Expressionist Signed Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Large vintage American modernist oil painting. Oil on canvas. Signed. Framed. Provenance from a Sag Harbor, NY collection. Handsomely framed. Excellent condition, ready to hang and ...
Oil, Canvas
Appearance of Light - Acrylic Abstract Painting, Earth Tones, 2000s
By Otto Rogers
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This acrylic abstract painting in bold earth tones is by Otto Rogers. Otto Rogers is a distinguished abstract artist whose original artwork left an indelible mark on the Canadian ar...
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.