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.
"Days of the week"
By Elina Bilous
Located in Edinburgh, GB
This series of works was born in one breath from the heaviness of the day and became a breath of hope of tenderness and love. Everyone deserves love, that's what this series is calle...
Canvas, Oil
Valley Moon Abstract
Located in New York, NY
This Chinese ancestry, California based artist created collage layered paintings of remarkable quality and appeal. A great example of his best work and of good size. The layers and...
Dye, Acrylic, Board, Rice Paper
$1,795
Waves of Freedom - Abstract Gold Tone Textural Floral Acrylic Canvas Painting
By Vè Boisvert
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
Vers la Clairière
Located in PARIS, FR
Signed lower right with the monogram Probably titled in the artist's hand on the back on the stretcher with archive number EXHIBITIONS Budapest, Var Fok Gallery. Pecs, Françoise Gil...
Oil
$1,408Sale Price|20% Off
Pink Abstraction. Horizontal, acrylic, Japandi, Wabi-Sabi, Shabby Chic
Located in Oslo, NO
The work "Pink Abstraction" continues the series of abstract floral compositions. "In my work I combine strong acrylic colors and fine ink lines to create an abstract composition t...
Ink, Acrylic
$245
Pastel Study 3 - Original Serene Paris Eifel Tower Cityscape Painting on Paper
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 ...
Paper, Oil Pastel
BEYOND THE BLUE SEA NO. 3424, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
„The sea! the sea! The endless sea! The deep, the wild, the eternally free!“ As viewers looks at my work, I hope they can’t help but be transported into my world, sailing ar...
Acrylic
$8,922
Atmospheric Landscape Abstraction Nature — Federica Furbelli, Oil on Canvas
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Federica Furbelli (1988, Varese, Italy) is a visual artist based in Mallorca whose practice centers on psychogeography, exploring drift, movement, and the relationship between nature...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
$920Sale Price|20% Off
Coral Bouquet - Abstracted Underwater Scene in Acrylic on Masonite
Located in Soquel, CA
Coral Bouquet - Abstracted Underwater Scene in Acrylic on Masonite High contrast abstract composition by an unknown artist (20th Century). Vibrant scene composed of abstract shapes ...
Masonite, Acrylic
Antique American Modernist Abstract Expressionist Framed Original Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique American abstract expressionist oil painting. Oil on canvas. Framed. Measuring: 43 by 31 inches overall. In excellent original condition. Handsomely framed in a giltwood mo...
Canvas, Oil
An Elegy of Rest: Abstract Acrylic Painting, Framed, 50x50 Inches
By Lynn Sanders
Located in Santa Fe, NM
Lynn Sanders is an artist excited by beauty: architecture, foliage, landscapes, seascapes, interiors. She finds palettes and shapes in her environment and propels them into her work,...
Acrylic Polymer, Ink, Acrylic
Momentous - Original Colorful Vibrant Abstract Mixed Media Artwork 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
Untitled Abstract Expressionist Painting, Oil and Mixed Media, 1980s
Located in Bournemouth, Dorset
Larry Wakefield: Between Figure and Abstraction This summer, MCA presents a special online exhibition dedicated to the work of Larry Wakefield (1925–1997), bringing together a rare s...
Oil, Mixed Media
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
The Bestowed Need to Remember
Located in Dallas, TX
acrylic & oil on canvas
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$420
Serene Cove Waters, Feng Shui Seascape, Blue and White Ripples, Horizontal Print
By Kind of Cyan
Located in Barcelona, ES
This is an exclusive handprinted limited edition cyanotype. "Serene Cove Waters" is a handmade cyanotype print portraying fresh ripples movements in a Greek Islands cove...
Emulsion, Mixed Media, Watercolor, Photographic Paper, Lithograph, Monop...
The Golden Hour, Venice
Located in Zofingen, AG
The Golden Hour, Venice from the Inner Landscapes series Contemporary Impressionism Abstract Cityscape Acrylic on Canvas Bathed in golden light, Venice becomes less a destination...
