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.
Day Dream
Located in Fairfield, CT
Also available 50 x 70 in. $9,500, edition of 10. Christine Matthäi was born in Germany. She lives and works between Shelter Island, New York, Germany and the Bahamas. Her LIGHT an...
C Print
Abstract Dancers White 1 - Limited Edition Color Archival Pigment Print
By Giles Revell
Located in Brighton, GB
Abstract Dancers White 1 by Giles Revell is a Limited Edition Archival Pigment Print Limited Edition Archival Pigment Print in this size of 50cm x 50cm in a limited edition of 15 ...
Photographic Paper, Color, Pigment, Archival Pigment
$1,600
Green
Located in Los Angeles, CA
2025 Archival Pigment Print Image 20.3 x 25.4 cm Framed 40.64 x 45.72 cm Edition 1/10 plus 1 AP Pamela Takiff is a New York based abstract photographer. As an artist, and human righ...
Archival Pigment
Lily in Charcoal No.2 - abstract expressionism photography edition of 10
By Ugne Pouwell
Located in London, GB
'Lily in Charcoal No.2' 2023 From raw energy to sublime. 'Lily in Charcoal No.2' is an expression piece combining an abstract charcoal drawing with a live lily emerging from a gash....
Paper, Photographic Film, Charcoal, Archival Ink, Archival Paper
Blender 01. From the Making Sense series. Abstract color photograph
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The artist's computer-generated paintings merge craftsmanship and technology, creating an eclectic and unique style. Through her art, she aims to illuminate the world. Tcherassi's w...
Archival Pigment
Frosted Window
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This vintage silver gelatin print is signed in pencil on the front of the mount. This rare exhibition print in glossy paper (later prints of this image from Portfolio II were made on...
Silver Gelatin
#70, Abstract, Photography, Painting, Expressionism
Located in München, BY
Unique piece in this size More sizes and an Essay from Lyle Rexer about this series on request. Joachim Schmeisser’s work rescues photography from the centuries-old straightjacket ...
Pigment
Rainbow Reflections, Waterscape Diptych, Altered Nature Limited, Giclée, Ripples
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...
Photographic Film, Archival Ink, Photographic Paper, C Print, Digital, G...
Paper cut - analogue black and white abstract photography. Ltd. 10
By Ugne Pouwell
Located in London, GB
'Paper cut' London, United Kingdom 2021 Limited edition of 10. Printed on fine art heavy-weight paper. The photograph comes signed, and stamped with COA.
Giclée
$4,500
28° 14' 22.942'' N, 114° 6' 4.129'' W-6. 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...
Archival Pigment, Cotton
$566Sale Price|55% Off
Limited Edition Signed Undefined Abstract Print on Photographic Paper
Located in Slovak Republic, SK
Color Print, photographed coincidentally, hoping to evoke positive feelings. This size in limited edition of 15, signed by the author. Could be delivered also framed / different priz...
Photographic Paper, Archival Pigment
#205, Abstract, Photography, Painting, Expressionism
Located in München, BY
Unique piece in this size More sizes and an Essay from Lyle Rexer about this series on request. Joachim Schmeisser’s work rescues photography from the centuries-old straightjacket ...
Pigment
Broken
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Broken 2019 Archival Pigment Print Image 36.83 x 27.94 cm Framed 60.33 x 51.44cm Edition 2/10 Plus 2 AP Pamela Takiff is a New York based abstract photographer. As an artist, and hu...
Archival Pigment
$3,400
Abby Champion & Patrick Schwarzenegger - Out for lunch at Kreation, 10/29/20 III
Located in Atlanta, GA
This work features hues of pink, purple, green and yellow. This photograph is an archival inkjet print, mounted to Sintra and face mounted to polished acrylic, edition 1 of 1. Frame...
Archival Pigment
#226, Abstract, Photography, Painting, Expressionism
Located in München, BY
Unique piece More sizes and an Essay from Lyle Rexer about this series on request. Joachim Schmeisser’s work rescues photography from the centuries-old straightjacket of realism to...
Pigment
#242, Abstract, Photography, Painting, Expressionism
Located in München, BY
Unique piece More sizes and an Essay from Lyle Rexer about this series on request. Joachim Schmeisser’s work rescues photography from the centuries-old straightjacket of realism to...
Pigment
#268 Abstract, Photography, Painting, Expressionism
Located in München, BY
Unique piece in this size More sizes and an Essay from Lyle Rexer about this series on request. Joachim Schmeisser’s work rescues photography from the centuries-old straightjacket ...
Pigment
$3,800
CoCreate 02 and 03, From the We Are One Series. Abstract color photograph
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The artists computer-generated paintings merge craftsmanship and technology, creating an eclectic and unique style. Through her art, she aims to illuminate the world. Tcherassi's wo...
Archival Pigment
Set of 4 photographs II from it's all about the game
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The exploration of the concept of play as an artistic impulse presents playful, almost "baroque-written" photographs that are the result of a repeated (recycled) notion of play. Star...
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
A Fairy and Rabbits, The King and the Dragon and A Dinosaur Lake
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The exploration of the concept of play as an artistic impulse presents playful, almost "baroque-written" photographs that are the result of a repeated (recycled) notion of play. Star...
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
#211, Abstract, Photography, Painting, Expressionism
Located in München, BY
Unique piece in this size More sizes and an Essay from Lyle Rexer about this series on request. Joachim Schmeisser’s work rescues photography from the centuries-old straightjacket ...
