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.
$700
"Dancing with the Stars in Paris" Figure in Haute Couture Oil Painting on Paper
By Cindy Shaoul
Located in New York, NY
Exploring the purity of the feminine form and the drama of French haute couture, artist Cindy Shaoul creates a dialogue between the figurative and the abstract. Her spirited composit...
Oil, Archival Paper, Mixed Media
Cotton Candy, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By Pamela Rys
Located in Yardley, PA
This is acrylic and objects painting on cotton and custom made canvas. The style is defined by sculptural use of paint. It is 3-D, built-up mixture of many layers of thick gesso, pai...
Acrylic
Impermanence Series n21. From Impermanence series
Located in Miami Beach, FL
In the Kingdom of Transience, everything is temporary, subject to constant change. Everything is unstable and volatile like the wind. The precariousness of our existence reminds us t...
Paper, Mixed Media
$573Sale Price|64% Off
Contemporary Abstract Oriental Signed Painting
By Kozo Inoue
Located in Roma, IT
Wonderful contemporary abstract signed painting Series of 4 canvas assembled to form a single painting signed Kozo Inoue dated 1974 This painting, never before on the market, comes f...
Canvas, Oil
$780Sale Price|20% Off
Antique American Abstract Expressionist Large Framed New York City Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Nicely painted mid century abstract oil painting. Great color. Framed.
Canvas, Oil
Gentle Bloom, Abstract Painting
By Alicia Dunn
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
This abstract landscape captures the atmosphere of late summer in California as the sun begins to set. Pink streaks hint at blooming flowers across the open fie...
Acrylic
Abstract Painting Black Texture Gestural Expressionism Linen Matthew Vanliessum
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Matthew van Liessum (b. 1989, The Netherlands) is an abstract painter based in Antwerp. His practice is rooted in gestural abstraction, where energetic mark-making meets a strong sen...
Linen, Ink, Oil, Acrylic
$320Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary expressionist still life painting "Bowl of apples and a pear"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary abstract expressionist still life painting, created by French artist Natalya Mougenot, is part of her ongoing still life series that celebrates the beauty of everyd...
Paper, Acrylic
$680Sale Price|20% Off
The Fire Within: Abstract Acrylic and Oil Painting, Bold, Warm, Large, New
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: The Fire Within Movement Flow Energy Red Warm Striking Painting Fire Passion Burnt Orange In this piece, I've swirled together the fiery hues of acrylic and oil to capture a...
Oil, Acrylic, Gesso, Canvas, Wood, Stretcher Bars
$796Sale Price|20% Off
Antique American Signed Interior Modernist Abstract San Fran Museum Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique American modernist signed interior oil painting. Oil on board. Signed. Framed. Image size, 9L x 10H. Provenance from the San Francisco Museum of Art.
Canvas, Oil
Glimpses No. 14 - Green and Gold Geometric Abstract Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Alexander Eulert's original mixed media paintings on wood panels are abstract propositions of worlds where divergent forces coalesce into harmonious geometric interactions. He draws ...
Gold Leaf
"Danger" - Original Modernist Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Soquel, CA
"Danger" - Original Modernist Oil Painting on Canvas Striking modernist painting by Bay Area artist Jean Hyson (American, 1928-2023). Hard edge oil on canvas depicting a black square to the left of the canvas with a lit up cinema projector. A mans face can be seen appearing in the light coming from the projector. An orange square is seen parallel to the projector, with a yellow circle inside. The number "13" can be seen in the lower right of the orange square. Purple and light blue take up the background. Signed "Hyson" lower right in black square. Titled, signed and dated "Jean Hyson" "Danger 1966" verso. Presented in a purple wooden frame. Frame: 20 1/2"H x 24 1/2"W Image: 19 3/4"H x 24"W Born in Texas, Jean Hyson (American, 1928-2023) is best known for her modernist, sharp edge, paintings. Hyson attended the Art Student League in New York with George Grosz, Yaso Kumiyoshi and William Baziotes and Beaux Artes, Paris, France from 1954-59. She was an Artist in Residence and Instructor at the California College of Arts and Crafts, Oakland from 1970-1974. Her work is held in the Oakland Art Museum, Oakland California, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara, California and the California Container Corp. of America, Chicago, Illinois. Jean Hyson and her then-husband Jacques Fabert (who typically painted under the name “Jean Faber Himbert”) were an important force within the midcentury San Francisco art scene. Her work has been featured in countless Bay Area gallery and museum exhibitions—including SFMOMA, the de Young, and the Legion of Honor—and is in numerous public and private collections. In a fantastic in-depth interview with Hilda Pertha...