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Acrylic
Illusion - Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Abstract, 48in x 48in
By Mario Angel
Located in Mississauga, CA
This compelling acrylic on canvas by Mario Angel, titled "Illusion," stands as a poignant exploration of figurative abstraction, where the artist deftly navigates the liminal space b...
Canvas, Acrylic
"Body Abstract Series" RK3TE, Abstract, Painting, 21st Century, Acrylic
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
$6,160Sale Price|20% Off
La Reina, Contemporary Art, Abstract Painting, 21st Century
Located in Mexico City, MX
Contemporary Art, Abstract Painting Acrylic on canvas 185x270cm Signed FREE SHIPPING ROLLED UP About the artist Enrique Pichardo (Mexico City, 1973) graduated from Escuela Nacio...
Canvas, Acrylic
Original-Jardin d'Hiver-Cloud Dahlias in Blue-British Awarded Artist-Impasto
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
Jardin d'Hiver Series is Shizico Yi's latest collection, created in her winter studio with an expensive window view to the winter clouds while longing for the summer left behind. Ref...
Gesso, Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Micro Mini Token I, Acrylic and Gouache on Canvas Painting, 2018
Located in Jersey City, NJ
"Micro Mini Token I" (2018) by Catherine Hart Acrylic and gouache on canvas; abstract miniature painting, pastels and bold saturated palette Framing available COA included
Canvas, Acrylic, Gouache
Floating Landscape 9916: Abstract Mixed Media Canvas Painting, 2010+
Located in BARCELONA, ES
Marcela Jardón delves into the interplay between spatial perception and emotional resonance. Utilizing a blend of mixed media techniques, the composition invites viewers to explore t...
Acrylic, Mixed Media, Cotton Canvas
$175Sale Price|36% Off
Abstract Oil Painting, Framed, Signed, Circa 2004, 17.5x11.5 cm
Located in Bournemouth, Dorset
George Dannatt (1915-2009) Untitled, 2004 Image: 17.5 x 11.5 cm Frame: 30 x 24.8 cm Signature bottom left George Dannatt’s long career as a painter and sculptor ended with the artis...
Oil
Vintage American Modernist Signed Abstract Expressionist Framed Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
This mid-century abstract composition employs a dynamic interplay of geometric planes and gestural brushwork, rendered in a vibrant yet balanced palette of pastel pinks, acid yellow...
Canvas, Oil
British Abstraction oil on paperboard Alec Cumming, Vase, Blue Orange Black
Located in Norfolk, GB
Artist: Alec Cumming Title: Forms Inside the Moment Medium: oil on paper Size: 69cm x 99cm (27” x 38”) Year: 2016 Alec Cumming Exhibited at Alec Cumming...
Oil, Rag Paper
Voluminous Triangles.
Located in Zofingen, AG
This inspiring piece on canvas captivates with its beauty and depth. Crafted using putty, the artwork has acquired exquisite volume, inviting the viewer to immerse themselves in a wo...
Canvas, Acrylic, Putty
Time with you feels like Love- Katharina Husslein Impasto Oil Flower Painting
Located in DE
Sun Chaser is a beautiful impasto landscape painting of the seaside. Rolling waves come in at the beach. Within her impressionist landscape paintings, her experiences abroad truly co...
Canvas, Oil
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
$45,000
Large Color California Abstract Expressionist Copolymer Vinyl Painting Ron Davis
By Ronald Davis
Located in Surfside, FL
Ronald Davis (American, b. 1937) Pitch, 1983 cel-vinyl copolymer on canvas Hand signed verso and further inscribed with title, date, size and PTG 751 67 x 110 1/2in. Framed 69 x 112i...
Canvas, Acrylic Polymer
Blue Bouquet - contemporary, gestural abstract, acrylic on canvas
Located in Bloomfield, ON
A celebration of beautiful blues—this abstract painting by master colorist Milly Ristvedt continues to explore form and color. The background is a soft wash of blue and generous brus...
