The first decades of the 20th century were a period of artistic upheaval, with modern art movements including Cubism, Surrealism, Futurism and Dadaism questioning centuries of traditional views of what art should be. Using abstraction, experimental forms and interdisciplinary techniques, painters, sculptors, photographers, printmakers and performance artists all pushed the boundaries of creative expression.
Major exhibitions, like the 1913 Armory Show in New York City — also known as the “International Exhibition of Modern Art,” in which works like the radically angular Nude Descending a Staircase by Marcel Duchamp caused a sensation — challenged the perspective of viewers and critics and heralded the arrival of modern art in the United States. But the movement’s revolutionary spirit took shape in the 19th century.
The Industrial Revolution, which ushered in new technology and cultural conditions across the world, transformed art from something mostly commissioned by the wealthy or the church to work that responded to personal experiences. The Impressionist style emerged in 1860s France with artists like Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne and Edgar Degas quickly painting works that captured moments of light and urban life. Around the same time in England, the Pre-Raphaelites, like Edward Burne-Jones and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, borrowed from late medieval and early Renaissance art to imbue their art with symbolism and modern ideas of beauty.
Emerging from this disruption of the artistic status quo, modern art went further in rejecting conventions and embracing innovation. The bold legacy of leading modern artists Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dalí, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Marc Chagall, Piet Mondrian and many others continues to inform visual culture today.
Find a collection of modern paintings, sculptures, prints and other fine art on 1stDibs.
Woman on Escalator
Located in Zofingen, AG
Acrylic painting on paper One of a kind artwork Size: 42 × 60 × 0,1 cm It is original painting on 160gsm acid-free paper The artwork is titled and signed on the front and also come...
Acrylic, Archival Paper
Woman with Hearts
Located in Zofingen, AG
Acrylic painting on paper One of a kind artwork Size: 42 × 60 × 0,1 cm It is original painting on 160gsm acid-free paper The artwork is titled and signed on the front and also come...
Acrylic, Archival Paper
$204Sale Price|40% Off
Lluís Mercader – Mid Century Spanish Still Life with Apples, Oil on Canvas 1950s
By Lluis Mercader
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Oil on canvas 19 x 24 cm (7.49 x 9.45 in) Framed Signed lower right Good condition A charming mid-century still life by Lluís Mercader, dated circa 1955, depicting two apples render...
Oil, Canvas
Brave Ocean Inspired Mixed Media Painting, Framed, Modern Art
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Reminiscent of the Fauvist movement and Italian classicism, Italian artist Giuseppe Beddru’s bold outlines, dynamic brushstrokes and contrasting use of color make his work visually e...
Plexiglass, Ink, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$1,801Sale Price|40% Off
Café de la Place, Gouache on Paper, Modern Style, Circa 1970s, Framed
Located in London, GB
'Café de la Place', gouache on paper, by Raymond Debiève (circa 1970s). A solitary stroller in a small French town crosses the street in front of a café al...
Paper, Gouache
"Entr' Acte, " 1960s Modern Abstract Painting
By Stanley Bate
Located in Westport, CT
This Modern abstract figurative painting by Stanley Bate features abstracted figures in motion, placed in front of a geometric background with white, maroon, and blue squares tiled n...
Oil, Canvas
"Portrait of Miss Cacheux" by Armand Cacheux - Oil on Canvas - 65x80 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Artwork sold with frame (92 x 76.5 cm) Armand Cacheux (1868–1965) was a Swiss painter and engraver born in Geneva. He studied at the Geneva School of Fine Arts under Barthélemy Menn...
Canvas, Oil
$3,040Sale Price|58% Off
19th Century Landscape of Shepherdess w/ Sheep & Dog, Munich, Cleveland School
By Henry Keller
Located in Beachwood, OH
Henry George Keller (American, 1869–1949) Shepherdess with Sheep and Dog, Munich, 1891 Oil on canvas Signed and dated lower left 19 x 24 inches 25 x 30 inches, framed Keller, a lead...
