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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
Orange & Red Abstract Sunset Sunrise Painting by Leading British Urban Artist
Orange & Red Abstract Sunset Sunrise Painting by Leading British Urban Artist

Orange & Red Abstract Sunset Sunrise Painting by Leading British Urban Artist

By Angela Wakefield

Located in Preston, GB

Orange & Red Abstract Expressionist Painting - a rare early work from Leading British Urban Artist, Angela Wakefield. Entitled 'Sunset Sunrise #1', this bold, colourful artwork is fr...

Category

Early 2000s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Gesso, Canvas, Cotton, Paint, Varnish, Cotton Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, ...

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

Kumo 2 (Abstract Painting)
Kumo 2 (Abstract Painting)

Kumo 2 (Abstract Painting)

By Janise Yntema

Located in London, GB

Image size is 19.5 x 19.5 cm matted to 50 x 50 x 0.1 cm (19.7 x 19.7 in) Janise Yntema’s practice is rooted in the mastery of wax-based media, ranging from traditional heated encau...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Resin, Paper, Wax, Pigment

Floating Landscape 9916: Abstract Mixed Media Canvas Painting, 2010+
Floating Landscape 9916: Abstract Mixed Media Canvas Painting, 2010+

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...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Mixed Media, Cotton Canvas

Happanese: Abstract Encaustic Painting of Hemp Leaves on Light Mint Green
Happanese: Abstract Encaustic Painting of Hemp Leaves on Light Mint Green

Happanese: Abstract Encaustic Painting of Hemp Leaves on Light Mint Green

By Allyson Levy

Located in Hudson, NY

Abstract painting made with light green encaustic and brown hemp leaves and branches resembling a tree Happanese, made by Allyson Levy in 2020 48 x 34 inches hemp leaves, branches, a...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Organic Material, Mixed Media, Encaustic, Wood Panel

Love
Love

Love

Located in Zofingen, AG

“Love” Love is the meeting of two shadows and two lights. It is a path through fears and silent barriers, where tenderness becomes strength. It reveals the self, lays bare vulnerabil...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Boats Near Shore - Abstracted Seascape
Boats Near Shore - Abstracted Seascape

Boats Near Shore - Abstracted Seascape

By Robert Canete

Located in Soquel, CA

Abstracted seascape of three boats near the shore with broad, painterly strokes of blue, turquoise, and neutrals by Robert Canete (American, b. 1948). Signed lower right. Image: 16"H...

Category

1980s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Masonite, Oil

Coastal Dune, Abstract Painting
Coastal Dune, Abstract Painting

Coastal Dune, Abstract Painting

By Lisa Carney

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
This abstract piece captures the quiet allure of a misty harbor. Painted intuitively, artist Lisa Carney layered warm browns, cool teals, and soft greys to ev...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Registros IV, Abstract Paintings. From The Series Registros
Registros IV, Abstract Paintings. From The Series Registros

Registros IV, Abstract Paintings. From The Series Registros

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...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Lacquer, India Ink, Acrylic, Pigment

French Abstract Red Black Expressionist Oil Painting Gabriel Jenny
French Abstract Red Black Expressionist Oil Painting Gabriel Jenny

French Abstract Red Black Expressionist Oil Painting Gabriel Jenny

By Gabriel Jenny

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Artist: Gabriel Jenny (French, 20th century) Medium: Oil on canvas Size: 25.5 x 32 inches Frame: Unframed Signature: Signed lower right Condition: Good condition Description An expr...

Category

Late 20th Century Abstract Paintings

Materials

Oil

Large French Expressionist Abstract Oil Painting Armand Rottenberg
Large French Expressionist Abstract Oil Painting Armand Rottenberg

Large French Expressionist Abstract Oil Painting Armand Rottenberg

By Armand Rottenberg

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Artist: Armand Rottenberg (French, 1903–2000) Medium: Oil on board Size: 37.5 x 27 inches (framed) Signature: Signed lower corner Condition: Painting in good condition; minor age-rel...

Category

Late 20th Century Abstract Paintings

Materials

Oil

Tuscany Meadow with Long Evening Shadows, Flowers, Summer Evening, Abstract
Tuscany Meadow with Long Evening Shadows, Flowers, Summer Evening, Abstract

Tuscany Meadow with Long Evening Shadows, Flowers, Summer Evening, Abstract

By Elaine Kazimierczuk

Located in Deddington, GB

A meadow in Tuscany on a summer's evening at my friend's house, near Sestina. The heat of the day has left a balmy warmth and the low sun is casting long deep shadows across the wild...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Oil Crayon, Oil, Acrylic, Canvas, Mixed Media

Modern Red, Blue, Green, & Yellow Mixed Media Abstract Linear Painting
Modern Red, Blue, Green, & Yellow Mixed Media Abstract Linear Painting

Modern Red, Blue, Green, & Yellow Mixed Media Abstract Linear Painting

Located in Houston, TX

Modern red, blue, green, and yellow mixed media abstract painting by the artist Bert Millar. The work features vertical stripes of various colors set against a light grey wash of col...

Category

1970s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Mixed Media

Untitled (Abstraction)
Untitled (Abstraction)

Untitled (Abstraction)

By Jack Roth

Located in Astoria, NY

Jack Roth (American, 1927-2004), Untitled, Acrylic on Canvas, marked "JR-3845" verso and with "Jack Roth Estate" stamp, unframed. 56" H x 56" W x 2" D. Provenance: The Estate of th...

