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Modern Paintings

MODERN STYLE

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.

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Style: Modern
20th Century French Modernist Oil Painting Seated Nude Figures on Chair
20th Century French Modernist Oil Painting Seated Nude Figures on Chair

20th Century French Modernist Oil Painting Seated Nude Figures on Chair

By Jacqueline Boisselot

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

The Artists Model by Jacqueline Boisselot, French late 20th century 18 x 15 inches inscribed verso oil on canvas, unframed condition: very good and ready to enjoy provenance: from a ...

Category

Late 20th Century Modern Paintings

Materials

Oil

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

Vintage American Modernist Signed Abstract Expressionist Framed 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: 13 by 25 inches overall. Handsomely framed in...

Category

1940s Modern Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

'Woman in Blue', Danish Royal Academy, Brooklyn Museum, Kolding
'Woman in Blue', Danish Royal Academy, Brooklyn Museum, Kolding

'Woman in Blue', Danish Royal Academy, Brooklyn Museum, Kolding

Located in Santa Cruz, CA

Initialed lower left, 'A.S.' for Anton Schroder (Danish, 1893-1965) and dated 1953. A substantial, modernist oil painting of a young woman, shown seated and gazing to her left with ...

Category

1950s Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Mother and Child in a Yellow and White Dress British Modernist Oil Painting
Mother and Child in a Yellow and White Dress British Modernist Oil Painting

Mother and Child in a Yellow and White Dress British Modernist Oil Painting

By Irina Hale

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Mother and Child signed initials by Irina Hale (British 1932-2022) oil painting on thin card , unframed double sided painting: 5 x 4 inches provenance: private collection, Cotswold...

Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Paintings

Materials

Oil

1950's Modernist/ Cubist Painting - Mermaid Figure On The Rocks
1950's Modernist/ Cubist Painting - Mermaid Figure On The Rocks

1950's Modernist/ Cubist Painting - Mermaid Figure On The Rocks

By Bernard Labbe

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

French Landscape by Bernard Labbe (French mid 20th century) original watercolour with biro on artist paper, unframed stamped verso size: 10 x 8.5 inches condition: very good and read...

Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Important Colorful Still Life Oil on Canvas Painting, Fruit-Bowl Motif
Important Colorful Still Life Oil on Canvas Painting, Fruit-Bowl Motif

Important Colorful Still Life Oil on Canvas Painting, Fruit-Bowl Motif

Located in Atlanta, GA

Bursting with color and movement, this vibrant oil‑on‑canvas still life presents a boldly modern interpretation of the classic fruit‑bowl motif. The composition features grapes, appl...

Category

1980s Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

American School Signed Black Male Pensive Signed and Framed Portrait Painting
American School Signed Black Male Pensive Signed and Framed Portrait Painting

American School Signed Black Male Pensive Signed and Framed Portrait Painting

Located in Buffalo, NY

Antique American impressionist portrait oil painting. Oil on canvas. Signed. Framed. Measuring: 26 by 22 inches overall, and 20 by 16 painting alone. Excellent condition, ready to h...

Category

1920s Modern Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Nude with Green Hair

Nude with Green Hair

By Donald S. Vogel

Located in Dallas, TX

Donald Vogel’s paintings reflect his interest in seeking beauty in life and in sharing pleasure with his viewers. Vogel entreats us to "rejoice and celebrate each new day, knowing it...

Category

1970s Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Ben Avram, Israeli Bezalel School Old City Jerusalem Israel Landscape Painting
Ben Avram, Israeli Bezalel School Old City Jerusalem Israel Landscape Painting

Ben Avram, Israeli Bezalel School Old City Jerusalem Israel Landscape Painting

By Edward Ben Avram

Located in Surfside, FL

Edward Ben Avram Hand signed lower right Jerusalem Israeli Old City walls landscape cityscape. Home of the Har Habayit, The Western Wall, Temple mount. Size includes frame 23 X 28, paper is 14 X 20 inches Edward Ben Avram (born 1941) is an Indian - Israeli artist who was born in Bombay, India and immigrated to Israel as a teenager. He graduated from the Bezalel School of Art and Design in 1965 and continues to call Jerusalem his home. Most of Ben Avraham oil painting and watercolors portrays Israeli cities, particularly the old city of Jerusalem with its architecture and orientalist domes and arches, religious festivals, and Bible stories. He paints in creamy sensual tones incorporating symbols such as doves, a menorah, and Shabbat candles. With his penchant for filigreed designs and bright colors, Edouard Ben Avram betrays some influences of his Indian boyhood. But the subjects that he paints so gracefully with a touch of Oriental lyricism are scenes of Jerusalem, his home for over 20 years. Exhibitions 1964 Group exhibitions in the United States and Canada 1977 Safrai Gallery, Jerusalem (a prestigious gallery that shows Abel Pann, Mordecai Ardon, Samuel Bak, Abraham Binder...

