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.
$1,910
1959 Mid Century Modern Abstract Landscape Oil Painting - Coastal Abstraction
Located in Bristol, GB
COASTAL ABSTRACTION Oil on board Size: 36.5 x 49.5 cm (including frame) A striking and brilliantly executed mid-century modernist abstract composition that captures a rugged coastal...
Oil, Board
Abstract Blue and White Fish Patterns, Mediterranean, Expressionist Seascape
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...
Paper, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Watercolor
$1,750
"Habitual I" (flora, rich, cerebral, abstract, black & white, antique canvas)
Located in Paris, IDF
"Habitual I", 2023, Paris, France This rich and cerebral abstract painting uses a subtle but powerful color palette of brown, pink, and white oil paints and wood stain to create visual texture and depth. The artist selected a French, antique postal...
Canvas, Oil Crayon, Oil Pastel, Oil
Minimalist Abstract Painting with Black Linear Forms by Alicia Gimeno 2025
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, Ink, Acrylic
My Love For Color - Impasto Thick Paint Abstract Painting with White Frame
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 a...
Canvas, Acrylic, Glitter
$548
Contemporary colorful abstract portrait of woman acrylic painting on paper
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This captivating artwork, "Woman in a Blue Dress", was created by Natalya Mougenot, a French artist of Russian heritage born in Kazakhstan. The piece offers an abstract portrayal of...
Paper, Acrylic
$14,000
"Untitled" Edward Zutrau, 1963 Post-Painterly Abstraction Expressionist Work
Located in New York, NY
Edward Zutrau Untitled, 2/17/1963 Signed and dated on verso Oil on linen 25 1/2 x 21 inches Edward Zutrau is among the American artists who worked within the whirlwind of diverse a...
Linen, Oil
$34,479
Abstract Musician in Practice Room Original Painting by Contemporary Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Abstract Musician in Practice Room Original Painting by Contemporary Artist An extremely rare early work from leading British Contemporary Artist, ...
Acrylic, Gesso, Oil, Mixed Media, Cotton Canvas, Varnish, Paint, Cotton,...
$1,000
Untitled 4. From La materialidad del tiempo (The Materiality of Time) Series
Located in Miami Beach, FL
La Materialidad del Tiempo, Juan Carlos Amador grounds his recent work in two essential elements: cellulose and time. Using reclaimed wooden moldings from the 1980s and ’90s-original...
Paper, Oil Crayon
Geology of the Heart: Extra-Large Abstract Acrylic Painting, Unique
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Landscape and Geology of the Heart Extra-large Abstract Painting Bold Invest Striking Unique One-of-a-kind Original In this piece, I reflected the journey, geology and land...
Gold
Early Morning - Vibrant Abstract Expressionist Painting, Signed Layton
Located in Soquel, CA
Early Morning - Vibrant Abstract Expressionist Painting, Signed Layton Bold abstract expressionist painting by signed by unknown artist, Layton, circa 2000. Large swirling shapes b...
Canvas, Acrylic
Summer flowers 2 by M.Y., Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Painting size 95cm x 150cm (37,40in x 59,00in) un-stretched, no frame. The original size of the canvas 106cm x 163cm (41,70in x 64,00in). the painting is with extra canvas on the si...
Acrylic
A432 - Minimalist Abstract Original Red and Black Textural Artwork
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Swiss born artist Marco Schmidli creates minimalist paintings with a contemporary edge. Placing emphasis on process, he lets the mediums naturally manifest within his artwork. “An im...
Acrylic, Canvas
Contemporary abstract impressionist nature acrylic painting "Nestled in silence"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
Cézanne & Matisse Inspired – Abstract Expressionist Landscape – "Nestled in Silence" – Original Acrylic Painting on Heavy-Weight Professional Paper (50 × 65 cm / 19.7 × 25.6 in), Unf...
Paper, Acrylic
Umbrella - Silent Rain No.7, Abstract Painting, 21st Century, Acryl, Clay
By Roger König
Located in Dessau-Rosslau, Sachsen Anhalt
Artist: Roger König b. Dessau, Germany (1968) Master student of Kurt Schönburg, HWK Halle, Germany. Original artwork From the ongoing Umbrella series This work explores the tens...
Clay, Acrylic
$12,500
"Juncture (sketch)" Friedel Dzubas, Color Field, Green and Red, Abstract Sketch
Located in New York, NY
Friedel Dzubas Juncture (sketch), 1978 Acrylic on canvas 5 3/4 x 5 3/4 inches Provenance The artist Estate of Friedel Dzubas Jacobson Howard Gallery, New York Loretta Howard Gallery...
