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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.

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Style: Abstract
Soho #48
Soho #48

Soho #48

By Robert Inman

Located in San Francisco, CA

This artwork titled "Soho #48" c.1990 is mixed media, acrylic paint and collage on museum board paper by noted American artist Robert Inman, 1927-2016. It...

Category

Late 20th Century Abstract Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Timeless Adventures 4

Timeless Adventures 4

By Ann Shogren

Located in Napa, CA

Abstract expressionist Ann Shogren depicts vivid landscapes and paints tapestries of colors that have simultaneously calming and rejuvenating effects on her audiences. Having lived in Iowa, Utah, and the California Wine...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Le poids des couleurs- Textured Oil Painting, Geometric, Abstract composition
Le poids des couleurs- Textured Oil Painting, Geometric, Abstract composition

Le poids des couleurs- Textured Oil Painting, Geometric, Abstract composition

By SOPHIE DUMONT

Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR

Le Poids des Couleurs exemplifies Sophie Dumont’s refined approach to contemporary abstraction, where color, structure and balance are treated as architectural elements. In this comp...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Oil

Irises (abstract floral still life painting)
Irises (abstract floral still life painting)

Irises (abstract floral still life painting)

By Elizabeth Osborne

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Elizabeth Osborne (b.1936). Irises, 1966. Casein and charcoal pencil on paper, sheet measures 10.5 x 12 inches. Unframed. Excellent condition with no fading or damage. A very tiny area of paper loss in lower right corner. Biography: Elizabeth Osborne, born in Philadelphia PA, has exhibited extensively throughout the United States for over forty years. She lives and works in Philadelphia. Her work is included in the collections of the Philadelphia Museum of Art; the Pennsylvania Academy...

Category

1980s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Archival Paper, Charcoal, Casein

Large Alloy, Oil on Canvas, 2013
Large Alloy, Oil on Canvas, 2013

Large Alloy, Oil on Canvas, 2013

By Lloyd Martin

Located in Boston, MA

Artist: Lloyd Martin Title: Large Alloy Size: 92 x 130” Year: 2013 American artist Lloyd Martin, known internationally for his rhythmically constructed abstract painting, continues ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Microcosm 6, Painting, Acrylic on Wood Panel
Microcosm 6, Painting, Acrylic on Wood Panel

Microcosm 6, Painting, Acrylic on Wood Panel

By Hilary Winfield

Located in Yardley, PA

Painting title: Microcosm 6 Size: Width 6 inches, height 6 inches, depth 2.25 inches (6x6x2.25) Colors: White, pearl, fuchsia, orange, yellow, gray and iridescent, metallic gold, copper, and silver Medium: Acrylic paint and mixed-media on a beautiful birch wood panel, resin varnish More about this painting: This is an original, one of a kind, hand-made painting. The colors used in this painting are white, pearl, fuchsia, orange, yellow, gray and iridescent, metallic gold, copper, and silver. The colors flow together, and there is texture on the surface from the metallic leafing. The edges of the painting (the sides of the wooden block) have been painted white. This lovely little painting can easily be hung on a wall, or placed on a shelf, table, or desk. A thick, shiny Art...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Abstract Minimalist Skyscape Painting in Neutral Tones by Viktor Kobylianski
Abstract Minimalist Skyscape Painting in Neutral Tones by Viktor Kobylianski

Abstract Minimalist Skyscape Painting in Neutral Tones by Viktor Kobylianski

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

Breaking Through, Abstract Painting
Breaking Through, Abstract Painting

Breaking Through, Abstract Painting

By Dorothy Dunn

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Artist Dorothy Dunn presents an abstract seascape with saturated hues of turquoise. "There is a fleeting moment when the sun breaks through a stormy sky and i...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Green Mesa
Green Mesa

Green Mesa

By Amy Van Winkle

Located in Santa Fe, NM

Encaustic on panel. It's simple; I create art because it makes me happy. I try not to overthink the process of what I’m painting and let my intuition be my guide. I love laying do...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Encaustic

"Layers of Life, " Abstract Painting
"Layers of Life, " Abstract Painting

"Layers of Life, " Abstract Painting

By Ned Martin

Located in Westport, CT

Layers of Life is a powerful mixed media painting by Brooklyn-based artist Ned Martin, combining photorealistic rendering with abstract overlays to explore the tension between realit...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Metal

Condition
Condition

Condition

By Irina Burda

Located in Zofingen, AG

Line as a symbol of life. Lines are filled with color just like the events we experience. Unique shapes — unique experiences.

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

A Potted Succulent and a Rhizome - Original Vibrant Abstract Botanical Painting
A Potted Succulent and a Rhizome - Original Vibrant Abstract Botanical Painting

A Potted Succulent and a Rhizome - Original Vibrant Abstract Botanical Painting

By Krisanne Souter

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...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Paper, Ink, Acrylic, Watercolor, Color Pencil

Improvisation abstract African-American artist painting.
Improvisation abstract African-American artist painting.