Category

1980s Modern Paintings

Materials

Paper, Gouache

American Modernist Young Woman Signed Flower Portrait Framed Oil Painting
American Modernist Young Woman Signed Flower Portrait Framed Oil Painting

American Modernist Young Woman Signed Flower Portrait Framed Oil Painting

Located in Buffalo, NY

Vintage American modernist portrait oil painting. Measuring: 33 by 45 inches overall, and 24 by 36 painting alone. Excellent condition, ready to hang and enjoy.

Category

1940s Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

L.S. Lowry, Street Scene, 1965
L.S. Lowry, Street Scene, 1965

L.S. Lowry, Street Scene, 1965

Located in Manchester, GB

L.S. Lowry, Street Scene, 1965 Oil on canvas 50.8 x 60.9 cm (20 x 24 in) Hand-signed and dated 'L.S. LOWRY 1965' (lower right) and titled 'STREET SCENE' (on the canvas overlap) E...

Category

1960s Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

1950's Modernist Painting  -  Portrait Of Figure On Gold
1950's Modernist Painting  -  Portrait Of Figure On Gold

1950's Modernist Painting - Portrait Of Figure On Gold

By Bernard Labbe

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Gold Man by Bernard Labbe (French mid 20th century), stamped verso original watercolour/gouache painting on paper overall size: 111.75 x 8.5 inches condition: very good and ready to...

Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Paintings

Materials

Watercolor, Gouache

Two British Oil Paintings of Figures Walking Through Paths Mounted In Frame
Two British Oil Paintings of Figures Walking Through Paths Mounted In Frame

Two British Oil Paintings of Figures Walking Through Paths Mounted In Frame

By Irina Hale

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Figures Walking Through Paths singed initials by Irina Hale (British 1932-2022) oil paintings on artist paper mounted in a frame Glass covering Inscribed verso overall framed: 12.5 x...

Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Paintings

Materials

Oil

Landscape by H. Ackerman - Oil on Canvas - 130x75 cm
Landscape by H. Ackerman - Oil on Canvas - 130x75 cm

Landscape by H. Ackerman - Oil on Canvas - 130x75 cm

Located in Geneva, CH

Signed by the artist but he is unknown from the gallery Probably a Swiss artist and Swiss landscape Artwork sold without frame

Category

1920s Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Vintage American Modernist Framed Abstract Original MCM NYC School Oil Painting
Vintage American Modernist Framed Abstract Original MCM NYC School Oil Painting

Vintage American Modernist Framed Abstract Original MCM NYC School Oil Painting

Located in Buffalo, NY

Vintage American abstract oil painting. Oil on board. Framed. Measuring: 29 by 13 inches overall, and 27.5 by 11 painting alone. Unsigned. Excellent condition, ready to hang and en...

Category

1960s Modern Paintings

Materials

Oil

Charles Pompilius figurative Young Female Nude Oil on Panel
Charles Pompilius figurative Young Female Nude Oil on Panel

Charles Pompilius figurative Young Female Nude Oil on Panel

Located in Detroit, MI

"Untitled" portrays a young female nude in an intimate setting within the artist's studio. This painting is done in the classical vein of full portraiture. The model, however, is not posed quietly, but is engaged with a person or object off the frame, or, perhaps in an interior monologue with herself. Regardless of which, the viewer's attention is not only attracted to the beauty of the model's figure, but the intention of her actions. Charles Pompilius...

Category

Early 2000s Modern Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

Vintage American Modernist Surreal Figural Nude Portrait Large Framed Painting
Vintage American Modernist Surreal Figural Nude Portrait Large Framed Painting

Vintage American Modernist Surreal Figural Nude Portrait Large Framed Painting

Located in Buffalo, NY

Antique American modernist nude portrait oil painting. Oil on board. Framed. In excellent original condition. Handsomely framed in a modern molding. Excellent condition, ready to ...