Canvas, Acrylic
$3,000
Ospedale III (Contemporary Abstract Geometric Painting in Yellow and Black)
Located in Hudson, NY
Contemporary Abstract geometric painting in vivid shades of yellow, greys, white, and black "Ospedale III" painted by Hudson Valley, NY based painter, Anthony Finta, in 2019 36 x 24...
Enamel
$26,500
Large Abstract Expressionist Mid-Century Acrylic Painting, Cleveland School
Located in Beachwood, OH
Richard Andres (American, 1927–2013) Untitled, 1968 acrylic on canvas signed lower right, signed and titled verso 88.5 x 50.5 inches Has an indent and a tear in the canvas. See phot...
Acrylic
$1,240Sale Price|20% Off
White Lotus Lithograph
By Hoi Lebadang
Located in Soquel, CA
White Lotus Lithograph A limited edition lithograph by listed artist Hoi Lebadang, (Vietnamese/French, 1922 – 2015). This print displays an ethereal lotus flower to center, known to ...
Paper, Ink, Lithograph
"Textures" (2025) by Dan McCaw, Abstracted, Figural Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Dan McCaw's (US based) "Textures" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts an abstracted figure in a moody interior setting. Artist Statement: Born: 1942 A solid founda...
Oil, Board
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
Untitled, 1979 - contemporary, gestural, abstract, acrylic on paper
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary abstract acrylic painting is by Carol Sutton. A flurry of colour and gestural brushstrokes dance across the canvas in this engaging acrylic painting by artist Caro...
Acrylic
Contemporary Watercolor Painting, 'Design for Panel', C. 1994 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
$1,400Sale Price|20% Off
Early Female Modernist Geometric Hard Edge Abstract Original Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Nicely painted mid century hard edge abstract by Gabrielle Roos. Oil on canvas. Signed verso.
Canvas, Oil
Connection
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work explores connection as a fluid and living process. The lines capture moments of contact and intersection without holding a fixed form. The space remains open — like an envi...
Canvas, Mixed Media
$1,416Sale Price|20% Off
Eco y Reflejo, Contemporary Art, Abstract Painting, 21st Century
Located in Mexico City, MX
Eco y Reflejo, 2024 Contemporary Mexican Art, Abstract Painting Acrylic on canvas 100x120cm Signed and dated Yumnia's artistic journey is deeply rooted in the landscapes of Nayarit...
Canvas, Acrylic
$772Sale Price|78% Off
Beauty Beneath the Chaos, Abstract Expressionist Painting by Emmi Iida
Located in Lahti, FI
“Beauty Beneath the Chaos” is an original abstract expressionist painting by multidisciplinary Finnish artist Emmi Iida, whose work blends raw emotion, layered symbolism, and poetic ...
Oil Pastel, Pastel, Acrylic, Pencil, Color Pencil
Under the Moonlight
Located in Zofingen, AG
On the painting, the Goddess eembraces the lamb. Her appearance reveals an underlying bond between the divine, the human, and the natural, suggesting that these realms arise from a c...
Canvas, Acrylic
Dreamtime: Portrait Abstract Contemporary Butterfly Soft Warm Freedom Invest
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Dreamtime Dreamtime Portrait Abstract Contemporary Butterfly Soft Warm Freedom Portraits through the eyes of Karnish. "DREAMTIME Follow her to a world of play and abundan...
Gesso, Canvas, Acrylic, Pastel, Wood, Stretcher Bars
Shark Spin Painting
By Damien Hirst
Located in London, GB
Acrylic on paper. 2009 48.9 × 67.3 cm 94 x 94 cm (framed) A mesmerizing Damien Hirst Spin painting with explosions of vivid color amidst the timeless, mysterious form of a shark. Th...
Paper, Acrylic
$766Sale Price|20% Off
Abstract Oil Painting by Yvette Dubois-Habasque, Signed, 21st Century
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract by Yvette Dubois-Habasque (1929-2016) signed and dated verso and signed with initials in lower right oil painting on artists board, unframed painting measures: 15.75 x 12 i...
Oil
Ruz Big Square Gold and Black original abstract acrylic painting
By Rafael Ruz
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
A- original abstract acrylic painting , Rafael (Barcelona 1956) While contemplating the painting of Ruz, we are inclined to talk about real ‘psychodrama’, in the same sense that Jul...