Improvisation abstract African-American artist painting.

By Roland Ayers

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Roland Ayers (1932-2017). Improvisation, 2nd Series, #5. Ink on paper, measures 19 x 24 inches. Unframed and unmounted. Signed and dated lower right, titled lower left. There are a few minor areas of loss in margins as depicted in close-up photos. Additionally, there a a few minor tears in margins. Ayers holds the distinction of having participated in the first important survey of African-Americans, Contemporary Black Artists in America, a 1971 show at The Whitney. Biography: Artist and art educator, Roland Ayers was born on July 2, 1932, the only child of Alice and Lorenzo Ayers, and grew up in the Germantown district of Philadelphia. Ayers served in the US Army (stationed in Germany) before studying at the Philadelphia College of Art (currently University of the Arts). He graduated with a BFA in Art Education, 1954. He traveled Europe 1966-67, spending time in Amsterdam and Greece in particular. During this period, he drifted away from painting to focus on linear figurative drawings of a surreal nature. His return home inaugurated the artist’s most prolific and inspired period (1968-1975). Shorty before his second major trip abroad in 1971-72 to West Africa, Ayers began to focus on African themes, and African American figures populated his work almost exclusively. In spite of Ayers’ travel and exploration of the world, he gravitated back to his beloved Germantown, a place he endowed with mythological qualities in his work and literature. His auto-biographical writing focuses on the importance of place during his childhood. Ayers’ journals meticulously document the ethnic and cultural make-up of Germantown, and tell a compelling story of class marginalization that brought together poor families despite racial differences. The distinctive look and design of Germantown inform Ayers’ visual vocabulary. It is a setting with distinctive Gothic Revival architecture and haunting natural beauty. These characteristics are translated and recur in the artist’s imagery. During his childhood, one of the only books in the Ayers household was an illustrated Bible. The images within had a profound effect on the themes and subjects that would appear in his adult work. Figures in an Ayers’ drawing often seem trapped in a narrative of loss and redemption. Powerful women loom large in the drawings: they suggest the female role models his journals record in early life. The drawings can sometimes convey a strong sense of conflict, and at other times, harmony. Nature and architecture seem to have an antagonistic relationship that is, ironically, symbiotic. A critical turning point in the artist’s career came in 1971 when he was included in the extremely controversial Whitney Museum show, Contemporary Black Artists in America. The exhibition gave Ayers an international audience and served as a calling card for introductions he would soon make in Europe. Ayers is a particularly compelling figure in a period when black artists struggled with the idea of authenticity. A questioned often asked was “Is your work too black, or not black enough?” Abstractionists were considered by some peers to be sell-outs, frauds or worse. Figurative* work was accused of being either sentimental or politically radical depending on the critical source. Ayers made the choice early on to be a figurative artist, but considered his work devoid of political content. Organizations such as Chicago’ s Afri-Cobra in the late 1960‘s asserted that the only true black art of any relevance must depict the black man and woman...

Category

1980s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Paper, Ink

Moonscape I

Moonscape I

By Marina Stern

Located in Los Angeles, CA

This work is part of our exhibition Marina Stern Luminary, the first retrospective of the artist since 2007. Marina Stern was a multifaceted New York-based artist whose works ranged...

Category

Mid-20th Century Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Field Mist 231019, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Field Mist 231019, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Field Mist 231019, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

By Don Bishop

Located in Yardley, PA

Field Mist 231019 is a large scale minimalist earth tones abstract painting created with palette knives and non traditional tools. These bright paintings are part of my golden fields...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Simple Life
Simple Life

Katherine BelloSimple Life, 2021

$950Sale Price|47% Off

Simple Life

By Katherine Bello

Located in Kansas City, MO

Katherine Bello Title: Simple Life Oil and Oils stick on canvas Year: 2021 Dimensions: 20"x20"x1.5" Signed by hand Canvas on stretcher frame - ready...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas, Oil Pastel

Channel of Intuition - 21st Century, Contemporary, Geometric Abstract, Colourful
Channel of Intuition - 21st Century, Contemporary, Geometric Abstract, Colourful

Channel of Intuition - 21st Century, Contemporary, Geometric Abstract, Colourful

By Chinedu Chidebe

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issued by the Gal...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Modern Abstracted Wyoming Landscape 46"H x 52"W
Modern Abstracted Wyoming Landscape 46"H x 52"W

Modern Abstracted Wyoming Landscape 46"H x 52"W

By Erle Loran

Located in Soquel, CA

Wyoming Gold Diggings, Large Scale Modern Abstract Geometric Landscape #3 Beautiful abstracted geometric landscape by Erle Loran (American, 1905-1999) of the Wyoming "Gold Diggins"....

