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Abstract Paintings

ABSTRACT STYLE

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.

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Style: Abstract
0118.4 (Abstract Painting)
0118.4 (Abstract Painting)

0118.4 (Abstract Painting)

By Tracey Adams

Located in London, GB

0118.4 (Abstract Painting) Pigmented wax and ink on Shikoku paper - Unframed Working on paper has always been an important part of Tracey Adams daily practice. For almost thirty ye...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Paper, Ink, Wax

Oh God, I'm confused
Oh God, I'm confused

Oh God, I'm confused

By Iryna Burda

Located in Zofingen, AG

In the context of Jungian analysis, the fish is a profound archetypal symbol of the unconscious, transformation, and inner search. In this work, the intertwining fish figures evoke t...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Abstract Minimalist Landscape Earth Mixed Media Relief on Canvas by Pau Escat
Abstract Minimalist Landscape Earth Mixed Media Relief on Canvas by Pau Escat

Abstract Minimalist Landscape Earth Mixed Media Relief on Canvas by Pau Escat

By Pau Escat

Located in Barcelona, Barcelona

In my work, I explore the quiet dialogue between earth, texture, and silence. Each surface becomes a landscape — not one we see, but one we feel. I build these compositions with recl...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic, Pigment, Mixed Media

"Flowers in Tall Vase with Melon" Turquoise Abstract Floral Still Life Painting
"Flowers in Tall Vase with Melon" Turquoise Abstract Floral Still Life Painting

"Flowers in Tall Vase with Melon" Turquoise Abstract Floral Still Life Painting

Located in Houston, TX

Turquoise abstract still life painting by Houston, TX artist David Adickes. The painting depicts white flowers in a tall blue vase on top of a table with a slice of orange melon. Unsigned. Framed in a simple black frame. Dimensions Without Frame: H 29.5 in. x W 23.5 in. Artist Biography: Born (1927) and raised in Huntsville, TX, David Adickes is an artist whose art and heart are closely aligned with Paris, France. After studying art at the Atelier F. Leger in the late 40s, Adickes burst onto the art scene in Houston and elsewhere in the early 50s and has been a prominent member of Houston’s art community ever since. While his most visible works are his giant sculptures...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Oil

Contemporary Minimal Abstract, Large-Scale Neutral Earth Tones Painting
Contemporary Minimal Abstract, Large-Scale Neutral Earth Tones Painting

Contemporary Minimal Abstract, Large-Scale Neutral Earth Tones Painting

By Viktor Kobylianski

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...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Mixed Media, Pigment

Miro Original Wax Painting, Abstract, Framed, Circa 1960
Miro Original Wax Painting, Abstract, Framed, Circa 1960

Miro Original Wax Painting, Abstract, Framed, Circa 1960

By Joan Miró

Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL

Original drawing painted in wax by Joan Miro. Certified by Jacques Dupin, official certifier of the artist's work. The work is a wax painted on two continuous pages of a book publish...

Category

1960s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Crayon

Love (Peonies)
Love (Peonies)

Love (Peonies)

By Svetlana Saratova

Located in Zofingen, AG

Two delicate peonies on a deep navy-blue background. It feels as if these two flowers have merged into one — this is love! The painting is created with acrylic on canvas: layered br...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

The Assembled Whole. 1
The Assembled Whole. 1

The Assembled Whole. 1

By Svetlana Saratova

Located in Zofingen, AG

An abstract work from the series **“The Assembled Whole. 1”**, in which fragmented elements are brought together into a unified composition through the interplay of geometry, texture...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media

Cobalt Confetti, Abstract Painting
Cobalt Confetti, Abstract Painting

Cobalt Confetti, Abstract Painting

By Lisa Carney

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Shades of blue, turquoise, and green suggest a garden scene. Drip and spatter techniques create the impression of blooming flowers and thriving plants. This flo...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Montreat Series: Untitled  - acrylic on canvas
Montreat Series: Untitled  - acrylic on canvas