Category

1950s Modern Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Hidden Portraits XIX, Acrylic on Canvas, Modern, Framed, 1980s
Hidden Portraits XIX, Acrylic on Canvas, Modern, Framed, 1980s

Hidden Portraits XIX, Acrylic on Canvas, Modern, Framed, 1980s

Located in London, GB

'Hidden Portraits XIX', acrylic on canvas mounted on board, Florentine School (circa 1980s-90s). This gallery has acquired a number of paintings through an intermediary of an ageing ...

Category

1980s Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic, Board

"Canals in Annecy, France" by Emma Fordyce MacRae (1887-1974) American Framed
"Canals in Annecy, France" by Emma Fordyce MacRae (1887-1974) American Framed

"Canals in Annecy, France" by Emma Fordyce MacRae (1887-1974) American Framed

By Emma Fordyce MacRae

Located in Yardley, PA

A lovely scene of the canals in Annecy, France by renowned American artist Emma Fordyce MacRae (1887-1974). This work highlights the geometric nature of the historic architecture al...

Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Paintings

Materials

Gesso, Oil, Board

"Metropolitan Abstraction" Signed Mid Century Cubist Architectural Abstraction
"Metropolitan Abstraction" Signed Mid Century Cubist Architectural Abstraction

"Metropolitan Abstraction" Signed Mid Century Cubist Architectural Abstraction

Located in Buffalo, NY

Antique American abstract cubist street scene oil painting. Oil on board. Framed. Signed. Measuring: 31 by 42 inches overall, and 25 by 36 painting alone. In excellent original con...

Category

1940s Modern Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Classical Still Life Oil Painting Ornate Flowers on Stone Plinth Large Canvas
Classical Still Life Oil Painting Ornate Flowers on Stone Plinth Large Canvas

Classical Still Life Oil Painting Ornate Flowers on Stone Plinth Large Canvas

By European Artist

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Still Life of Flowers on a Stone Plinth European artist, late 20th century oil on canvas, unframed canvas : 24 x 36 inches provenance: private collection, south west of England condi...

Category

20th Century Modern Paintings

Materials

Oil

“Still Life, 1936” by Katharine "Kitty" Duff Church British Modern Oil Signed
“Still Life, 1936” by Katharine "Kitty" Duff Church British Modern Oil Signed

“Still Life, 1936” by Katharine "Kitty" Duff Church British Modern Oil Signed

Located in Yardley, PA

“Still Life, 1936” by Katharine "Kitty" Duff Church (British, 1910-1999). This large, early painting by Katherine Church is among her finest canvases of the period. Characterized by its bold color palette, simplified forms, and expressive brushwork, this composition centers around a tabletop adorned with various objects: potted plants, a ceramic dish, bottles, and what appear to be books or papers. The two potted plants provide contrasting elements: on the left, what appears to be a cyclamen with red blossoms and delicate leaves, and on the right, a lush green plant with darker foliage. These plants, painted with loose, textured strokes, add an organic quality to the otherwise structured arrangement. The tabletop is cluttered yet thoughtfully composed, featuring additional objects like a clear, faceted glass bowl, a small bottle, and books or pads in striking red and green. The dynamic use of color blocks and the juxtaposition of shapes (round pots against rectangular books) create a sense of rhythm and harmony. The background is darker and less defined, emphasizing the brightly lit tabletop. Church's brushwork is gestural and modernist, leaning toward abstraction, challenging traditional still life conventions. This painting reflects Church’s interest in balancing everyday objects with bold artistic expression. It conveys both the simplicity and complexity of daily life, transforming an ordinary moment into a vibrant and engaging work of art. This work is oil on canvas and is signed and dated in the lower right. It is housed in its original gessoed frame and retains various labels and inscriptions on the reverse. Size: 28.25 inches tall by 36 inches wide (painting) 34 inches tall by 42 inches wide by 2 inches deep (frame) Provenance: Private collection, NY; Acquired from the above About the artist: Born in Highgate, north London, Katharine Church, known as ‘Kitty’ amongst friends and family, always wanted to paint. She trained at the Royal Academy of Arts between 1930-1933 and at the Slade between 1933 and 1934. In her early years Kitty exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy. Her first solo exhibition was in 1933 at the Wertheim Gallery. Other artists who exhibited there included Christopher Wood, Victor Pasmore and Cedric Morris. Kitty also showed with the New English Art Club, the London Group and between 1937-1947 her work was exhibited at the influential Lefevre Gallery, which supported avant-garde artists such as Henry Moore, Ben Nicholson and Barbara Hepworth. In 1954 the artist was invited to take part in the Figures in their setting exhibition held at the Tate Gallery. Henry Tonks and Philip Wilson Steer had a strong influence on Kitty’s early work, but it was her friendship with Ivon Hitchens that liberated her painting technique. In 1936 Kitty married Anthony West, the son of writers Rebecca West and H.G. Wells. The couple initially lived in London before moving to Quarry Farm, Chicksgrove, Tisbury, near Salisbury, where they brought up their children Caroline and Edmund. There they hosted many of their friends, including the New Zealand painter Frances Hodgkins. Other regular visitors before the War included John and Mywafany Piper, Ralph and Frances Partridge, Noel and Catharine Carrington, Julian Trevelyan and Mary Fedden. For many of those who visited Kitty would organise painting expeditions. After the war Kitty and Anthony separated, with Anthony moving to the United States. Anthony West moved to the United States to work as a journalist for The New Yorker. In the early years after their parting Kitty visited most years with the children. In the 1960s Kitty purchased Sutton House and ran the Hambledon Gallery at Blandford Forum. There she promoted the work of her early art-school friends Mary Fedden and Julian Trevelyan, alongside work by the Pipers, John Craxton...