Canvas, Acrylic
Large Abstract Acrylic on Panel Painting. 46 x 58
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Born in Havana, Cuba, in the late 70s during a well-documented time of religious and political oppression, abstract expressionist artist Mirtha Moreno, immigrated to the United State...
Oil, Acrylic
Zen Reflections by Gabriela Azar Schreiner. Contemporary abstract Painting
Located in Mentone, AU
This painting is unstretched and unframed. It will be carefully rolled and shipped in a tube. "Creating large-scale abstract paintings that evoke tranquility and presence in any spa...
Acrylic
$2,450
'Abstract in Coral and Jade', Large Mid-century American Biomorphic Abstraction
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
A substantial, mid-century American Abstract oil comprising biomorphic and dimensional forms in shades of coral, jade and straw, shown gathered around a central, rectangular element ...
Canvas, Oil
$657Sale Price|20% Off
Cubist Composition Oil Painting on Card, Signed, Late 20th Century
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Cubist Composition by Armand Rottenberg (French 1903-2000) signed lower corner, oil painting on card, unframed painting: 13 x 10.75 inches Stunning original Cubist painting by the...
Oil
Be Mindful - Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Abstract, 36in x 36in
By Mario Angel
Located in Mississauga, CA
This compelling acrylic on canvas by Mario Angel, titled "Be Mindful," serves as a poignant exploration of figurative abstraction, where the artist deftly intertwines themes of aware...
Canvas, Acrylic
Funky Business, Contemporary Art, Abstract Painting, 21st Century
Located in Mexico City, MX
Contemporary Art, Abstract Painting Acrylic on canvas 200 X 170 CM Signed FREE SHIPPING ROLLED UP About the artist Enrique Pichardo (Mexico City, 1973) graduated from Escuela Naci...
Canvas, Acrylic
Quietud Abstract Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Framed, 21st Century
By Rafael Ruz
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Ruz. original abstract acrylic painting Original artwork by Spanish artist Rafael Ruz. Acrylic on canvas in perfect condition. While contemplating the painting of Ruz, we are incl...
Acrylic
$410
Contemporary abstract expressionist woman's portrait "She who sees tomorrow"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary abstract expressionist woman’s portrait was created by French artist Natalya Mougenot and forms part of her ongoing Women series—a deeply personal body of work dedi...
Paper, Acrylic
$13,267
ABSTRACT Mirko Baricchi Oil Gestural Landscapes Flora Earth Tones Mixed media
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, Mixed Media, Oil
New in Town, Intersections Series, Abstract Geometric Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Painting description: This is a new example of my ongoing series, "Intersections". My attempt to capture urban abstraction. Shapes and colors intersect and overlap. With the use of...
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,000
Australian American D. Rankin Abstract Expressionist Oil Painting Rocky Hillside
By David Rankin
Located in Surfside, FL
David Rankin, American (b. 1946) Rocky Hillside, (1990) Oil on paper Hand signed lower right, signed and titled verso. 30 x 22 1/2 inches David Rankin is a New York-based, British-b...
Paper, Oil
$2,800Sale Price|42% Off
Mid-Century Cyclists-The Field Sprint Pierre Bosco #26 (Italy/France, 1909-1993)
By Pierre Bosco
Located in SANTA FE, NM
Mid-Century Cyclists - The Field Sprint Pierre Bosco (Italy/France, 1909-1993) Oil on canvas Signed lower right. 15 x 12 inches, frame size “The savage art of Bosco bears its ruden...
Canvas, Oil
$3,287
Untitled 01 - Contemporary, Organic, Black, Minimalist, Abstract, Monochrome
Located in Baden-Baden, DE
Untitled 01, 2017 Black adhesive and black oil on canvas (Signed on reverse) 31 1/2 H x 23 5/8 H in. 80 H x 60 W cm Zsolt Berszán treats the first layer of the drawing as a substrat...