Oil
$850
Illustration Style Painting of Turkey Tail Mushrooms, Autumn Forest Landscape
Located in Barcelona, ES
"Turkey Tail Mushrooms" is an abstract expressionist painting by Romina Milano where a dance of black gestures unfolds across colorful brushstrokes infused with raw emotion. Romina...
India Ink, Acrylic, Handmade Paper
Abstract Landscape 1954 American Modernist from Paul Rosenberg Gallery
By Raymond Mintz
Located in Surfside, FL
Label verso from Paul Rosenberg Gallery. (this was 600$ in 1954!) 18 X 26 without frame. 19 X 27.75 with frame Raymond was born in Clifton, New Jersey, in 1925, of German descent. ...
Oil, Board
$1,625
Tall Sunspot 73 - Modern Resin Minimalist Dual Tone Blue & Red Abstract Artwork
By Ricky Hunt
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ricky Hunt’s mixed media minimalist wall art is influenced by his tumultuous past that led to a paradigm shift in creativity and life. He covers the wood panel with layers of acrylic...
Resin, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Wood Panel
Warrior and Pegasus Fight the Kraken - Original Surrealist On Board
Located in Soquel, CA
Warrior and Pegasus Fight the Kraken - Original Surrealist On Board Dramatic and dynamic fantasy scene by Russell R. Tripp (American, 1942-2025). This piece depicts a warrior atop a...
Oil, Board
Small Tide Pools 37 - Small Modern Resin Minimalist Artwork
By Ricky Hunt
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ricky Hunt’s mixed media minimalist wall art is influenced by his tumultuous past that led to a paradigm shift in creativity and life. He covers the wood panel with layers of acrylic...
Resin, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Wood Panel
$5,458
Yellow Neutra House, Richard Neutra Architectural Painting, Hockney inspired art
By Karen Lynn
Located in Deddington, GB
This is a painting from my architectural series of works. I love this Richard Neutra house and enjoyed painting it and adding my style with sun loungers a...
Canvas, Oil
1950's Modernist/ Cubist Painting - Figures Down By The Beach
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
French Figures by Bernard Labbe (French mid 20th century) original gouache on card size: 10.5 x 13 inches condition: very good and ready to be enjoyed ...
Gouache
Huge French Modernist Portrait of Cubist Figure Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
"L'usure du Temps" French School, late 20th century signed indistinctly lower right, titled verso oil painting on canvas 55 x 40 inches Magnificent French oil painting on canvas from the close of the 20th century, depicting this haunting figure dressed in what looks to be some sort of coat of armour...
Canvas, Oil
A Striking 1920s Modern Portrait of a Standing Native American Young Woman
Located in Chicago, IL
A Striking 1920s Modern Portrait of a Native American Young Woman Standing in a Studio Interior by Notable Chicago Artist, Walter Burt Adams (Am. 1903-1990). A well executed, early ...
Oil, Canvas
20th Century German Modernist Oil Painting Three African Figures Standing
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist: Elisabeth Hahn (German 1924-2021), Elisabeth Hahn was born in Dortmund, Germany, where she began her artistic studies. In 1953, she moved to Paris. She continued her studie...
Oil
1950's Mid Century French Modernist Oil Painting Still Life Interior Scene
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist/ School: French School, mid 20th century Title: Interior scene French Modernist interior still life scene. Medium: oil painting on canvas, unframed canvas: 28.5 x 21.2...
Oil
$1,216Sale Price|20% Off
“Rural Landscape” by Hans Stalzer - Oil on Canvas - 85.5x63.5cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Artwork sold with frame (100 x 78 cm) Hans Stalzer (1878–1940) was an Austrian painter renowned for his landscapes, portraits, and war scenes. Born in Vienna on April 8, 1878, he in...
Canvas, Oil
$3,475
Antique American Modernist Cityscape Ashcan School 59th Street Bridge Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique American ashcan school New York City oil painting by Robert Hallowell (1886 - 1939). Oil on board, circa 1929. Signed. Displayed in a period giltwood frame. Image, 30"L x 25"H.
Oil, Board
Honeymoon
Located in Atlanta, GA
Artist Statement "I’m a Canadian painter living on an island off the northwest coast of Canada. My current paintings revolve around floral still lives. The flowers are the original...