Montreat Series: Untitled - acrylic on canvas

By Stephanie Visser

Located in West Hollywood, CA

Stephanie Visser, a native of southwestern Michigan, was educated at Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids Michigan. She continued her education in fine arts and painting...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Vintage Figurative Abstract of Lady on Red
Vintage Figurative Abstract of Lady on Red

Vintage Figurative Abstract of Lady on Red

By Ricardo de Silva

Located in Soquel, CA

Vintage Latin American School Figurative Abstract of a Lady in a Red Landscape. Intriguing and moody piece by California-based Latin American artist, Ricardo de Silva (American/Brazil, 20th C). This piece features a dark red abstracted background. On the left side of the piece, the outline of a building is visible providing the sense of a cityscape. Diagonal lines cross at the base of the woman's body and then fade backward into space. The red tones of the background are accentuated by large swaths of blue-toned blacks. The woman fades into this background, her pale face being the eye-catching center of the painting. Behind her, another figure rendered in simple shapes is just visible. Signed "de silva 86" in bottom left corner Acquired with a collection of the artist's work. Canvas size: 20"H x 16"W From a collection of Ricardo de Silva's work and memorabilia. DeSilva was born in Brazil and grew up in Los Angeles. He was a gallery owner, first in Santa Barbara in the 1960's and 70's, then in San Jose in the 1980's. He was dedicated to promoting the work of talented upcoming artists, including Kogyo and Hasui Kiyochika, Robert Frame, Jim Stuckenberg...

Category

1980s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Canvas

Altschmerz - 21st Century, Contemporary, Abstract Expression, Pop Culture, Love
Altschmerz - 21st Century, Contemporary, Abstract Expression, Pop Culture, Love

Altschmerz - 21st Century, Contemporary, Abstract Expression, Pop Culture, Love

By Olumide Ajayi

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

There was comfort in loving the broken. Not because I believed I could fix them, but because I couldn’t yet fix myself. I was tired of being the victim, so I chose to become the heal...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Ink, Acrylic

Ballet
Ballet

Ballet

By Svetlana Saratova

Located in Zofingen, AG

The painting, created on a round canvas, is an exquisite piece that combines clay, putty, and the finest delicate mesh. The work is titled "Ballet," and this name perfectly reflects ...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Clay, Putty, Mesh

French 20th Century Abstract Composition Oil Painting on Canvas
French 20th Century Abstract Composition Oil Painting on Canvas

French 20th Century Abstract Composition Oil Painting on Canvas

By Gilbert Pelissier

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Abstract Expressionist Composition by Gilbert Pelissier (French born 1924) signed and dated verso oil painting on canvas, unframed canvas size: 20 x 20 inches condition: overall very...

Category

Late 20th Century Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Abstract Relief Painting in Vibrant White by José María de Aurora Contemporary
Abstract Relief Painting in Vibrant White by José María de Aurora Contemporary

Abstract Relief Painting in Vibrant White by José María de Aurora Contemporary

By Jose Maria de Aurora

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...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

Mid Century French Black and White Geometric Abstract Composition
Mid Century French Black and White Geometric Abstract Composition

Mid Century French Black and White Geometric Abstract Composition

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Title: Mid Century French Black and White Geometric Abstract Composition by Serge Guerin (b. 1916), French Acrylic and gouache on black artists paper, unframed Size: 25.75 (height) x...

Category

20th Century Abstract Paintings

Materials

Ink, Acrylic, Gouache

Richard Anuszkiewicz - Near and Far Acuity, Signed Mid Century Modern painting
Richard Anuszkiewicz - Near and Far Acuity, Signed Mid Century Modern painting

Richard Anuszkiewicz - Near and Far Acuity, Signed Mid Century Modern painting

By Richard Anuszkiewicz

Located in New York, NY

Richard Anuszkiewicz Near and Far Acuity, 1957 Gouache and watercolor painting on board Hand signed and dated 1957 by Richard Anuszkiewicz on the right front Frame included Anuszkie...