Category

1980s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars

Very Large French 20th Century Blue Textured Abstract Composition Painting
Very Large French 20th Century Blue Textured Abstract Composition Painting

Very Large French 20th Century Blue Textured Abstract Composition Painting

By Gilbert Pelissier

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Abstract Expressionist Composition by Gilbert Pelissier (French born 1924) signed oil painting on canvas, unframed inscribed verso dated 68' canvas size: 35 x 46 inches condition: ov...

Category

Late 20th Century Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Where Colors Meet I" impasto painting, bright colored flowers on linen canvas
"Where Colors Meet I" impasto painting, bright colored flowers on linen canvas

"Where Colors Meet I" impasto painting, bright colored flowers on linen canvas

By Anastassia Skopp 1

Located in Zofingen, AG

This painting presents a refined balance between restraint and colour expression. Set against a softly diffused background, floral elements appear to drift into the composition, cre...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Linen, Spray Paint, Acrylic

The Assembled Whole. No 7
The Assembled Whole. No 7

The Assembled Whole. No 7

By Svetlana Saratova

Located in Zofingen, AG

This painting is created on canvas using acrylic paints, elements of faux leather, and hand-embroidered details, resulting in a unique composition with rich texture. The work feature...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media

French Expressionist Abstract Original Painting Artists Studio Provenance
French Expressionist Abstract Original Painting Artists Studio Provenance

French Expressionist Abstract Original Painting Artists Studio Provenance

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Abstract Expressionist Composition by Jacques COULAIS (1955-2011) gouache painting on thick board unframed: 8 x 8 inches condition: excellent provenance: all the paintings we have fo...

Category

Mid-20th Century Abstract Paintings

Materials

Oil

Untitled 2002 (Abstract Painting)
Untitled 2002 (Abstract Painting)

Untitled 2002 (Abstract Painting)

By Fieroza Doorsen

Located in London, GB

Untitled 2002 (Abstract Painting) Pastel on paper - Unframed. In her abstract drawings, collages and paintings, Fieroza Doorsen brings to life the tensions and harmonies that emerg...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Paper, Pastel

Painting on Panel Titled: "PDP746ct14"  44 x 48
Painting on Panel Titled: "PDP746ct14"  44 x 48

Painting on Panel Titled: "PDP746ct14" 44 x 48

By Cecil Touchon

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...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Water and forest, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Water and forest, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Water and forest, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

By Nestor Toro

Located in Yardley, PA

abstract painting acrylic on canvas This artwork was created layering and blending layers of blue, green, yellow, red. Signed and ready to hang. For this work I used a large p...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Harmony - Framed Original Abstract Painting Layered Red White Ochre on Canvas
Harmony - Framed Original Abstract Painting Layered Red White Ochre on Canvas

Harmony - Framed Original Abstract Painting Layered Red White Ochre on Canvas

By Greet Helsen

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Belgian artist Greet Helsen masterfully layers acrylic paint with the effervescent transparency of watercolors in her large mixed-media abstract paintings. Reminiscent of abstract ex...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Ink, Mixed Media, Acrylic

Purple Clouds, Abstract Oil Painting
Purple Clouds, Abstract Oil Painting

Purple Clouds, Abstract Oil Painting

By Srinivas Kathoju

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Vast, open landscapes and endless horizons inspire the composition. The textured foreground depicts a field, the mountains are in the middle ground, and the s...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Oil

Portrait of a Woman
Portrait of a Woman

Portrait of a Woman

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Neo-Expressionist painting depicts a young woman in luminous light. Encaustic on canvas, 13 x 15 inches. Unsigned. Minor paint loss along right edge.

Category

Early 2000s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Encaustic

Geometric Line Study C - 7 by Murray Duncan Mix Media on paper
Geometric Line Study C - 7 by Murray Duncan Mix Media on paper

Geometric Line Study C - 7 by Murray Duncan Mix Media on paper

By Murray Duncan

Located in Toronto, Ontario

Geometric Line Studies C- 7 is an original mixed-media work on paper by Toronto artist Murray Duncan, part of his ongoing exploration of gestural geometry, spatial rhythm, and atmosp...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Paint, Paper, Ink, Pencil

Golded iris on a purple background
Golded iris on a purple background

Golded iris on a purple background

By Svetlana Saratova

Located in Zofingen, AG

This artwork is created with acrylic on canvas and enriched with gold leaf. On a deep burgundy background, stylized irises are depicted. Their petals and leaves are rendered in gold...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Eternal Sakura - Original Textured Neon Pink Landscape Artwork
Eternal Sakura - Original Textured Neon Pink Landscape Artwork

Eternal Sakura - Original Textured Neon Pink Landscape Artwork

By Frederic Paul

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...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic, Rice Paper

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.