Acrylic
Abstract Diptych Monochrome Composition with Layered Textures by Beñat Olaberria
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
At our 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 Auth...
Acrylic, Handmade Paper, Monoprint
Champ - modern, contemporary, minimalist, abstract, acrylic on canvas
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This colorful abstract acrylic painting is by Canadian artist Milly Ristvedt. Inspired by modernist mentors, in the 1970s Milly Ristvedt used simple formats on raw canvas to displa...
Canvas, Acrylic
#171, Abstract, Photography, Painting, Expressionism
Located in München, BY
Unique piece More sizes and an Essay from Lyle Rexer about this series on request. Joachim Schmeisser’s work rescues photography from the centuries-old straightjacket of realism to...
Pigment
Tom Holland - abstract painting, de-accessioned from Oakland Museum, Signed
By Tom Holland
Located in New York, NY
TOM HOLLAND Untitled Mid Century Modern painting (Oakland Museum De-Accession), 1963 Oil on Canvas 16 1/2 × 20 1/2 x .5 inches Unique Signed and dated on the back of the frame Frame...
Canvas, Oil, Permanent Marker
Untitled
Located in Columbia, MO
Untitled 1957 Gouache 9.25 x 8.5 inches Framed: 17 x 16 inches Signed lower left recto
Gouache
Mid Century Modernist American Industrial Landscape Oil Painting - Expressionist
Located in Baltimore, MD
Although unsigned, this colorful painting is a wonderful example of mid century style. It portrays what is likely a rural farming scene that features different buildings and forms th...
Oil
$937Sale Price|20% Off
YVETTE DUBOIS-HABASQUE (1929-2016) FRENCH CUBIST ABSTRACT PAINTING
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
"Abstract Composition" original Oil Painting on board by Yvette Dubois Habasque (1929-2016) card: 19.75 x 19.75 inches Fine original abstract painting by the French artist, Yvette ...
Oil
Painting on Canvas Titled: PDP409ct09
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Painting on canvas signed verso Cecil Touchon Born 1956 Austin, Texas is a contemporary American collage artist, painter, published poet and theorist living in Pagosa Springs, Color...
Acrylic, Archival Paper
Blue, Red, and Black
Located in London, GB
An original, large-scale painting by Alexander Calder, this unique work showcases Calder's iconic bold colour palette and dynamic abstract forms. The piece, painted in 1968, is hand-...
Paper, Gouache
$417
Contemporary Expressionist portrait woman acrylic painting "Feminine Power"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This modern vibrant abstract expressionist woman's portrait was created by French artist Natalya Mougenot and makes part of her ongoing series dedicated to Women, where she explores ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$3,000Sale Price|25% Off
oxygen , 250x170 cm, acrylic, canvas
Located in Yerevan, AM
oxygen, 250x170 cm
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,430
"Blue Canopy" bright 3d impressionistic painting with flowers on linen canvas
Located in Zofingen, AG
“Look at the flowers. It is simply unbelievable how happy flowers are.” — Osho Blue Canopy unfolds like a flowering sky, where delicate branches drift across a luminous blue ground....
Canvas, Linen, Spray Paint, Acrylic
"Polynesian Image" Edward Zutrau, 1960 Intense Color Abstract Expressionist Work
Located in New York, NY
Edward Zutrau Polynesian Image, 2/1960 Signed, dated and titled on verso Oil on linen 38 1/2 x 51 inches Edward Zutrau is among the American artists who worked within the whirlwind...
Linen, Oil
Abstract 2544
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this piece, I poured my emotions through bold acrylic strokes, capturing the interplay of light and shadow with soft pastels and deep blues. The textured layers express a dynamic ...
Oil, Acrylic
$1,379Sale Price|20% Off
Large French 20th Century Painting Vibrant Bold Colours Dynamic Shapes Abstract
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Composition by Gilbert Pelissier (French born 1924) signed, inscribed verso oil painting on canvas, unframed canvas size: 24 x 20 inches condition: overall ver...