Category

Mid-20th Century Abstract Paintings

Materials

Mixed Media, Watercolor, Gouache

The Assembled Whole. 3
The Assembled Whole. 3

The Assembled Whole. 3

By Svetlana Saratova

Located in Zofingen, AG

This painting is done in an abstract style on canvas using various textures and geometric shapes. The composition features predominantly gray and lilac tones with touches of beige, c...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media

Seaside Serenade: Minimalism Art-Deco Abstract Bold Invest Colorful Joy Bold
Seaside Serenade: Minimalism Art-Deco Abstract Bold Invest Colorful Joy Bold

Seaside Serenade: Minimalism Art-Deco Abstract Bold Invest Colorful Joy Bold

By Karnish Art

Located in Pretoria, Gauteng

Title: Seaside Serenade Minimalism, Art Deco, Abstract, Bold, Invest, Colorful, Joy This series connects to that around as well as that within. Solitude takes the viewer to that ...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Oil, Acrylic, Gesso, Canvas, Wood, Stretcher Bars

Untitled 24.   From Mexican Ryōan-ji Series
Untitled 24.   From Mexican Ryōan-ji Series

Untitled 24. From Mexican Ryōan-ji Series

By Francisco Larios

Located in Miami Beach, FL

Ryōan-ji is the Japanese Zen temple in Kyoto, a monastery that gave rise to the idea of ​​the purely abstract Zen garden that inspired this series Francisco Larios’ works are done by...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Gold Leaf

Ruz   Black White  Qui Primitivum est Abstract Acrylic on canvas Painting
Ruz   Black White  Qui Primitivum est Abstract Acrylic on canvas Painting

Ruz Black White Qui Primitivum est Abstract Acrylic on canvas Painting

By Rafael Ruz

Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL

Original artwork by Spanish artist Rafael Ruz. Acrylic on canvas in perfect condition. While contemplating the painting of Ruz, we are inclined to talk about real ‘psychodrama’, in ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Vintage American Modernist Abstract Framed Original Oil Painting
Vintage American Modernist Abstract Framed Original Oil Painting

Vintage American Modernist Abstract Framed Original Oil Painting

Located in Buffalo, NY

Vintage American modernist abstract oil painting. Oil on canvas. Framed. Signed. Measuring: 37 by 25 inches overall, and 36 by 24 painting alone.. In excellent original condition. ...

Category

1990s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

The Hush of Winter, Abstract Oil Painting
The Hush of Winter, Abstract Oil Painting

The Hush of Winter, Abstract Oil Painting

By Jenn Williamson

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...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Oil

Gold and Silver Sea, Abstract vs Figurative Diptych, Modern Seascape, Patterns
Gold and Silver Sea, Abstract vs Figurative Diptych, Modern Seascape, Patterns

Gold and Silver Sea, Abstract vs Figurative Diptych, Modern Seascape, Patterns

By Enric Servera

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...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Paper, Acrylic, Watercolor, Monoprint

A Shared Path
A Shared Path

A Shared Path

Located in Zofingen, AG

shipped in roll This work draws on personal memories of time spent with family. The image of a rural courtyard, animals, and the surrounding space is not merely a setting, but an i...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

High Top Con - Large Original Abstract Whimsical Expressionism Colorful Painting
High Top Con - Large Original Abstract Whimsical Expressionism Colorful Painting

High Top Con - Large Original Abstract Whimsical Expressionism Colorful Painting

By Bruce Rubenstein

Located in Los Angeles, CA

The paintings of Bruce Rubenstein seamlessly marry sophistication with affordability. His original art merges the creative attitudes of the two distinct art hot spots of New York and...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Charcoal, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic

Stream of Consciousness
Stream of Consciousness

Stream of Consciousness

Located in Zofingen, AG

“Stream of Consciousness” From the series “Between States” This work unfolds as a continuous inner movement — a space where thoughts, sensations, and images flow into one another ...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic

Contemporary abstract expressionist woman's portrait on paper "Her eternity"
Contemporary abstract expressionist woman's portrait on paper "Her eternity"