Canvas, Acrylic
$639Sale Price|20% Off
Original Painting on Canvas , Titled "Arizona Adventures " by Serg Graff, COA
By Serg Graff
Located in Palm Coast, FL
This vibrant and texturally rich acrylic mixed media painting titled "Arizona Grand Canyon Adventures" by Serg Graff captures the wild spirit of the American Southwest in a uniquely ...
Acrylic
$950
A Charming, 1950s Mid-Century Modern Harbor Scene of Martha's Vineyard
Located in Chicago, IL
A Charming, Colorful 1950s Mid-Century Modern Harbor Scene of Martha's Vineyard by Notable Chicago Artist, Francis Chapin (Am. 1899-1965). Painted near the artist's longtime studio ...
Masonite, Oil
Watermelon Vase Still Life
Located in Zofingen, AG
shipped in roll Acrylic on canvas Size: 80 x 100 x 2 cm Style: Modern interpretation of Fauvist techniques Professional-grade acrylics on canvas Signed by the artist with certificat...
Canvas, Acrylic
A Stylish, Vintage 1940s Woman's Fashion Study, Town and Country, Blum’s Vogue
Located in Chicago, IL
A stylish, vintage, 1940s fashion study featuring an elegant design for a woman's autumn suit. Inscription reads: "Brown and grey suit and cape affair from Town and Country, Blum's ...
Paper, Watercolor, Pencil
'Attic Series, Yellow', California Woman Post-Impressionist Artist, Sonoma State
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Signed lower left, 'Davenport' for Jill Davenport (American, 1930-2019) and painted circa 1985; titled, verso, 'Attic Series- Yellow'. Framed dimensions: 28 x 1.5 x 25 inches. Born in Kansas, Jill Davenport moved to California in 1963. A lifelong artist and art enthusiast, she raised a family before focusing, in her early forties, on her vocation as an artist. In 1976, she graduated from Sonoma State University with a Bachelors in Art, subsequently continuing her studies with the California Post-Impressionist, Maury Lapp...
Canvas, Oil
Portrait of Woman with Fuchsia, Early 20th Century Still Life
Located in Beachwood, OH
Clarence Holbrook Carter (American, 1904-2000) Woman with FUCHSIA, 1935 Oil on canvas Signed and dated lower right 31.75 x 27 inches 37 x 32.25 inches, framed Untitled Still Life ver...
Oil
$396Sale Price|20% Off
Important Contemporary Modernist Abstract Expressionist Framed Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Impressive contemporary abstract expressionist painting by Stephen Heigh. Oil on canvas. Signed. Image size, 8H x 10L.
Canvas, Oil
Bits of Magenta Diptych (Abstract, Expressive, Fun, Colorful, Warm)
Located in Kansas City, MO
Katherine Bello Bits of Magenta Diptych Mixed Media on Board 2025 Size: 12 x 12 inches (30.48 x 30.48cm) (each) Framed: 13 x 13 x 1.25 inches (33.02 x 33.02 x 3.175cm) (each) Signed ...
Wood, Oil, Board
Aiguille du Plan: Modern Landscape Painting, Late 20th Century
Located in Genève, GE
Work on canvas
Oil
In The Pink: Contemporary Mixed Media Figurative painting by John Emanuel
By John Emanuel
Located in Brecon, Powys
Another very pretty mixed media from the studio of this well collected British artist. Image 21" x 15" mounted Originally from Bury, in the North of England, John Emanuel works in ...
Gouache
$1,850
Pointillist Still Life Apples Modern American Oil Painting Framed Rare 1959 Tosa
Located in Buffalo, NY
This richly textured still life by Robert Tosa, dated 1959, presents a shallow bowl of apples rendered in warm reds, ochres, and golden tones against a luminous, heavily worked groun...
Canvas, Oil
Jean Marc Fighting Males Two Figures Modernist Gouache Painting 1997
By Jean Marc 3
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title Jean Marc Fighting Males Two Figures Modernist Gouache Painting 1997 Key Details Artist: Jean Marc (French, 1949–2019), signed and dated 1997 Medium: Gouache on paper/card Size...