Canvas, Oil
Abstract informal 2023-2104-5 (Abstract painting)
Located in London, GB
This artwork will be shipped rolled in a dent-resistant tube. Robert Niesse is a contemporary German abstract artist, renowned for his ""Abstract Informal"" paintings that masterful...
Linen, Oil
Untitled Abstract Painting, Acrylic on Board, 1960s, Framed
By Ron Stonier
Located in Vancouver, CA
Ron Stonier (1933-2001) was a dedicated Vancouver artist celebrated for his exploration of abstract painting, influenced by his mentors Gordon Smith and Jack Shadbolt, as well as by ...
Acrylic, Board, Archival Paper
"Shadows" (2024) By Danny McCaw, Original Abstract Portrait Oil Painting
By Danny McCaw
Located in Denver, CO
Danny McCaw's (US based) "Shadows" is an original, handmade oil painting with impasto brushstrokes that depicts an ambiguous human figure on a black, grey, red, and yellow background...
Oil, Board
Circuito #3. Mixed media Abstract painting on Canvas
By Alec Franco
Located in Miami Beach, FL
"The work explores the interconnection between organic nature and circuits, reflecting the relationships between human beings. On the canvas, organic shapes are displayed that evoke ...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
$1,250
Rosetta #3 - (Contest Finalist - Abstract Contemporary Painting, Framed)
Located in New Orleans, LA
Comes framed and ready to hang in professional wood black floater frame. This painting was a Finalist in the Grey Cube Gallery's City Art International Art Exhibition: "Out of all ...
Charcoal, Acrylic, Graphite, Watercolor, Spray Paint
Abstract 2225
Located in Zofingen, AG
This is a one of a kind painting, an absolutely spontaneous, vibrant and unique creation by me, Alex Senchenko This high quality acrylic painting is done on gallery wrapped canvas, ...
Acrylic
The Guardians of Reminiscence: Abstract Large Painting Contemporary Color Invest
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: The Guardians of Reminiscence Abstract Painting Contemporary Colorful Invest Joyful artwork where we reminiscence - recollect fulfilling memories, connect to times where we ...
Canvas, Wood, Acrylic, Spray Paint, Pencil, Stretcher Bars
New Beginnings: Large Painting Modern Abstract Colorful Bold Invest Original
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: New Beginnings Painting, Modern, Abstract, Colorful, Contemporary, Invest, Artwork, Original, One-of-a-kind, Authentic This original piece is a vibrant tapestry of life's co...
Acrylic, Gesso, Canvas, Paint, Stretcher Bars
White Series n2 and n3 Diptych. Abstract Painting
Located in Miami Beach, FL
In this series the artist represent the force of white that invades with its free forms, strongly over the structure of black. White is the absolute color, the purest, the most perfe...
Canvas, Lacquer, India Ink, Watercolor, Pigment
$1,150
Dreaming in Tangerine, Abstract Expressionist Landscape, Painting Diptych Pastel
Located in Barcelona, ES
"Dreaming in Tangerine" is an abstract expressionist painting by Romina Milano where a dance of colorful gestures unfolds across colorful brushstrokes infused with raw emotion. Rom...
Paper, India Ink, Acrylic
$919Sale Price|24% Off
Original-Blue Cat-Gold Leaf- British Awarded Artist-surreal-expression-abstract
Located in London, GB
Primary Colour Series- Blue Cat is inspired by Japanese woodblock Print and the a nod to calligraphy tradition. With strokes of gilded gold leaves, gesso and acrylic, Shizico Yi pain...
Gold Leaf
Le Promenade
Located in Zofingen, AG
La Promenade shipped in roll (Series: Le Jardin Privé / Your Private Paradise) “Some paths are not meant to lead us somewhere, but to bring us back to ourselves.” This work, titled ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$3,400
Tondo Arboretum - Circular Contemporary Abstract Sage Green Botanical Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Harrison Gilman's large original artworks begin with a layer of fast-paced gestural abstraction followed by organic shapes and geometric structures. Some of his paintings remain in t...
Canvas, Mixed Media, 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
Noting Special, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
gallery wrapped :: Painting :: Abstract :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the artist :: Ready to Hang: Yes :: Signed: Yes :: Signature Locati...
Oil
$3,900Sale Price|40% Off
Continental Drift, Contemporary Large Scale Abstract with Found Object Collage
Located in Soquel, CA
Continental Drift, Contemporary Large Scale Abstract with Found Object Collage A gorgeous, substantial contemporary abstract expressionist oil painting/collage with bright blue and white background with red accents by Bay Area artist Michael Pauker (American, b. 1957). A collection of various found-object vintage postal...