Canvas, Oil
$176Sale Price|20% Off
"Ocean Waves #12" Mixed Media Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Ana Hefco's (US based) "Ocean Waves #12" is an original, hand made mixed media painting that depicts an abstracted color field of blue, teal and beige, that is reminiscent of an aerial/satellite image of a coastal beach where the waves crash on shore. Artist Bio and Statement: Born and raised in Bucharest Romania, I am a self-taught dreamer and artist. To dream is my path and to paint is my dream. Lack of control is not my strong suit, but in the painting process things are different. The resin (also known as liquid glass) has a mind of its own and I learn to mindfully let go every time I paint. I allow those liquid color induced emotions I feel to drive me and take lead of my hands and at the end of the process, it’s just music and bliss. My inspiration is always nature's force, balance, perfection in purpose and beauty. It can be a place I travelled or sailed to or just a feeling floating on our boat docked in a Turkish marina or just on anchor nearby a Greek taverna on a remote tiny island in the Mediterranean or Aegean Sea. It can be this artist as a little girl reading...
Resin, Wood, Mixed Media
$496Sale Price|20% Off
French 20th Century Vibrant Geometric Square Beige and Wacky Colour Abstract
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Composition signed by Gilbert Pelissier (French born 1924) oil painting on canvas, unframed canvas size: 15 x 24 inches condition: overall very good, a few min...
Canvas, Oil
$1,990
Large Gold And Orange Warm Contemporary Abstract Painting By Kenneth Strandby
Located in Frederiksberg C, DK
Presenting a large gold, orange, and yellow contemporary abstract painting by Danish artist Kenneth Strandby (1960 - ). With its color and its large size the painting has a warm and ...
Acrylic
$4,000
Watching in Silence 2- Large Textural Original Black and White Gestural Abstract
By Gail Titus
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Arizona artist Gail Titus paints vibrant abstract compositions in acrylic on canvas with a focus on texture and color. The geometric planes of her artworks and the texture in her mov...
Canvas, Acrylic
In The City Today - Original Soft Textural City Oil Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ekaterina Ermilkina’s original, abstract fine art paintings are created using a skillful combination of applying and removing oil paint with a palette knife on canvas. Her inspiratio...
Canvas, Oil
Neritic No. 33, Abstract Painting by Elwood Howell
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Elwood Howell, American (1933 - ) Title: Neritic No. 33 Year: 1979 Medium: Acrylic on Paper, signed l.r. Size: 22 in. x 30 in. (55.88 cm x 76.2 cm)
Acrylic
Monumental Red Abstract Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, Signed, 1969
Located in Arp, TX
Monumental Red Abstract Milburn Smith March 1969 Acrylic paint on canvas 65 x 64 x 1.25 Signed and dated lower right in ink Very Good Condition: Consistent with age and history. Fro...
Canvas, Acrylic
$4,171
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
$18,000
Ron Gorchov - signed and inscribed watercolor, to designer Robert Vogele, Framed
By Ron Gorchov
Located in New York, NY
Ron Gorchov Untitled, inscribed to Robert Vogele, 1978 Watercolor and etching on paper with 2 deckled edges. Hand signed in pencil and inscribed on lower front. Inscription reads as ...
Mixed Media, Watercolor, Etching
$2,145
“Full moon” Original semi-abstract landscape. Large , horizontal. Painting.
Located in Oslo, NO
This artwork presents a dynamic, dreamlike landscape, blending natural and abstract elements in a captivating symphony of colors and textures. A swirling sky, dominated by a luminous...
Canvas, Acrylic
Landscape with trees. oil/canvas, 60x65 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Aleksandr Rodin (1922-2001) Painter Born in a family of farmers. Wife Rasma Lace - art scholar. Studied at the Stalingrad School of Art, Saratov Art School, graduated from the Depar...
Canvas, Oil
Abstract
Located in New Orleans, LA
Frederick Conway (1900-1973) was a painter, educator, and lecturer. From 1929 to 1970, Conway was a member of the faculty of the Washington University Art School. When Max Beckmann was in residence at Washington University, he and Conway became close associates. Conway was one of the first to realize the importance and seriousness of Beckmann's teaching. In 1949, Beckmann painted Conway's portrait. Conway was born in Saint Louis, Missouri, and studied at the Saint Louis School of Fine Arts and in Paris at the Academie Julian, the Academy Moderne, and the Academy Grande Chaumiere. He painted murals for the WPA (Works Progress Administration...
Oil, Board
$5,752Sale Price|20% Off
Mosaico de Ajedrez, Contemporary Art, Abstract Painting, 21st Century
Located in Mexico City, MX
Contemporary Art, Abstract Painting Acrylic on canvas 210 x 215 cm Signed FREE SHIPPING ROLLED UP About the artist Enrique Pichardo (Mexico City, 1973) graduated from Escuela Naci...
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.