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.
Presence silencieuse, Contemporary Large Abstract Geometric Oil Paint
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Presence Silencieuse Oil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm (31.5 x 31.5 in) Framed dimensions: approx. 87 x 87 cm (34.3 x 34.3 in) Floating frame available in black or natural wood. Presence S...
Canvas, Oil
Impermanence Series n16 and n20 Diptych. 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
$106Sale Price|20% Off
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...
Oil
$800
"My Pink Diamond Heart" Pink and White Pop Art Oil Painting with Floater Frame
By Cindy Shaoul
Located in New York, NY
Motivated by bold color and fast brushwork, we are moved by the simplicity and thick textured oil paints in these works. Shaoul’s “My Heart Collection” is a vibrant and energetic dis...
Canvas, Glass, Oil
Harmony of Resistance
Located in Zofingen, AG
Harmony of Resistance Series: "Between States" The painting "Harmony of Resistance" invites the viewer into a space where the boundaries between the static and the fluid become almos...
Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$14,000
Glowing forest by Gabriela Azar Schreiner. Contemporary abstract Painting
Located in Mentone, AU
This painting is unstretched and unframed. It will be carefully rolled and shipped in a tube. "Creating large-scale abstract paintings that evoke tranquility and presence in any spac...
Acrylic
Impermanence Series n6. From the 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...
Ink, Canvas, Pigment
$463Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary impressionist still life floral painting on canvas "Blue Room"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“The Blue Room” by French artist Natalya Mougenot is a contemporary still life that radiates serenity, sincerity, and the quiet brilliance of color as emotion.Centered on a transluce...
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,224Sale Price|20% Off
Burrowed Beneath - Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Abstract, 30in x 40in
By Mario Angel
Located in Mississauga, CA
"Burrowed Beneath" stands as a compelling study of figurative abstraction, where the artist navigates the liminal space between the tangible world and the internal landscape of the p...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,724Sale 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
"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
$1,150
Red Codec, Abstract Painting, Blue and Yellow Layers, Acrylic Paint on Paper
Located in Barcelona, ES
Details: Title: Red Codec Medium: Acrylic Painting Monoprinting on Paper Size: 83x65 cm ( 32.7 x 25.6 inches) Year: 2024 * Frame is for illustrative purposes only. Artwork shipped c...
Acrylic, Watercolor, Handmade Paper
$520Sale Price|20% Off
Mid-20th Century Abstract Expressionist Lithograph, Signed
Located in Belgrade, MT
This lithograph is part of my private collection. It is limited in edition ,artist signed lower right and is in very good condition. Walter Becker was a German artist. Another impres...
Lithograph
$3,200Sale Price|20% Off
Queen Victoria: Wall Sculpture & Found Objects, signed, 13", Black History Month
Located in Bryn Mawr, PA
"QUEEN VICTORIA" is created and from acrylic and found objects on thick, round panel by renowned Black African American artist Richard J. Watson. It includes a photograph of a figure...
Found Objects, Acrylic, Panel
$565
Wild West - Framed Abstract Desert Inspired Landscape Acrylic Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Taylor Pierce is a Las Vegas-based contemporary landscape painter whose original desert paintings capture the beauty, resilience, and spiritu...
Canvas, Acrylic
"Synergy"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
This striking contemporary masterpiece is a profound exploration of human connection and the fragmented nature of identity. Employing a sophisticated palette of earthy ochre, charcoa...
Gold Leaf
Lotus 28: Photo Realist Still Life Painting of Green Lotus Plants on Grey
Located in Hudson, NY
Photo-realist still life painting of lush green lotus plants on a soft grey sky background "Lotus Number Twenty-Eight", painted by Frank DePietro in 201...
Canvas, Oil
Whispers in Blue - Abstract Figurative Landscape Textured Impasto Oil Painting
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...
Canvas, Oil
Christina Gschwantner, Contemporary Rainbow Minimalist Abstract Lines Painting
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
The work reflects the artist’s mastery of gesture and emotion, where each mark becomes a visual language. A striking piece that brings movement, depth, and intensity to any collectio...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
Winter Poem
Located in Atlanta, GA
This painting is in excellent condition and has only been shown in a gallery setting. Please note the colors are difficult to capture and may vary due to different digital screens ...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$1,410Sale Price|40% Off
Large Scale Ocean Seascape Abstract Monoprint - Acrylic and Pastel on Paper
Located in Soquel, CA
Large Scale Ocean Seascape Abstract Monoprint - Acrylic and Pastel on Paper A dynamic large-scale vintage abstracted seascape Monoprint by Dennis Frings...
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Paper
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
Water Flowers Abstract Painting, Large Oil on Canvas, Signed, 2010+
Located in London, London
Decor floral, vintage flowers Abstract painting on canvas, blue, extra-large, XXL, large oil on canvas painting, abstract expressionism. Abstract art, water flowers, exotic flower...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
My Own Confessor
Located in Zofingen, AG
There are things you carry for so long that you forget they have weight. Not because they are small. But because there was never anyone to put them down with. No hand extended in the...
