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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
Round Multicolor Relief Wall Sculpture in Clay Fake Gum Abstract Candy Mosaic
Round Multicolor Relief Wall Sculpture in Clay Fake Gum Abstract Candy Mosaic

Round Multicolor Relief Wall Sculpture in Clay Fake Gum Abstract Candy Mosaic

By Elizabeth Art Candy

Located in FISTERRA, ES

"Fake Gum" is a captivating circular wall sculpture by Elizabeth Art Candy that explores the seductive tension between softness and artifice. Composed of hundreds of hand-molded clay...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Clay, Spray Paint, Board

Love surrounds you by Love by Gaetan de Seguin Figurative contemporary Painting
Love surrounds you by Love by Gaetan de Seguin Figurative contemporary Painting

Love surrounds you by Love by Gaetan de Seguin Figurative contemporary Painting

By Gaëtan de Seguin

Located in DE

Contemporary figurative painting with lots of details and movement. Beautiful statement piece for any art collection. Combining a lot of different colors in any interiors and settin...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

French 20th Century Dual Bright Abstract Kitchen Scene Large Painting
French 20th Century Dual Bright Abstract Kitchen Scene Large Painting

French 20th Century Dual Bright Abstract Kitchen Scene Large Painting

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

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

Category

Late 20th Century Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Las Mascaras XIV. From Las Mascaras (The masks) Series
Las Mascaras XIV. From Las Mascaras (The masks) Series

Las Mascaras XIV. From Las Mascaras (The masks) Series

Located in Miami Beach, FL

This series draws inspiration from Hatillo’s Fiesta de los Santos Inocentes, translating the festival’s vibrant movement and collective energy into a refined abstract vocabulary. Thr...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Paper, Oil Crayon, Pastel

Unfolding
Unfolding

Unfolding

Located in Zofingen, AG

This work embodies the state of opening oneself to new experience. “Unfolding” is the moment of meeting your own strength and vulnerability at once — where chaos transforms into harm...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Pink Fantasy. Abstraction.
Pink Fantasy. Abstraction.

Pink Fantasy. Abstraction.

Located in Zofingen, AG

The work is created in the fluid art technique using acrylic on canvas. The composition is built on the soft, flowing interweaving of pink, coral, and milky white tones, creating a s...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Sunny Day - Abstract Figurative Still Life Landscape Textured Impasto Painting
Sunny Day - Abstract Figurative Still Life Landscape Textured Impasto Painting

Sunny Day - Abstract Figurative Still Life Landscape Textured Impasto Painting

By Ekaterina Ermilkina

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...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

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 paper/ card unframed: 10.75 x 8.5 inches condition: excellent provenance: all the paintings we h...

Category

Mid-20th Century Abstract Paintings

Materials

Oil

Love (Peonies)
Love (Peonies)

Love (Peonies)

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

Life to the Full LA Blue 2 - Original Acrylic Painting on Canvas
Life to the Full LA Blue 2 - Original Acrylic Painting on Canvas

Life to the Full LA Blue 2 - Original Acrylic Painting on Canvas

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Sarah Johnson infuses passion, heart, and a lifetime of creative experience into each original painting. Her radial series exhibits both uninhibited freedom and methodical technique. Through colors, textures, and movement, Johnson’s acrylic paintings on canvas radiate joy with pleasing repetition and form. This 48-inch high by 30-inch wide one-of-a-kind painting is stretched, wired, and ready to hang. The sides of this original artwork are painted and it does not require framing. It is signed by the artist on the back. Free local Los Angeles area delivery. Affordable Continental U.S. and International shipping are available. A certificate of authenticity issued by the Los Angeles art gallery is included. Johnson says about her work: "I believe things that you bring into your home make a difference in the way you live and feel. My artwork is inspired by joy, purpose, and freedom. I hope my paintings are a source of inspiration for you and everyone who enters your home." Each series has a meaningful message, adding both truth and beauty to your walls. Johnson is based in Dallas, Texas, and has been a professional artist since 2012. Her abstract artworks are collected internationally. REPRESENTATION Artspace Warehouse, Los Angeles, California, USA EDUCATION 2010 The University of Texas at Austin EXHIBITIONS 2022 Artspace Warehouse, Los Angeles, CA 2022 The Collective, Dallas, TX 2022 Mecox Gardens, Houston, TX 2022 The Arbors, Round Top, TX 2022 The Walking Man, Whitefish, MT 2022 BayHill Design Studio, Austin, TX 2022 Septemberfest Art Fair, Midland TX - Honorable Mention 2021 Olive & Home, Tyler TX...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

