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.
$4,108Sale Price|20% Off
Mid 20th Century French Expressionist Abstract Portrait Very Thick Impasto Oil
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Portrait Expressionist work, painted with very thick impasto oil paint. unsigned but clearly by a very good hand. French School, mid 20th century oil on board, unframed 36...
Oil
$200Sale Price|60% Off
#135 (Abstract Expressionist painting)
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Douglas M. Olsen (b. 1960). #135, 1982. Watercolor on rag paper, 22 x 30 inches. Signed lower margin and on verso.
Watercolor, Rag Paper
Illusion - Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Abstract, 48in x 48in
By Mario Angel
Located in Mississauga, CA
This compelling acrylic on canvas by Mario Angel, titled "Illusion," stands as a poignant exploration of figurative abstraction, where the artist deftly navigates the liminal space b...
Canvas, Acrylic
$23,600Sale Price|20% Off
Composition, Basket Series, Dale Chihuly
By Dale Chihuly
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Dale Chihuly (1941) Title: Composition, Basket Series Year: 1985 Medium: Acrylic on Arches Aquarelle paper Size: 42 x 30 inches Inscription: Signed and dated by the artist No...
Acrylic
Blue Mood. Horizontal, Abstract, large, interior expressionist painting, flowers
Located in Oslo, NO
"In my passionate creation, acrylic paints merge into a vibrant kaleidoscope of emotions.", said Anna Shesterikova about this artwork. "Inspired by Expressionism and Impressionism, I...
Acrylic
$1,850
Komorebi -21st Century, Contemporary, Abstract Expression, Friendship, Nature
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
There are days I find myself looking back at moments that live quietly in memory, days filled with laughter, noise, and the warmth of people I once stood beside. I painted this from ...
Canvas, Ink, Acrylic
Storm - Blue Cool Tone Abstract Dramatic Landscape Textural Impasto Painting
By Dana Cowie
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Using an impasto, painterly technique Dana Cowie creates cubist-inspired farm and rural landscapes. Working within controlled color schemes, her artworks appear abstract up close and...
Canvas, Oil
"Paris in Oscar de la Renta" French Haute Couture Gown 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
"Wait", Collage with Vintage Wallpaper, Abstract Mixed Media, 2000s
By Peter Opheim
Located in New York, NY
Mixed media on paper by New York artist Peter Opheim, titled "Wait," created in 2008. This original work measures 30 x 23 inches and represents an important period in Opheim's develo...
Gesso, Acrylic, Watercolor
$3,900Sale Price|56% Off
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...
Glaze, Oil Crayon, Acrylic
Oceanic Blue Fantasy, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Original hand-painted painting. This work is from the series of my ocean paintings with an abstract composition and expression. This artwork is an immersion in a great ocean of em...
Acrylic
$880Sale Price|70% Off
Flags of peace #28 by Gilbert Pauli - Oil on canvas 70x90 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Born in 1944 in the canton of Fribourg, Gilbert Pauli currently lives in Geneva, where he devotes himself to painting and sculpture, a passion he developed from his childhood. His fa...
Oil
$1,723Sale Price|20% Off
Abstract 2273
Located in Zofingen, AG
Abstract 2273 - painting is a powerful vision of Love’s vibration, Compassion’s strength, and Hope’s vitality. Woosh away your worries! Feel the exhilarating and mighty presence of W...
Acrylic
$3,847
Contemporary Minimalist Earth Tones Abstract Painting Canvas Tete Alurralde
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, Pigment
$240Sale Price|20% Off
Virginia Barry Original Abstract Painting on Board, Custom Frame
Located in Palm Coast, FL
This is a one-of-a-kind original acrylic painting on canvas board in a fantasy abstract style. This piece has a wonderful color scheme with a modern contemporary feel. Presented in...
Acrylic
$2,046Sale Price|20% Off
Abstract 2506
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this piece, I meld the raw emotions of expressionism with the fluid ambiguity of abstraction. The cascades of cool blues and greens contrast with warm golden hues, capturing a mom...
Acrylic
Life - Large Oversized Bold Colorful Abstract Expressive Modern Original Artwork
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...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Latex, Spray Paint, Acrylic
$13,797
Rose Madone — Large Neutral Abstract Minimal Earth Diptych on Canvas (Set of 2)
By Rose Madone
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Onirisme organique (Diptych), 146 × 114 cm each panel, Acrylic on raw canvas. Total size of the two panels: 146 × 228 cm. At Escat Gallery, we are committed to maintaining the highe...
Cotton Canvas, Mixed Media, Pigment
$1,751Sale Price|20% Off
Abstract 2446
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this vibrant creation, I've layered acrylics to evoke a sense of dynamic motion and emotional depth. The bold streaks and delicate drips represent the perpetual dance between chao...
Acrylic
$3,362
l'Atelier en suspens, Abstract, Textured, Geometric, Contemporary, French art
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
In The Studio in Suspension, Sophie Dumont reimagines the atmosphere of a working artist’s studio, where canvases, color fields, and subtle objects appear to hover in a poised, quiet...
