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Abstract Photography

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
Retaining Wall II, Rockingham - Abstract Blue Color Photograph
Retaining Wall II, Rockingham - Abstract Blue Color Photograph

Richard HeepsRetaining Wall II, Rockingham - Abstract Blue Color Photograph, 2003

$959

Retaining Wall II, Rockingham - Abstract Blue Color Photograph

By Richard Heeps

Located in Cambridge, GB

Blue abstract photograph from Richard Heeps' series Trading Paint. Richard Heeps has a history of photographing Drag Racing in the UK, America and Europe. Trading Paint is a term tha...

Category

Early 2000s Abstract Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, C Print, Color, Silver Gelatin

Surfer, Perth, Western Australia (Oceans series)

David BurdenySurfer, Perth, Western Australia (Oceans series), 2016

$7,800

Surfer, Perth, Western Australia (Oceans series)

By David Burdeny

Located in New York City, NY

David Burdeny Surfer, Perth, Western Australia (Oceans series), 2016 Archival Pigment Print Signature Label Print only. Ask us for framing options. Also available in 59 x 59 inches

Category

2010s Abstract Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Untitled (W.O.F 09-07-13)

Christopher ColvilleUntitled (W.O.F 09-07-13), 2013

$1,250

Untitled (W.O.F 09-07-13)

By Christopher Colville

Located in Sante Fe, NM

Works of Fire When I look into the night sky I am awestruck by the darkness that is the universe. As the sparse light of the stars descends, I am entangled in a state of wonder, sea...

Category

2010s Abstract Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Drunken Oak: original watercolor painting on archival pigment photograph of tree
Drunken Oak: original watercolor painting on archival pigment photograph of tree

Ava BlitzDrunken Oak: original watercolor painting on archival pigment photograph of tree, 2025

$1,900

Drunken Oak: original watercolor painting on archival pigment photograph of tree

By Ava Blitz

Located in Bryn Mawr, PA

"Drunken Oak" is an original abstract watercolor painting layered over an original archival pigment print of an oak tree using alternative process photography on 100% rag paper. Imag...

Category

2010s Abstract Photography

Materials

Rag Paper, Archival Pigment, Watercolor

Snowdance - Mountain Snowboarding Black & White Art Photography
Snowdance - Mountain Snowboarding Black & White Art Photography

Carlos BlanchardSnowdance - Mountain Snowboarding Black & White Art Photography, 2018

$1,278Sale Price|20% Off

Snowdance - Mountain Snowboarding Black & White Art Photography

Located in Zürich, CH

Hailing from the picturesque city of Zaragoza, nestled near the Pyrenees, Carlos Blanchard's journey into the realm of photography was influenced by the rich tapestry of his upbringi...

Category

2010s Abstract Photography

Materials

Black and White

Set of 2 Photographs. Cyanotype photograph of the ocean waves
Set of 2 Photographs. Cyanotype photograph of the ocean waves

Paola DavilaSet of 2 Photographs. Cyanotype photograph of the ocean waves, 2022

$9,000

Set of 2 Photographs. Cyanotype photograph of the ocean waves

By Paola Davila

Located in Miami Beach, FL

Water is constant in the artist's visual investigation, for her water is no longer the stage in which the body's memory bursts, but rather the environment and protagonist, constant o...

Category

2010s Abstract Photography

Materials

Cotton, Archival Pigment

Blue Bird Abstract Landscape Photography, Limited Edition of 5

Ugne PouwellBlue Bird Abstract Landscape Photography, Limited Edition of 5, 2025

$1,096Sale Price|34% Off

Blue Bird Abstract Landscape Photography, Limited Edition of 5

By Ugne Pouwell

Located in London, GB

Blue Bird is a quiet study in reflection, shadow, and stillness. A mountain ridge dissolves into deep black, its form mirrored in a soft, spectral blue. The image, flipped and near a...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Photography

Materials

Archival Paper

Hot Air Balloon world Championship, black and white photograph, limited edition
Hot Air Balloon world Championship, black and white photograph, limited edition

Gerald BerghammerHot Air Balloon world Championship, black and white photograph, limited edition, 2018

$1,420Sale Price|40% Off

Hot Air Balloon world Championship, black and white photograph, limited edition

By Gerald Berghammer

Located in Vienna, Vienna

Black and White Fine Art Medium Format Photography. Hot Air Balloon Panorama, World Championship, Austria. Archival pigment ink print, edition of 9. Signed, titled, dated and numbere...

Category

2010s Abstract Photography

Materials

Digital Pigment, Archival Ink, Archival Paper

Crosshatch
Crosshatch

Christopher Kennedy (Photo Luminism)Crosshatch, 2014

$880Sale Price|20% Off

Crosshatch

Located in Plano, TX

" "Crosshatch" is a classic example of my abstract PhotoLuminism technique. When light travels, the human eye cannot see its trails, but the camera can. Capturing images that are int...