War Night (abstract expressionist painting)
War Night (abstract expressionist painting)

War Night (abstract expressionist painting)

By John Hultberg

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Stunning surrealist painting by Bay Area Figurative artist, John Hultberg (1922-2005). War Night, 1956. Gouache on illustration board measures an impressive 30 x 40 inches; 34 x 44...

Category

1950s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Gouache

Large Geometric Abstract. 'Traces No.9 Pour une Archéologie du Présent.'
Large Geometric Abstract. 'Traces No.9 Pour une Archéologie du Présent.'

Large Geometric Abstract. 'Traces No.9 Pour une Archéologie du Présent.'

Located in Cotignac, FR

Large 1970s abstract geometric acrylic and oil on plywood panel signed Rivel and dated 1977 to the bottom left. The painting is titled to the rear of the panel. Numbers of colour fields in muted shades jostle against one another. It is the shapes and the space between them which give energy to the painting whilst the colour palette restrains. The painting is highly textured as the artist has applied the paint thickly and energetically with both palette knife and large brushstrokes. At times layers of paint reveal underlying colours. This painting fits perfectly into the abstract genre with its focus on its formal qualities over and above its subject matter. Furthermore the artist experiments with reconstructing shapes and rejecting three dimensional perspective. A fine example of non objective art...

Category

1970s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Board

Colored circles, abstraction
Colored circles, abstraction

Colored circles, abstraction

Located in Zofingen, AG

The painting shows an abstract composition of interwoven colorful forms set against a dark background. The background is painted in deep burgundy tones. Broad, semi-transparent brus...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Pink peony on a golden background
Pink peony on a golden background

Pink peony on a golden background

Located in Zofingen, AG

A delicate close-up of a blooming pink peony, built on a subtle play of light and tonal transitions. The petals appear to glow from within, shifting from pale blush to richer raspber...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Love Conquers All - Extra Large Abstract Painting, Bold Colors, New, Maximalism
Love Conquers All - Extra Large Abstract Painting, Bold Colors, New, Maximalism

Love Conquers All - Extra Large Abstract Painting, Bold Colors, New, Maximalism

By Karnish Art

Located in Pretoria, Gauteng

Title: Love Conquers All - Omnia Vincit Amor Extra Large Abstract Investment Bold Color Large rendition in the Unchained Expressions series. It attempts to map the road to freedom...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Gesso, Canvas, Oil, Spray Paint, Color Pencil

Abstract 2, Abstract Oil Painting
Abstract 2, Abstract Oil Painting

Abstract 2, Abstract Oil Painting

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Layers of colors and gestures define this abstract piece. Soft green, orange, and blue contrast with touches of black. Expressive scratches and marks bring text...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Oil

Geometrie de la pensee- Large Abstract Library – Oil on canvas, Contemporary art
Geometrie de la pensee- Large Abstract Library – Oil on canvas, Contemporary art

Geometrie de la pensee- Large Abstract Library – Oil on canvas, Contemporary art

By SOPHIE DUMONT

Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR

Oil on canvas – 39.37 × 39.37 in (100 × 100 cm) Framed: approx. 42.13 × 42.13 in (107 × 107 cm) Frame options: natural wood or black Year: 2025 – Signed front Certificate of authenti...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Life - Large Oversized Bold Colorful Abstract Expressive Modern Original Artwork
Life - Large Oversized Bold Colorful Abstract Expressive Modern Original Artwork

Life - Large Oversized Bold Colorful Abstract Expressive Modern Original Artwork

By Amber Goldhammer

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles artist Amber Goldhammer paints dramatic abstract compositions in acrylic on canvas featuring energetic brushstrokes. Goldhammer uses her contemporary paintings to express...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media, Latex, Spray Paint, Acrylic

State of Blue
State of Blue

State of Blue

By Amy Van Winkle

Located in Santa Fe, NM

Encaustic on panel. blue teal aqua white yellow orange navy Red green chartreuse It's simple; I create art because it makes me happy. I try not to overthink the process of what I...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Encaustic

Vintage American Modernist Abstract Expressionist Large Oil Painting on Canvas
Vintage American Modernist Abstract Expressionist Large Oil Painting on Canvas

Vintage American Modernist Abstract Expressionist Large Oil Painting on Canvas

Located in Buffalo, NY

Vintage American modernist abstract oil painting. Oil on canvas. Provenance from a Sag Harbor, NY collection. Measuring: 24 by 36 inches overall. Excellent condition, ready to hang ...