Canvas, Adhesive, Oil
$2,000
Fire in the Belly 2 - Colorful Energetic Abstract Acrylic Textural Drip Painting
By Marc Raphael
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles artist Marc Raphael's abstract expressionism paintings are influenced by New York's abstract expressionist movement. After encountering Jackson Pollock’s work for the fir...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,875Sale Price|25% Off
Power 2, 120x120 cm, acrylic on canvas
Located in Yerevan, AM
120x120 cm, acrylic on canvas
Canvas, Acrylic
$704Sale Price|20% Off
Landscape - XXI century, Contemporary Oil & Acrylic Painting, Abstraction
By Monika Rossa
Located in Warsaw, PL
MONIKA ROSSA studied painting at the University of Arizona, in the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris and at the Escuela de Diseno in Barcelona. She practices drawing and easel painting....
Oil, Acrylic, Board
$1,020Sale Price|20% Off
Antique Ukrainian American Abstract Expressionist Thick Impasto Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Ukrainian American abstract painting by Misha Reznikoff (1905 - 1971). Oil on canvas. Signed verso in monogram. Measuring 20.5 by 30.5 inches.
Canvas, Oil
Symmetry: Abstract Landscape Painting, Acrylic, Panel, Resin
Located in Atlanta, GA
This painting has only been shown in a gallery setting. All images have light and shadow reflections due to the reflective nature of the resin finish. Yury was born in Belarus and...
Resin, Acrylic, Panel
$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
Diptych: Registros XVII and Registros XVIII. From The Series Registros
By Nat Orlowski
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Impressions of past lives, perceptions of future lives. The Records series carries that mystery. Simple and profound since its deed does not happen on the surface. Although it manif...
Canvas, Lacquer, India Ink, Acrylic, Pigment
“AbEx Whitewash III” Oil on Canvas Painting 48 x 48
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Born in Havana, Cuba, in the late 70s during a well-documented time of religious and political oppression, abstract expressionist artist Mirtha Moreno, immigrated to the United State...
Oil, Acrylic
$1,996Sale Price|20% Off
Important Early American School Abstract Geometric Precisionist Signed Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Step into the enigmatic world of abstract art with this captivating original oil painting from 1945. This masterpiece, signed with a mysterious monogram by an unknown artist, embodie...
Canvas, Oil
Memory of blooming
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work appears as a fragment of a future archive, where not events are preserved, but states — tenderness, tension, and the fragility of life. The tulip petals unfold like layers ...
Canvas, Oil
Solar Series #2: Bridge at Auver - Abstract Oil on Canvas, 2000s
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This colorful abstract painting was created by the Canadian artist David Sorensen. One of Canada’s finest contemporary artists, David Sorensen actually began his art career as a sc...
Canvas, Oil
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
Pocket Gala Apple with Oil Paint on Canvas, Painting by Dani Humberstone
Located in Deddington, GB
Pocket Gala Apple [2023] Pocket Tangerine is an original oil painting by Dani Humberstone as part of her Pocket Painting series featuring small scale realistic oil paintings, with a...
Canvas, Oil
"Looks Like Sun" Original Buffalo Art by Brian Keith Stephens, Western Landscape
Located in Denver, CO
"Looks Like Sun" is an evocative original painting by Brian Keith Stephens, capturing the rugged spirit of a western buffalo. This piece, using oil and wax on cotton, measures 32 x 4...
Cotton, Wax, Oil
Colorful Abstract painting by Arnold Weber 1968
By Arnold Weber
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Arnold Weber, American (1931 - 2010) Title: Colorful Abstract Year: 1968 Medium: Oil on Canvas, Signed, titled and dated l.l. Size: 32 x 44 in. (81.28 x 111.76 cm)
Oil
Breath. Diptych Abstract Painting, 50x80 cm, New, Layered Composition
Located in Zofingen, AG
“Breath” is about the quiet moment between an inhale and an exhale — a state where the unnecessary fades away, leaving only a sense of presence, movement, and life within.
Canvas, Mixed Media
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.