Canvas, Oil, Spray Paint
$371Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary abstract expressive floral painting on paper "Blooming petals"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
In "Blooming Petals", French artist Natalya Mougenot expands the tradition of floral painting into a powerful exploration of color, emotion, and authenticity. Part of her ongoing ser...
Paper, Acrylic
Renaissance
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...
Canvas, Oil
$106Sale Price|20% Off
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...
Oil
Tideline, Abstract Painting
By Lisa Carney
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Pale coastal color and a layered horizon evoke the shifting place where land and water meet. Quiet tonal changes create a sense of openness, distance, and movem...
Acrylic
Venus - Ethereal Abstract Textural Floral Painting in Blush, Coral and Gold
By Vè Boisvert
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Drawing inspiration from an immersive and impressionistic interpretation of nature, Canadian artist Vé Boisvert paints textural original artworks that capture the fleeting effects of...
Canvas, Acrylic
Structure - Modern Abstract painting, Geometric, Original Oil on Canvas
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Structure Silencieuse is an original oil on canvas by French contemporary artist Sophie Dumont. Through a carefully balanced composition of interlocking geometric forms, the painting...
Oil
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
Nympheas De Mon Coeur - Soft Abstract Floral Landscape Painting
By Vè Boisvert
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Drawing inspiration from an immersive and impressionistic interpretation of nature, Canadian artist Vé Boisvert paints textural original artworks that capture the fleeting effects of...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,374Sale Price|20% Off
Blue and Green Swirls Overlaid in Horizontal Stripes Abstract French Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Composition signed by Gilbert Pelissier (French born 1924) oil painting on canvas, unframed dated 87 canvas size: 35 x 45.5 inches condition: overall very good...
Canvas, Oil
$15,075
Large Triptych Abstract Bookshelf Painting – Oil on Canvas, Modern Library
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Silent Chronicles: An Ode to Immobile Memory Triptych – Oil on canvas (3 panels) With "Silent Chronicles", Sophie Dumont invites us into a world where minimalist aesthetics meet the ...
Oil
"I Want To Believe", Abstract Expressionist, Figurative, Red, Oil Painting
By Sorin Bica
Located in Franklin, MA
Sorin Bica's "I Want To Believe" is a 69 x 58 inch abstract expressionist oil painting on canvas, representing stylized human figures in vivid red, orange and black tones, with bold ...
Canvas, Oil
$2,108Sale Price|35% Off
Mid Century French Figurative Painting Boys in Blue Oil on Board Signed
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist: French School, mid 20th century Medium: Oil on board Size (framed): 34.5 x 23 inches Frame: Framed Signature: Signed lower right (indistinct) Condition: Good condition Descr...
Oil
After the rain
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work continues the exploration of silence as an inner space — a state in which perception softens and boundaries dissolve. “After the rain” is not a clearly defined landscape, b...
Canvas, Mixed Media
Interior with Standing Dog
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Irvin Nahan (b.1927) Interior with Standing Dog, 1970. Watercolor and pencil on paper. Image measures 5 x 6.5 inches. Framed measurement: 10 x 12 inches. Signed and dated by ar...
Watercolor, Pencil
Conversation, Contemporary Geometric Abstract Oil Painting, Framed
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
This contemporary geometric abstract oil painting by French artist Sophie Dumont combines architectural structure, organic forms and a refined palette of black, ivory, muted pink, oc...
Oil
$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
Eternity Abstract Expressionist Painting, XXL Oil & Acrylic on Canvas
Located in London, London
full size 229x156cm full size canvas approximate stretched size 220x150cm All custom charges are included in the final price agreed. unframed, shipped rolled XXL, Extra-large pain...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$427Sale Price|20% Off
1960's French Cubist Abstract Oil Painting - Monogrammed
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist/ School: French School, signed with initials, dated 1960's Title: Cubist abstract Medium: oil painting on board, unframed board: 13.75 x 10.5 inches Provenance: private co...
Oil
$1,500
Gestual Abstraction, Colorful Seascape Diptych, Fish Patterns in Vivid Tones
Located in Barcelona, ES
Details: Title: Chromatic Shoal 7 & 8 Medium: Acrylic Paint on Watercolor Paper Size: 80x120 cm total ( 31.5x47.3 inches), each panel measures 80x60cm (31.5x24 inches) Year: 2026...
Paper, Acrylic, Watercolor, Monoprint
$1,500
"Still Life" (2025) Abstract Figurative Oil and Mixed Media Painting on Canvas
By John McCaw
Located in Denver, CO
John McCaw's (US based) "Still Life" is an abstract oil painting in greens, grey, black and yellow. John McCaw (b. 1967), the eldest son of American expressionist Dan McCaw and bro...