Category

1970s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Ruz   Gray and Black Diptych  Very Big  original abstract canvas  acrylic
Ruz   Gray and Black Diptych  Very Big  original abstract canvas  acrylic

Ruz Gray and Black Diptych Very Big original abstract canvas acrylic

By Rafael Ruz

Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL

El brote- original abstract canvas diptic acrylic painting. virtual frame , Rafael (Barcelona 1956) While contemplating the painting of Ruz, we are inclined to talk about real ‘psyc...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Reconstruction, Abstract Painting
Reconstruction, Abstract Painting

Reconstruction, Abstract Painting

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Several shades of blue sweep across a lightly textured background. Bits of orange highlight the focal point, adding warmth to the composition. Sections of gray ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Abstract Composition
Abstract Composition

Abstract Composition

Located in Columbia, MO

Original oil painting by Pennerton West, signed lower recto. Pennerton West (American, 1913 - 1965) was a painter, printmaker, and designer, descended from the historical American p...

Category

Mid-20th Century Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

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 paper/ card unframed: 19.5 x 13 inches condition: excellent provenance: all the paintings we hav...

Category

Mid-20th Century Abstract Paintings

Materials

Oil

Vintage American Modernist Abstract Expressionist Framed MCM Oil Painting
Vintage American Modernist Abstract Expressionist Framed MCM Oil Painting

Vintage American Modernist Abstract Expressionist Framed MCM Oil Painting

Located in Buffalo, NY

Vintage American modernist abstract oil painting. Oil on board. Signed. Framed. Provenance from a Sag Harbor, NY collection. Measuring: 15 by 19 inches overall. Handsomely framed in...

Category

1940s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Oil

Muted Woodland Soft Abstract Landscape Painting Earth Tones by Federica Furbelli
Muted Woodland Soft Abstract Landscape Painting Earth Tones by Federica Furbelli

Muted Woodland Soft Abstract Landscape Painting Earth Tones by Federica Furbelli

By Federica Furbelli

Located in Barcelona, Barcelona

Federica Furbelli (1988, Varese, Italy) is a visual artist based in Mallorca whose practice centers on psychogeography, exploring drift, movement, and the relationship between nature...

Category

2010s Abstract Paintings

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Oil

Untitled #SP-207, Mixed Media on Paper by Murray Duncan - Abstract Geometric
Untitled #SP-207, Mixed Media on Paper by Murray Duncan - Abstract Geometric

Untitled #SP-207, Mixed Media on Paper by Murray Duncan - Abstract Geometric

Located in Toronto, Ontario

Untitled #SP-207 by Murray Duncan Mixed media on paper Size: 32" x 40” Unframed, signed A bold mixed-media work with dynamic lines and textures. This captivating piece by Murray D...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Paper, Oil Crayon, Acrylic

Light Thoughts, 2024 Mixed Media on Artist Board, Abstract Geometric Art
Light Thoughts, 2024 Mixed Media on Artist Board, Abstract Geometric Art

Light Thoughts, 2024 Mixed Media on Artist Board, Abstract Geometric Art

Located in Toronto, Ontario

Light Thoughts, 2024 Mix Media on artist board Size - 72" height x 84" width x 1.75" depth Signed Murray Duncan is a self-taught creative visionary. Know for his large-scale, expres...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Glaze, Oil Crayon, Acrylic

Lake Dream, Abstract Oil Painting
Lake Dream, Abstract Oil Painting

Lake Dream, Abstract Oil Painting

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A tranquil lake stretches across the foreground, painted in deep teal, green, and blue tones that ripple with soft movement. Above the water, warm landforms ris...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

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.