Category

2010s Abstract Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Black and White

Rainbow Reflections, Waterscape Diptych, Altered Nature Limited, Giclée, Ripples
Rainbow Reflections, Waterscape Diptych, Altered Nature Limited, Giclée, Ripples

Ryan RivadeneyraRainbow Reflections, Waterscape Diptych, Altered Nature Limited, Giclée, Ripples, 2024

$580

Rainbow Reflections, Waterscape Diptych, Altered Nature Limited, Giclée, Ripples

By Ryan Rivadeneyra

Located in Barcelona, ES

Cyd Fontaine (Lausanne, 1992) is a contemporary artist renowned for her captivating use of dreamy atmospheric gradients, which has helped her carve a distinctive niche in the world of digital art. Drawing inspiration from the ethereal beauty of nature, Fontaine's artistic journey has taken her on an imaginative exploration of space, depth, and emotion through the medium of large digital prints. Her signature style is characterized by the use of vast, immersive gradients that seem to stretch infinitely across space. These gradients evoke a sense of enigmatic calmness, inviting viewers to lose themselves in the expanse of her visual landscapes. Her ability to create a feeling of boundless depth and space within her pieces, combined with subtle minimalist compositions, is a testament to her mastery of the digital medium. Fontaine’s pieces resonate with audiences seeking a connection to the sublime, offering a window into a world where colors blend seamlessly and boundaries dissolve. Her work can be found in several private collections throughout Europe and the United States. She currently lives and works between Barcelona and Lausanne. Details: Title: Rainbow Reflections...

Category

2010s Abstract Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Archival Ink, Photographic Paper, C Print, Digital, G...

Set of 3 Photographs. Cyanotype photograph of the ocean waves
Set of 3 Photographs. Cyanotype photograph of the ocean waves

Paola DavilaSet of 3 Photographs. Cyanotype photograph of the ocean waves, 2022

$13,500

Set of 3 Photographs. Cyanotype photograph of the ocean waves

By Paola Davila

Located in Miami Beach, FL

Water is constant in the artist's visual investigation, for her water is no longer the stage in which the body's memory bursts, but rather the environment and protagonist, constant o...

Category

2010s Abstract Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment, Cotton

Untitled (W.O.F 15-16)

Christopher ColvilleUntitled (W.O.F 15-16), 2016

$2,600

Untitled (W.O.F 15-16)

By Christopher Colville

Located in Sante Fe, NM

Works of Fire When I look into the night sky I am awestruck by the darkness that is the universe. As the sparse light of the stars descends, I am entangled in a state of wonder, sea...

Category

2010s Abstract Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Anesthesia - underwater photograph - series REFLECTIONS - archival print 35x52"
Anesthesia - underwater photograph - series REFLECTIONS - archival print 35x52"

Alex SherAnesthesia - underwater photograph - series REFLECTIONS - archival print 35x52", 2018

$960Sale Price|20% Off

Anesthesia - underwater photograph - series REFLECTIONS - archival print 35x52"

By Alex Sher

Located in Beverly Hills, CA

Lost in a sea of rich saturation of dark and light blue colors, a feminine form gracefully traverses the expanse of the water. Alex Sher’s “Anesthesia” invites us into an abstracted ...

Category

2010s Abstract Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment, Archival Paper

Dahlia Ink: Black and White Floral Photography, Limited Edition of 10

Ugne PouwellDahlia Ink: Black and White Floral Photography, Limited Edition of 10, 2023

$1,135Sale Price|20% Off

Dahlia Ink: Black and White Floral Photography, Limited Edition of 10

By Ugne Pouwell

Located in London, GB

'Dahlia on Ink' 2023 Black and white floral film photography combination with ink painting. Made using a large format 4x5 film camera, developed in the studio by the artist. Prin...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Ink, Archival Ink, Photographic Paper, Giclée

Untitled (W.O.F 15-2)

Christopher ColvilleUntitled (W.O.F 15-2), 2011

$800

Untitled (W.O.F 15-2)

By Christopher Colville

Located in Sante Fe, NM

Works of Fire When I look into the night sky I am awestruck by the darkness that is the universe. As the sparse light of the stars descends, I am entangled in a state of wonder, sea...

Category

2010s Abstract Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

'Lily in Charcoal' abstract expressionism photography edition of 10
'Lily in Charcoal' abstract expressionism photography edition of 10

Ugne Pouwell'Lily in Charcoal' abstract expressionism photography edition of 10, 2023

$679Sale Price|20% Off

'Lily in Charcoal' abstract expressionism photography edition of 10

By Ugne Pouwell

Located in London, GB

'Lily in Charcoal' 2023 From raw energy to sublime. 'Lily in Charcoal' is an expression piece combining an abstract charcoal drawing with a live lily emerging from a gash. The charc...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Photography

Materials

Paper, Photographic Film, Charcoal, Archival Ink, Archival Paper

Abstract photography for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Abstract photography 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 photography 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, red, orange and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Mitchell Funk, Paul Snell, Michael Banks, and Seb Janiak. Frequently made by artists working with Paper, and Pigment Print 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 photography, so small editions measuring 0.5 inches across are also available. Prices for photography made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $50 and tops out at $36,000, while the average work sells for $3,359.

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