Category

1930s Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Vintage American Modernist Framed Abstract Figural Composition Oil Painting
Vintage American Modernist Framed Abstract Figural Composition Oil Painting

Vintage American Modernist Framed Abstract Figural Composition Oil Painting

Located in Buffalo, NY

Vintage American modernist abstract figural oil painting. Oil on canvas. Framed. Provenance from a Sag Harbor, NY collection. Measuring: 25 by 19inches overall. Handsomely framed in...

Category

1940s Modern Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Untitled
Untitled

Untitled

By Fernando Canovas

Located in Miami Beach, FL

Constantly moving between the two- and three-dimensional worlds, Canova's painting reveals a profound preoccupation with space and time, themes that remain central to his work despit...

Category

1990s Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Signed Modernist Kitchen Still Life Mid Century Heydenryk Framed Oil Painting
Signed Modernist Kitchen Still Life Mid Century Heydenryk Framed Oil Painting

Signed Modernist Kitchen Still Life Mid Century Heydenryk Framed Oil Painting

Located in Buffalo, NY

Antique American modernist still life oil painting. Oil on canvas. Signed. Framed. Measuring: 27 by 31 inches overall, and 19 by 22.5 painting alone. Excellent condition, ready to h...

Category

1930s Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Sailing Boats in South of France Harbor Vintage French Oil Painting 20th Century
Sailing Boats in South of France Harbor Vintage French Oil Painting 20th Century

Sailing Boats in South of France Harbor Vintage French Oil Painting 20th Century

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Sailing Boats French School, 20th century oil on board, framed inscribed verso framed: 20 x 24.5 inches board: 17 x 21 inches provenance: private collection, France condition: very g...

Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

"Two Rabbits" Colorful Mid Century Modern Painting
"Two Rabbits" Colorful Mid Century Modern Painting

"Two Rabbits" Colorful Mid Century Modern Painting

Located in Soquel, CA

"Two Rabbits" Colorful Mid Century Modern Painting Lively piece by Californian artist Ella Wharton Alluisi (b. 1912 d. 1996.) Two rabbits sit on top of a pile of leaves. The rabbits...

Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board, Canvas

Still Life with Yellow Flowers Bottle and Autumn Leaves French Modernist Gouache
Still Life with Yellow Flowers Bottle and Autumn Leaves French Modernist Gouache

Still Life with Yellow Flowers Bottle and Autumn Leaves French Modernist Gouache

By Guy Nicod

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Title: Still Life with Yellow Flowers Bottle and Autumn Leaves French Modernist Gouache Guy Nicod (French 1923 - 2021) Gouache on artist paper, unframed Size: 24 x 19.75 inches (hei...

Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Paintings

Materials

Gouache

Mary Magdalene - Oil on Canvas by Italian School 19th cent.
Mary Magdalene - Oil on Canvas by Italian School 19th cent.

Mary Magdalene - Oil on Canvas by Italian School 19th cent.

Located in Roma, IT

Oil on canvas. cm 60.5 x 2 x 50 Nice Oil painting (Italian School of XIX century) with a rapid sign and intense colors backgrpound. Some color cracking on left margin and top edge, ...

Category

18th Century Modern Paintings

Materials

Oil

Modern paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Modern 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, orange, purple, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Bernard Labbe, Christel Haag, Sunil Das, and Antonio Feltrinelli. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Oil 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 Modern paintings, so small editions measuring 1 inches across are also available.