Contemporary abstract expressionist woman's portrait on paper "Her eternity"

By Mougenot Natalya

Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR

“Her Eternity” is a contemporary abstract portrait by French artist Natalya Mougenot, created as part of her ongoing series honoring women and their inner, timeless worlds. In this w...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Paper, Acrylic

Phenomenon East of the River, Acrylic on Canvas Painting by Paul Jenkins
Phenomenon East of the River, Acrylic on Canvas Painting by Paul Jenkins

Phenomenon East of the River, Acrylic on Canvas Painting by Paul Jenkins

By Paul Jenkins

Located in London, GB

*PLEASE NOTE UK BUYERS WILL ONLY PAY 5% VAT ON THIS PURCHASE. Once an order is placed we will arrange the VAT of 20% to be reduced to 5% Phenomenon East of the River by Paul Jenkins (1923 - 2012) Acrylic on canvas 97.2 x 130.2 cm (38 ¹/₄ x 51 ¹/₄ inches) Signed lower right, Paul Jenkins Signed, titled and dated 1993 on the reverse Provenance Private collection, New York, acquired directly from the artist Artist's Biography Born at Kansas City in Missouri (USA), the multi-media artist, poet and playwright Paul Jenkins studied at the Kansas City Art Institute and the Art Students League in New York City. After his discharge from military service at the end of February 1946, he briefly studied playwriting with dramatist George McCalmon at the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh. Thereafter, Jenkins spent four years studying with Japanese American artist Yasuo Kuniyoshi in New York City. His first solo exhibitions were held at Studio Paul Facchetti in Paris in 1954 and the Martha Graham Gallery in New York City in 1956. Over the past thirty years, numerous retrospectives have been curated across the globe and Jenkins’ work can found in national collections from Europe and the United States to Israel, Australia and Japan. The diversity of his work springs from Jenkins’ wealth of eclectic influences. Some of his earliest works included what he called "interior landscapes" influenced by ancient natural forms like the caves he visited in the Ozark Mountains in his native-Missouri. Frequent student visits to the Frick Collection in New York fostered a love of the great masters: Bellini, Holbein, Vermeer, Rembrandt, de la Tour, Turner and Goya. In compliment, lingering student visits to the renowned Eastern collection of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City evoked powerful sympathy for a monumental Chinese fresco...

Category

1990s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Contemporary impressionist expressive floral painting on canvas "Pink Bloom"
Contemporary impressionist expressive floral painting on canvas "Pink Bloom"

Contemporary impressionist expressive floral painting on canvas "Pink Bloom"

By Mougenot Natalya

Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR

This contemporary vivid expressive still life painting, depicting pink flowers and executed with the touch of Expressionism and the heritage of Post-Impressionism, was created by Fre...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

Laddie John Dill, Robert Rauschenberg protege signed mixed media painting Unique
Laddie John Dill, Robert Rauschenberg protege signed mixed media painting Unique

Laddie John Dill, Robert Rauschenberg protege signed mixed media painting Unique

By Laddie John Dill

Located in New York, NY

Laddie John Dill Untitled Mixed Media painting, 2011 Cement, polymer, wood, mixed media on board 12 × 18 × 1 1/2 inches Signed and dated on the back Unique work This exquisite unique...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Wood, Acrylic Polymer, Mixed Media, Permanent Marker

Park Blossom 1
Park Blossom 1

Park Blossom 1

By Natalie Bird

Located in Deddington, GB

Park Blossom I by Natalie Bird [2021] original Mixed media Image size: H:20 cm x W:20 cm Complete Size of Unframed Work: H:37 cm x W:37 cm x D:3cm Frame Size: H:36 cm x W:36 cm x D:...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Paper, Mixed Media

Abstract paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Abstract paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add paintings created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, purple, orange, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Giorgio Lo Fermo, Sumit Mehndiratta, Nestor Toro, and Cindy Shaoul. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Synthetic Resin Paint and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Abstract paintings, so small editions measuring 0.1 inches across are also available.