Canvas, Oil
$2,400Sale Price|20% Off
Pastel Cloud Sketch Pink minimalist abstract sky painting
Located in COOMERA, QLD
"Pastel Cloud Sketch Pink" is a large original painting featuring soft pink and green hues that blend to create a dreamy cloudscape. Thick, descriptive strokes of acrylic paint bring...
Canvas, Acrylic
$780
Window to the Sea, Abstract Expressionist Seascape, Mixed Media on Paper, 2026
Located in Barcelona, ES
Details: Title: Window to the Sea Medium: Acrylic Painting on Paper Size: 74x47 cm total ( 29.13 x 18.5 inches) Year: 2026 * Frame is for illustrative purposes only. Artwork shipped...
Paper, Acrylic
$264Sale Price|20% Off
20th Century French Expressionist Tall Pine Tress in Moonlight Blue Forest
By Akos Biro
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Moonlight Blue Forest by Akos Biro (Hungarian 1911-2002) pastel painting on artist paper, unframed painting: 9 x 12 inches provenance: the artists estate, France Superb ...
Pastel
$12,000
Western Sky Emma Lake (Diptych) - contemporary, abstract, acrylic on paper
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This large acrylic abstract painting is a diptych by Milly Ristvedt. The beauty of a vast prairie sky is suggested by the grand gestural brushstrokes of brilliant colour in this dip...
Acrylic, Archival Paper
$1,000
Blue with Yellow- Expressionist Composition in Acrylic on Canvas, Signed
Located in Soquel, CA
Blue with Yellow- Expressionist Composition in Acrylic on Canvas, Signed Vibrant and textured abstract composition by California artist Charles "Dave" Francis (American, 1951-2018)....
Canvas, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
$635
No Dogs Allowed On The Trails - Original Abstract Landscape Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Taylor Pierce is a Las Vegas-based contemporary landscape painter whose original desert paintings capture the beauty, resilience, and spiritu...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,490
Floral Fantasy: Nature Abstract Bold Statement Colorful Invest Striking Delight
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Floral Fantasy Nature, Abstract, Bold, Statement, Colorful, Invest, Striking, Delight, Modern, Landscape. In this work, I've poured my heart into a vivid garden of dreams, u...
Acrylic, Gesso, Canvas, Wood, Stretcher Bars
Contemplating Venus, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Faye Vander Veer depicts a small group of people gathered around the statue of Venus at the Louvre in Paris. Sunlight s...
Oil
Monet's Pond at Giverny, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Reflections on the water in Monet's pond at Giverny. Onelio spent some time there taking in the splendor of the setting. "Each view of the place was a paintin...
Oil
Absence Écrite, Large Textured Abstract Library, Contemporary Oil Painting
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Framing included: the collector may choose a natural wood or black floater frame. The painting is delivered ready to hang. Unframed dimensions: 80 × 80 × 2 cm (31.50 × 31.50 × 0.79 ...
Oil
A Turbulence Left Inside, botanical, landscape, joan mitchell, contemporary
By Lloyd Tabing
Located in Jönköping, SE
This painitng is from my newest body of work titled Sovereign Solitude. This collection explores the architecture of the internal landscape, a realm entirely self-contained, independ...
Acrylic
Abstract 2631 - Original Acrylic Abstract Painting
Located in Zofingen, AG
This abstract composition pulses with raw energy. A symphony of warm peaches and gold clashes against deep, oceanic blues. The palette creates a striking visual tension. Each layer b...
Oil, Acrylic
Memory of the Earth, Abstract Landscape, Contemporary Oil Painting
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Sophie Dumont is a French contemporary painter whose work explores the dialogue between structure, memory, and landscape. Born in Paris in 1964 and now based in Normandy, she has exh...
Oil
Blue landscape, Abstract Countryside, Contemporary, Oil on canvas, French
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
(40 x 40 cm — 47 x 47 cm framed / approx. 15.7 x 15.7 in — 18.5 x 18.5 in framed) Frame options: black or natural wood Artist Context Sophie Dumont is a French contemporary painter ...
Oil
$18,000
Black - large, yellow, green, blue, geometric abstraction, acrylic on canvas
Located in Bloomfield, ON
A narrative of hard edged orthogonal shapes in sapphire blue, bright yellow and crimson unfolds across a background grid of washed charcoal black rectangles. The black ground is made more powerful by the size of the six foot tall canvas...
Canvas, Acrylic
$5,203Sale Price|49% Off
Youth Acrylic and Oil Painting of Unicorn, One-of-a-Kind, 150x223cm
Located in London, London
Unicorn mystery passion spring Swift brushstrokes evoke a sense of power and speed full size of the canvas 156x229cm (size 150x223cm) acrylic, oil on canvas one-of-a-kind The...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil, 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.