Oil
$2,154Sale Price|20% Off
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...
Canvas, Oil
Vibrant Abstract with Bold Colours French 20th Century Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Composition signed by Gilbert Pelissier (French born 1924) Dated 98' and Inscribed verso oil painting on board, unframed board size: 11.25 x 19.5 inches condit...
Oil
$2,280Sale Price|20% Off
'Abstract, Ebony & Rust', San Francisco Bay Area Abstraction, Large Oil
By Eral Leek
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Signed lower right, "Eral" for Eral Leek (American, 20th century) and dated 1962. A substantial, mid-century oil abstract comprising bold, overlapping rectangular compositional elem...
Canvas, Oil
The Secret Oasis
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 97×97 cm (overall size with stretching 107×107 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled Within the impressionistic haze of the blooming garden, the artist ...
Canvas, Acrylic
"Angela" Abstract Figure with Gown French 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, Acrylic, Archival Paper
"Memory of Winter" – Tree Landscape Painting, Mixed Media on Canvas
Located in Sofia, BG
"Memory of Winter" is a tree landscape painting created with oil, acrylic and mixed media on canvas. The work captures the fragile moment between winter and spring, when nature begi...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
The Fondest Memories
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Acrylic and mixed media on canvas 20 x 20 x 1.5 2025 Edges painted white, back wired, ready to hang. Sarah Trundle is a Charlottesville, Va. painter who, after beginnings in repres...
Acrylic
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 ...
Acrylic
$2,681
Monochrome Ultramarine Blue Abstract Painting on Canvas by Gabriela Meunie
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, Pigment
"Wine-Tasting Holiday in Provence" Contemporary Expressionism Nature Leisure
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
Contemporary Oil Painting – Original Artwork on Stretched Canvas, Ready to Hang (60 × 50 × 1.5 cm / 23.6 × 19.7 × 0.6 in) – "Wine-Tasting Holiday in Provence" “Wine-Tasting Holiday ...
Canvas, Oil
Evening Coffee, Joan Mitchell, Larry Poons, expressionism, contemporary
Located in Jönköping, SE
This painting belongs to my ongoing exploration of the relationship between nature and the human experience. Inspired by the natural world and influenced by the Eastern philosophy of...
Acrylic
$1,760Sale Price|20% Off
Absolute Wealth - Large Contemporary Abstract Maximalism Painting, Ready to Hang
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Absolute Wealth Large Painting Absolute Wealth - Contemporary Abstract Colorful Maximalism Bold Invest Another soulful artwork by Karnish. Symbols and forms unfold in this m...
Gesso, Canvas, Acrylic, Wood, Charcoal, Spray Paint, Color Pencil, Stret...
$359
Abstract impressionist nature acrylic on paper "Serenity in the mountains"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary abstract impressionist nature painting, infused with a touch of modernity and expressive flair, is titled "Serenity in the Mountains." Vibrant and evocative, this ...
Paper, Acrylic
Enchanted - Meadow of Abundance, Abstract Floral Painting on Canvas, Unique
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Enchanted - Meadow of Abundance and Stillness - In Pink Floral Flowers Abstract Unique Exclusive One-of-a-kind Striking Abundant Meadow Landscape Nature We all need to feel...
Acrylic
$347
Modern Abstract Expressionist woman's portrait acrylic on paper " True self"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary abstract expressionist portrait of a woman was created by French artist Natalya Mougenot. Bold, vivid, and emotionally charged, the piece—titled "True Self"—explore...
Acrylic, Paper
Inner Peace - Large Abstract Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Signed
By SOOS TIBERIU
Located in Zofingen, AG
READY TO HANG with the edges painted. Size: 150x100X2 cm, 59x39.4x0.8 inches. I signed and dated on the front and I also put my relief signet as you can see an example at the last pi...
Acrylic
Still Life Interior
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Frederick Serger (1889-1965). Still Life, ca. 1950. Oil on gessoed paper mounted to illustration board. Image measures 16 x 17 inches. Framed measurement: 25.5 x 25.5 inches. ...
Paper, Oil
Vintage American Modernist Framed Abstract Painting in Antique Italian Frame
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage American modernist painting. Gouache on board. Signed. Framed. Measuring: 20 by 15 inches overall. Handsomely framed in an antique Italian frame. Excellent condition, read...
Oil, Gouache, Board
$1,159
Liberty
By Oksana Reva
Located in Zofingen, AG
Liberty is an oil abstract painting and minimalist abstract landscape shaped by the quiet meeting of a sky-blue horizon and warm ochre earth tones, creating a subtle dialogue between...
Canvas, Oil
$161Sale Price|20% Off
Exotic French Impressionist Oil Painting Bridge and Palm Trees.
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Maggy Clarysse (1931-2011) Oil on board, unframed 10.75 x 8.75 inches Signed co...