Canvas, Oil, Paper
Brown And White Abstract:Contemporary Abstract Oil Painting by Paul Wadsworth
Located in Brecon, Powys
Oil on canvas, signed lower left
Canvas, Oil
$162Sale Price|20% Off
Bright & Colorful French Impressionist Oil Painting Layered Pink Rose
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Maggy Clarysse (1931-2011) Oil on thick card, unframed, double sided 6.5 x 8 inches Signed Initials ...
Oil
$573Sale Price|37% Off
Black Angel Abstract Expressionist Oil Painting Gestural Figurative Contemporary
By Nerea Caos
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Black Angel Abstract Expressionist Oil Painting Gestural Figurative Contemporary Artist: Nerea Caos (1993) Title: Black Angel Year: 2023 Medium: Oil on ca...
Canvas, Oil
Imagination 588, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Oil abstract painting Mixed media Ready to hang Signature on the back side 2023 year creatio :: Painting :: Abstract :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authentic...
Oil
$1,719
ABSTRACT Geometry Pink Painting by Contemporary German Artist Carolin Kreutzer
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, Acrylic
"Weight Of Air VII". Contemporary Abstract Oil Painting
Located in Brecon, Powys
The Weight of Air VII, 2019 Oil & wax on deep-fame canvas
Canvas, Wax, Oil
$1,008Sale Price|20% Off
Modern abstract expressionist blue floral painting linen canvas "Color breath"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Color Breath" is a vibrant contemporary floral painting by French artist Natalya Mougenot, an expressive large-scale still life defined by bold color contrasts, gestural brushwork, ...
Canvas, Linen, Acrylic
ISIDRO CAHUE sea original abstract paper acrylic painting
By Isidro Cahue
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
sea- original abstract paper acrylic painting Mixed technique on paper. Perfect state . The personality of the artist is reflected in different fields of art. His concern for the s...
Acrylic, Cardboard
$700
"Her Way" Gold Silver Bronze Figure in Gown Haute Couture Oil Painting on Paper
By Cindy Shaoul
Located in New York, NY
Exploring the purity of the feminine form and the drama of French haute couture, artist Cindy Shaoul creates a dialogue between the figurative and the abstract. Her spirited composit...
Mixed Media, Oil, Archival Paper
$21,600
Untitled
Located in Columbia, MO
Original oil painting by Grace Knowlton, signed verso. Grace Knowlton (American, 1932 - 2020) was born in Buffalo, NY, and studied at Smith College and Columbia University’s Teacher...
Oil
Robert Goodnough - Collage Canvas Painting III (signed and inscribed to artist)
By Robert Goodnough, 1917-2010
Located in New York, NY
Robert Goodnough Collage Canvas Painting III, 1983 Painted canvas collage on cardboard (signed twice and inscribed to artist and curator Matthew Rose) Signed on the front of the artw...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
Stout No Doubt - Abstract Modern Organic Shape Mixed Media Artwork on Canvas
By Rue Bootay
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rue Bootay, a New York-born artist now rooted in the vibrant artistic landscape of Los Angeles, navigates the avant-garde realm of nonrepresentational surrealism with a style uniquel...
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic
7.10.24 #4 - Original Blue and Green 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
Julia Martins Miranda Large Abstract Oil Painting Warm Ochre Terracotta Tones
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
This work is presented in a scroll-like (parchment-style) format, with the painting executed on a flexible support and suspended using metal rods at the top and bottom, allowing the ...
Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Large Painting on Canvas, Fantasy Abstract Style by Serg Graff "Star Ship" COA
By Serg Graff
Located in Palm Coast, FL
Up for sale original large painting on canvas in a fantasy abstract style by Serg Graff Titled "Star Ship". This striking abstract painting features a bold, textured golden sunburst ...
Acrylic
Untitled Mid Century Abstract Oil Painting New York Artist
By John Opper
Located in Beachwood, OH
John Opper (American, 1908 - 1994) Untitled, 1959 Oil on board Signed and dated lower right 14.75 in. h x 18 in. w. 20 in. h. x 24.5 in. w., as framed John Opper described the 1930s...
Oil
“PDP #653” Painting on Panel ( 30 x 48 )
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Post Dogmatist Painting #653 paper and acrylic on panel signed verso Cecil Touchon Born 1956 Austin, Texas is a contemporary American collage artist, painter, published poet and ...