Gouache
1950's French Modernist/ Cubist Painting Signed, Woodland over Lake
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Woodland over lake by Bernard Labbe (French mid 20th century). signed original watercolour/ gouache painting on board, unframed. Size: 9.5 x 13.75 inches. Condition: very good and re...
Acrylic
A Vibrant, Mid-Century Modern Vermont Landscape Painting by Harold Haydon
Located in Chicago, IL
A vibrant, 1960s Mid-Century Modern painting, "Vermont Landscape, Spruce Tree and Shoreline" by notable Chicago artist Harold Haydon. Painted near the artist's longtime summer studi...
Oil, Masonite
Giuditta, Modern Oil Painting on Canvas, 19th Century, Framed
Located in Roma, IT
Giuditta is a modern artwork realized by Artist of 19th Century. Mixed colored oil painting on canvas. Not signed. Fair conditions due to the time (signs on canvas).
Oil
20th Century German Modernist Oil Painting - Landscape
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist: Elisabeth Hahn (German 1924-2021), Elisabeth Hahn was born in Dortmund, Germany, where she began her artistic studies. In 1953, she moved to Paris. She continued her studie...
Oil
$1,080Sale Price|20% Off
Vintage Expressionist Portrait of a Man with a Bowtie Oil on Wood
Located in Soquel, CA
Expressive portrait, a caricature of a man with bowtie by Michael Pauker (American, b. 1957). Unsigned, but was acquired with a collection of the artist's work. Another version of th...
Oil, Fiberboard
Large French Modernist Vase of Flowers Charles Levier Paris Floral Oil Painting
Located in Surfside, FL
Charles Levier (1920-2004) Oil Painting on canvas Vase of Flowers, Fleurs Hand signed lower right Dimensions: 34.75 X 20 framed, canvas is 29.5 X 14.75 Charles Levier He was born in...
Oil, Canvas
How Sure Can You Be? McCall's Magazine Illustration of Loving Couple
By Alex Ross
Located in Miami, FL
Alexander Sharpe Ross - or Alex Ross. This mid-century masterpiece is a perfect artistic statement with every formal element in perfect harmo...
Gouache
$2,729
Huge British Contemporary Portrait of Young Woman Green Skirt oil painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The Green Skirt British artist, contemporary oil on canvas, unframed canvas: 40 x 30 inches Provenance: private collection, UK Condition: very good condition For more any more info...
Oil
Large 20th Century French Modernist Provencal Landscape Cubist Village Houses
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The Provence Village 20th century French school after Andre Lhote (bears signature, ie: not by Andre Lhote) oil on board, framed framed: 12 x 19.5 inches board: 8 x 15.5 inches Pro...
Oil
$620Sale Price|20% Off
Antique American Impressionist Framed Winter Signed Snowy Landscape Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Circa 1930 American school winter impressionist landscape painting. Oil on board. Framed. Signed verso. Image size, 16 by 20 inches.
Canvas, Oil
$1,180Sale Price|20% Off
Antique American Modernist Framed Flower Still Life Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Very impressive early American modernist flower still life oil painting. Framed. Oil on canvas. Image size, 12H by 16L. Exceptional...
Canvas, Oil
French Modernist 1970's Oil Painting Two Nude Females Beautiful Original Work
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title French Modernist Double Nude Study Figures Oil Painting 1970s Key Details Artist: French School, circa 1970s Medium: Oil on board Size: 25.5 x 16 inches Provenance: Private Fr...
Oil
Vintage American Modernist Gallery Exhibited Hawaiian Farm Landscape Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage American modernist landscape oil painting. Oil on canvas. Unsigned. Framed. Provenance from a gallery collection. Handsomely framed in a giltwood molding. Excellent conditio...