Category

20th Century Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Pink Water Lilies: August, Oil Painting
Pink Water Lilies: August, Oil Painting

Pink Water Lilies: August, Oil Painting

By Onelio Marrero

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Artist Onelio Marrero paints an emerald pool abundant with blooming water lilies. "I am fascinated by the three-fold nature of looking at the water's surface," says Onelio. He displays depth implied in the reflection of the sky, ripples, plants floating, and finally, the telltale signs of things just below the surface. Part of Onelio's ongoing series of paintings exploring bodies of water.


About the Artist
Artist Onelio Marrero paints impressionist city scenes of everyday life. He captures the romanticism of New York City, from the picturesque fountains in Central Park to a glistening city street on a rainy afternoon. He creates a sense of nostalgia and intimacy with his work, offering the feeling that you have visited this particular scene before. “Each play of light, each texture, and each movement of a figure can have a captivating effect on me,” says Onelio. He studied at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art where he mastered discerning color and values, giving his work a more spontaneous appearance. Onelio’s work is an appreciation for beauty in all of its greatest forms; nature, art, and people.


Words that describe this painting: water lily, lilies, Monet, pond, lake, lily pads, reflection, forest, flower, impressionism, water, plants, oilpaint, nature, impressionism, nature, oil painting, green


Pink Water...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Oil

Mid Century French Geometric Abstract in Blue Brown and White Signed
Mid Century French Geometric Abstract in Blue Brown and White Signed

Mid Century French Geometric Abstract in Blue Brown and White Signed

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Title: Mid Century French Geometric Abstract in Blue Brown and White Signed by Serge Guerin (b. 1916), French signed lower right “SG”, name stamped verso Acrylic and gouache on brown...

Category

20th Century Abstract Paintings

Materials

Ink, Acrylic, Gouache

Quiet Grace
Quiet Grace

Quiet Grace

Located in Zofingen, AG

Quiet Grace from the series Reflections Quiet Grace unfolds as a hymn to feminine tenderness and inner strength. The gentle gesture near the face becomes a symbol of self-care, grati...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Impasto Abstract Seascape Landscape Miniature Study Contemporary British Artist
Impasto Abstract Seascape Landscape Miniature Study Contemporary British Artist

Impasto Abstract Seascape Landscape Miniature Study Contemporary British Artist

By Angela Wakefield

Located in Preston, GB

Impasto Abstract Seascape Landscape Miniature Study by Contemporary British Artist Angela Wakefield Art measures 5 x 5 inches Frame measures 11 x 11 inches Framed in a high qualit...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Paint, Acrylic, Board

September
September

September

Located in Jönköping, SE

This painting is from my series titled "The Untethered Soul." This series delves into the transformative power of nature, capturing the essence of what one feels rather than sees. In...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Untitled Black & White Abstract Painting, CoBrA Movement
Untitled Black & White Abstract Painting, CoBrA Movement

Untitled Black & White Abstract Painting, CoBrA Movement

Located in Beachwood, OH

Theo Wilhelm Wolvecamp (Dutch, 1925 - 1992) Untitled Oil on canvas Signed and numbered 21 verso 15.75 x 19.75 inches Theo Wilhelm Wolvecamp was a Dutch artist and member of the COBRA group...

Category

Mid-20th Century Abstract Paintings

Materials

Oil

On Many Evenings, Abstract Oil Painting
On Many Evenings, Abstract Oil Painting

On Many Evenings, Abstract Oil Painting

By Ronda Waiksnis

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Artist Ronda Waiksnis expresses a visceral view of a local landscape. Muted tones of brown, gray, white, and black constitute the gripping scene. "This is esp...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Oil

241125
241125

241125

Located in Badung, ID

Alicia Gimeno approaches painting as a form of writing—one that exists beyond language, meaning, or legibility. From an early fascination with Eastern calligraphy, her practice evolv...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Original-Summer Night-British School-UK Awarded Artist-impressionist-abstract
Original-Summer Night-British School-UK Awarded Artist-impressionist-abstract

Original-Summer Night-British School-UK Awarded Artist-impressionist-abstract

Located in London, GB

This painting captures a view from the east end of the garden, looking towards the west gate where old giant trees frame wildflower areas on both sides. Shizico Yi used the colour bl...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Gesso, Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Spring Day
Spring Day

Spring Day

Located in Zofingen, AG

A tranquil rural landscape in which green grass awakens after winter and a modest rural house rests among the awakening trees surrounded by geese grazing nearby This painting reflec...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

"Calm's Chaos - Storm Eye", Abstract, Blue, Brown, Orange, Mixed Media Painting
"Calm's Chaos - Storm Eye", Abstract, Blue, Brown, Orange, Mixed Media Painting

"Calm's Chaos - Storm Eye", Abstract, Blue, Brown, Orange, Mixed Media Painting

By Peter Knapp

Located in Franklin, MA

Peter Knapp’s “Calm’s Chaos – Storm Eye” is a 24 x 36 x 1 inch abstract mixed media painting on cradled panel in blue, indigo, and ochre acrylic, ink, and pencil. This colorful abstr...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Archival Ink, Acrylic, Color Pencil, Panel

Golden Hour Landscape 1 - Abstract Expressive Warm Tone Ink Painting on Paper
Golden Hour Landscape 1 - Abstract Expressive Warm Tone Ink Painting on Paper

Golden Hour Landscape 1 - Abstract Expressive Warm Tone Ink Painting on Paper

By Bettina Mauel

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...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Linen, Ink, Mixed Media, Graphite

"Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolves and the Woodcutter"
"Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolves and the Woodcutter"

"Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolves and the Woodcutter"

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Sometimes stories change and we decide who to fear and who to keep in our hearts. My story is about an all-encompassing love that is so great that it changes people's stories.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

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.