Mixed Media
Micro Mini Token II, Acrylic and Gouache on Canvas Painting, 2018
Located in Jersey City, NJ
"Micro Mini Token II" (2018) by Catherine Hart Acrylic and gouache on canvas; abstract miniature painting, pastels and bold saturated palette Framing available COA included
Canvas, Acrylic, Gouache
Framed abstract Persian calligraphy painting on photogravure print; black, blue
Located in Bryn Mawr, PA
This is an original, framed mixed media work (hand painting on top of a photogravure print) in Nazanin Moghbeli's "Words from My Mother" series. It is float framed in a contemporary ...
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Photogravure
Bedevilment, Painting, Oil on MDF Panel
By Craig Moran
Located in Yardley, PA
This piece is a second version of an earlier painting (also available on Zatista). I completed it while doing my artist residency at Palette 22 Restaurant. What is special to me abou...
Oil
Jasmine
Located in Napa, CA
Alison Haley Paul is a contemporary painter of lavishly textured landscapes full of nuanced color. Her work conjures up connotations and geographical memories: that summer you spent ...
Charcoal, Wax, Oil, Graphite, Pigment
Untitled 5. From Ritmos abstractos (Abstract Rhythms) Series
Located in Miami Beach, FL
"Ritmos Abstratos" invites us to explore the visual universe of the artist Juan Carlos Amador, who, through his unique perspective, translates the pulsations of space and the invisi...
Canvas, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Museum Collected artist Abstract Illusion acrylic painting on board 37x27"
By James Havard
Located in Southampton, NY
James Havard is considered one of the "pioneers of the abstract illusionism movement" One of James Havard's homes and studio's was on the island of Tortola and this work from 1979 evokes the feel of the aqua blue waters and the reference of Salt Island in the painting refers to the island of Tortola and the feel of the ocean waters. In the 1970's Havard was the principle artist that started working in an abstract style that included gestural brush strokes and paint squeezed directly from the tube to create beautiful surface textures in his paintings. He then painted shadows to certain areas of paint to create the 3d illusion of depth to his paintings. This created the "Abstract Illusion" movement of the 1970's. Havard had many museum exhibitions and his paintings were sort after and exhibited at galleries around the world. Havard along with other artists like, Michael Gallagher, George Green...
Acrylic, Board
$201Sale Price|20% Off
"My Lovely Provence in Summer", Small Acrylic Nature Landscape France Painting
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“My Lovely Provence in Summer” – Original Acrylic on Paper, 15 × 21 cm (5.9 × 8.3 inches) French contemporary artist Natalya Mougenot presents “My Lovely Provence in Summer,” a lumi...
Paper, Acrylic
$1,568Sale Price|20% Off
Large French Mid Century Abstract Oil Painting Black Purple Pink Composition
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Large French Mid Century Abstract Oil Painting Black Purple Pink Gestural Composition by Gilbert Pelissier (French, born 1924) signed and dated 1997 French abstract expressionist oil...
Oil
$284Sale Price|20% Off
Modern Abstract Black White Nature Oil Painting on Paper "Under the Maltese sun"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This painting "Under the Maltese sun" , created by French artist Natalya Mougenot, is part of her Nature series. Completed in the summer of 2023, it reflects the artist’s desire to c...
Oil, Paper
Stroll Through the Evening City
By Jacob Burda
Located in Zofingen, AG
This abstract painting, with its rich palette of purples, ochres, greens, and oranges, evokes the atmosphere of an evening walk through the city. There are no literal buildings or st...
Canvas, Acrylic
Bricolaje Filosofico: Abstract Acrylic Painting on Canvas
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 ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$555
Moody - Color Drenched Impasto Inspired Textural Thick Paint Abstract Painting
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...
Canvas, Acrylic
The Earth is round II by Frédérique Domergue - Abstract painting on metal, sea
Located in Paris, FR
The Earth is round II is a unique painting by French contemporary artist Frédérique Domergue. This painting is made with oxidized zinc and bronze leaves on aluminium panel, patina fi...
Metal, Bronze
$7,200
Tompkins Square (Abstract Figurative Urban Landscape Painting of New York City)
Located in Hudson, NY
Abstract Figurative city landscape painting of Tompkins Square in Manhattan "Tompkins Square" painted by William Clutz in 1960 Oil on canvas, signed at bottom 30 x 25 inches, 30.5 x...
Canvas, Oil
One Truth - Impasto Inspired Thick Paint Pink Abstract Painting
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...
Canvas, Glitter, 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.