Oil, Canvas
untitled, Two Personages
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist: Enrique Kico Govantes (Cuban, born 1957) Title: Untitled, Two Personages Year: 1989 Medium: Oil on hardboard panel Panel size: 24 x 47.75 inches Signature: Signed and dated 11/21/89 on the back by the artist Condition: Very good Frame: Unframed About the artist. Enrique (Kico) Govantes was born in Havana, Cuba in 1957 surrounded by art. His grandfather was the Minister of Public Works, his father an architect. Paul Smart wrote in his article on Govantes, “Ace of Cups,” (Ulster Publishing. April 28, 2005) that although they did not support the Batista regime, the Govantes were exiled from Castro’s Cuba with only the art they could carry in their suitcases. He has presented solo shows at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy; Nicole Fiacco/MODO Gallery in Hudson; Hunter’s Point...
Oil
The Black Mountain
Located in Chicago, IL
Oil on canvas 88.9 x 130.1 cm.; 35 x 51 1/4 inches Signed, lower right
Canvas, Oil
$568Sale Price|37% Off
Rural Catalan Peasant Portrait with Barretina Oil Painting Spanish Figurative
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Rural Catalan Peasant Portrait with Barretina Oil Painting Spanish Figurative Art Artist: Attributed to Lluís Graner i Arrufí (1863–1929) Title: Rural Catalan Peasant Portrait with ...
Canvas, Oil, Board
Summer Sunflower Prairie, Illustration Style, Still-Life Bouquet
Located in Barcelona, ES
"Summer Sunflower" is an abstract expressionist painting by Romina Milano where a dance of black gestures unfolds across colorful brushstrokes infused with raw emotion. Romina Mila...
Ink, Acrylic, Watercolor
Bond Girl - Modern Abstract silver leaf, black ink figurative painting
By Hocktee Tan
Located in DE
Hock Tee Tan was born in Malaysia and studied Fine Art at Nanyang Academy of Fine Art in Singapore. He came to London in 1976 and has been working as a Fine Artist ever since. He use...
Oil Crayon, Ink
'The Doctor's Office', WPA, San Francisco, Chouinard, SFMA, Oakland Museum, SFAA
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Signed lower right, 'Justin Murray' (American, 1912-1987), titled, verso, 'The Doctor's Office' and painted circa 1945. Framed dimensions: 9¼ x 1½ x 21 inches. Born in Minneapolis, ...
Canvas, Oil
Seated Figure
Located in Rockland, ME
Sally Michel Biography American, 1902-2003 Sally Michel Avery was an American painter known for her lyrical depictions of everyday life. Though she used techniques and stylized form...
Oil
Huge French Modernist Signed Oil Painting Figures outside Town at Night
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
'Retour de Maree' by J. J. Polverelli, signed and dated 1989 oil on canvas, unframed canvas: 32 x 39.5 inches Provenance: private collection, France Condition: overall sound & good ...
Oil
Historically Important American Army Soldiers in Paris Cafe WPA Ashcan Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique American oil painting. Oil on canvas. Measuring 18 by 22 inches.
Canvas, Oil
Abstract Composition - Oil Paint by Claude Dechezelle - Mid-20th Century
Located in Roma, IT
Abstract composition is an original contemporary artwork realized by Claude Dechezelle in the mid-20th Century. Mixed colored oil painting. Hand signed on the lower margin.
Oil
"Summer Splendor"
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Jim’s of Lambertville is proud to offer this artwork by: Gershon Benjamin (1899 - 1985) An American Modernist of portraits, landscapes, still lives, and the urban scene, Gershon ...
Canvas, Oil
A 1940s Painting of a Seated Female Nude in Summer Landscape, Ox-Bow School
Located in Chicago, IL
A beautiful 1940s painting of a seated female nude in a summer landscape by renowned Chicago artist, Francis Chapin (Am. 1899-1965). Painted at the Oxbow School in Saugatuck, Michig...
Canvas, Oil
$888Sale Price|25% Off
Led Zeppelin - Houses Of The Holy (Grammy, Album Art, Iconic, Rock and Roll)
By Kerry Smith
Located in Kansas City, MO
Kerry Smith Led Zeppelin - Houses Of The Holy Mixed Media on Crescent board Year: 2018 Size: 21x20in Signed, dated by hand COA provided Ref.: 924802-1632 *Black frame with a mirror-...
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Gouache, Board