Oil
$825Sale Price|20% Off
Complementary Patterns 8, Large Abstract Painting, Acrylic on Canvas 2025
By SOOS TIBERIU
Located in Zofingen, AG
In crafting this piece, I poured my soul into an exuberant celebration of color and monochromy, using the brushes and palette knife's bold strokes to invite a dance of joy and freedo...
Acrylic
"Exist"
By Iryna Rets
Located in Zofingen, AG
“Exist” 2026 Series “From Simple to…” This work addresses simple things that lie in the basic settings of life. Repetitive, almost unnoticed actions that over time create a sense of ...
Acrylic
ECHO
By Oksana Reva
Located in Zofingen, AG
This painting resonates with silence dissolved in shades of blue. Gentle layers of color, from the lightest to the deepest, unfold into an invisible vibration—an echo that seems to...
Canvas, Oil
Where it is quiet, No.7
Located in Zofingen, AG
There are moments when the world no longer asks for explanations. When nothing needs to be named in order to be felt. Silence is not the absence of sound — it emerges where inner ten...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
The Tale of a Rose
Located in Zofingen, AG
The Tale of a Rose This work is part of the Infinity Map series, dedicated to exploring the inner world and the search for personal points of reference. Beneath a star-filled sky, th...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$15,000
"Love for Meadow VIII", Colorful Bright Abstract Painting, Textured Impasto
Located in Carmel, CA
Sveta Hessler (Russian, born 1973) "Love for Meadow VIII" 2026 Acrylic and mixed media on stretched canvas Signed on verso. "Love for Meadow VIII" is a richly textured contemporary ...
Canvas, Stretcher Bars, Mixed Media, 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...
Canvas, Acrylic
Emanation Abstract Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, XXL, Signed Art
Located in London, London
Cobalt Blue, Blue, yellow, green, flowers, nature, beige, pink, red, golden, ochre, XXL size, extra large abstract painting, large scale, design artwork. Artist: Katarina Joys Tit...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$2,087
Bound in Layers of Connection by G. de Seguin Figurative contemporary Painting
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...
Canvas, Acrylic
Glimmer
Located in Zofingen, AG
“Glimmer” captures a moment of transition, where tension slowly dissolves into light. The work explores a subtle boundary between heaviness and ease, where silence becomes a space fo...
Canvas, Acrylic, Oil
$2,600
Wallpaper 2: Abstract Green Encaustic Painting of Yellow Flower Petals on Panel
By Allyson Levy
Located in Hudson, NY
Abstract painting with green encaustic and light yellow flower petals on wood panel "Wallpaper 2" made by Allyson Levy in 2020 encaustic and flower petals on wood panel, 24 x 24 x 2 ...
Organic Material, Mixed Media, Encaustic, Wood Panel, Pigment
"Chanel in Paris" Figure with Gown French 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...
Paper, Oil, Acrylic
Bombay Cat Fashion Portrait Painting Elegant Black Feline Modern Wall Art
Located in Zofingen, AG
**Bombay Cat Fashion Portrait Painting – Elegant Black Feline Modern Wall Art** This original black cat portrait painting is part of the *Maison Collection* — a contemporary series ...
Paper, Acrylic
$3,826
Contemporary Minimalist Diptych Blue Abstract Painting Canvas by Tete Alurralde
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
The artwork is conceived as a diptych. The total dimensions of the two pieces together are 80 × 180 cm, with each individual work measuring 80 × 90 cm. The overall dimensions are cal...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Where Endings Begin, nature, expressionism, joan mitchell, contemporary
By Lloyd Tabing
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...
Acrylic
$6,690
Malbec by Gabriela Azar Schreiner. Contemporary abstract Painting
Located in Mentone, AU
The painting features dark, rich tones that shift subtly depending on the light, revealing layers of burgundy, fuchsia, and lilac throughout the piece. This painting is unstretched ...
Acrylic
Ethereal Abstraction 32, Abstract Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Part of artist Patrick O'Boyle's ongoing Ethereal Abstraction series. He demonstrates an abstract expression of vivid colors. "I paint standing up with the pa...
Acrylic
$12,000
Color Intersected Series No 6 - contemporary, geometric abstract, oil on panel
By Shayne Dark
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary, geometric abstract, oil-on-panel painting is by Canadian artist Shayne Dark. Dark calls his extraordinary new series of dynamic oil paintings—'calculated chaotic c...
Oil, Wood Panel
$788
Pierre Montheillet, Composition in green and yellow, monotype on paper
Located in PARIS, FR
Pierre MONTHEILLET (1923-2011) Composition in green and yellow Mixed media on paper - monotype Signed and dedicated “pour mes amis Sallaz” lower right Dimensions of the work: 28.5 x ...
Watercolor, Gouache, Monotype
$646Sale Price|20% Off
Cubist Composition Oil Painting on Card, Signed, Late 20th Century
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Cubist Composition by Armand Rottenberg (French 1903-2000) signed lower corner, oil painting on card, unframed painting: 13 x 10.75 inches Stunning original Cubist painting by the...
Oil
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.