Pigment
Rustika - analog abstract photograph, limited edition of 20
By Ugne Pouwell
Located in London, GB
Rustika is an abstract analogue photographic work rooted in the close study of natural textures and organic line. Created with a film camera and developed through the negative proces...
Photographic Film, Giclée
Set of 4 Abstract Color Photographs, Archival Pigment Print Edition
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The artist's computer-generated paintings merge craftsmanship and technology, creating an eclectic and unique style. Through her art, she aims to illuminate the world. Tcherassi's w...
Archival Pigment
To the moon and back - abstract sky photography, limited edition 14 of 20
By Ugne Pouwell
Located in London, GB
'To the moon and back' is a photograph of one of the summer evening sunsets. As you gaze at the horizon, you see a plane flying at the perfect horizontal...
Giclée, Color
Somewhere in Between: Abstract Digital Print on Plexiglass
By Henri Venne
Located in Montreal, Quebec
A viewer standing in front of the work of Henri Venne might feel simultaneously at home and confused. A seamless merging of photographic and painterly elements, Venne's images at onc...
Plexiglass, Digital
#267, Abstract, Photography, Painting, Expressionism
Located in München, BY
Unique piece More sizes and an Essay from Lyle Rexer about this series on request. Joachim Schmeisser’s work rescues photography from the centuries-old straightjacket of realism to...
Pigment
$1,600
"Rothko on the Savannah: 14-3" (2014) Archival Abstracted Texture Photo Print
By Dan Kaufman
Located in Denver, CO
"Rothko on the Savannah: 14-3" Is a beautiful original edited photography print, done on archival photo canvas. Daniel J. Kaufman (b. New York City, May 4th, 1949) Childhood in Grea...
Canvas
$6,500
East Hampton Sky with Flock of Birds at Golden Sunset, Abstract Photography
Located in Miami, FL
A flock of birds at sunset in East Hampton is captured by color photographer Mitchell Funk. The overall composition without a central point of focus is not unlike the work of East H...
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
$4,400
Vanilla Sky - large scale photograph of iconic American national park landscape
By Frank Schott
Located in San Francisco, CA
Vanilla Sky by Frank Schott a series of images capturing the epique infinety of White Sands 48 x 72 inches / 122cm x 183cm edition of 7 signed 27 x...
Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Archival Pigment, Archival Ink, Giclée
#123, Abstract, Photography, Painting, Expressionism
Located in München, BY
Unique piece More sizes and an Essay from Lyle Rexer about this series on request. Joachim Schmeisser’s work rescues photography from the centuries-old straightjacket of realism to...
Pigment
$2,000
"Amanda Seyfried Walking Her Dog in New York, 6/8/2015" Abstract Photograph
Located in Atlanta, GA
"Amanda Seyfried Walking Her Dog in New York, 6/8/2015" features hues of purple, green, yellow and black. Spencer Sloan is inspired by the work of Hieronymus Bosch, Richard Diebenko...
Archival Pigment
$1,800
"Angelina Jolie Heads to a Meeting in Beverly Hills, 3/14/19" Abstract Photo
Located in Atlanta, GA
"Angelina Jolie Heads to a Meeting in Beverly Hills, 3/14/19" features hues of purple, green, yellow and blue. Spencer Sloan is inspired by the work of Hieronymus Bosch, Richard Die...
Archival Pigment
$2,200
"Hilary Duff Shopping at Bed, Bath & Beyond in NYC, 9/23/14" - Colorful Abstract
Located in Atlanta, GA
"Hilary Duff Shopping at Bed, Bath & Beyond in NYC, 9/23/14" features hues of purple, pink, green and blue. Spencer Sloan is inspired by the work of Hieron...
Archival Pigment
$2,400
"Emma Roberts Out in LA, 11/14/16" Colorful Abstract Photograph - Celebrity
Located in Atlanta, GA
"Emma Roberts Out in LA, 11/14/16" features hues of pink, purple, green and magenta. Spencer Sloan is inspired by the work of Hieronymus Bosch, Richard D...
Archival Pigment
$2,400
Mena Suvari Hiking in Runyon Canyon in LA, 7/5/15 - Colorful Abstract Photograph
Located in Atlanta, GA
"Mena Suvari Hiking in Runyon Canyon in LA, 7/5/15" features hues of pink, purple, yellow and teal. This photograph is an archival inkjet print with sintra mount and polished acryli...
Archival Pigment
#234, Abstract, Photography, Painting, Expressionism
Located in München, BY
Unique piece More sizes and an Essay from Lyle Rexer about this series on request. Joachim Schmeisser’s work rescues photography from the centuries-old straightjacket of realism to...
Pigment
$3,400
"Britney Spears - heading to the beach in Malibu 4/5/15" Abstract Photograph
Located in Atlanta, GA
Edition 1 of 1. Archival print, sintra mount, polished acrylic. Spencer Sloan is a mixed-media artist whose recent work, digitally manipulating paparazzi photographs into abstractio...
Archival Pigment
Amanda Bynes - Leaving a boutique in West Hollywood 9/712012
Located in Atlanta, GA
Spencer Sloan is a mixed-media artist whose recent work, digitally manipulating paparazzi photographs into abstraction using a series of image-corrupting applications, stems from his years spent as a pop-culture blogger. Sloan received his BFA in Painting from the University of Georgia and studied graphic design at The Creative Circus. In 2015, Sloan was commissioned by Dolby to create a piece for their San Francisco headquarters which was featured in Fast Company magazine. Sloan lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. Archival pigment print. Edition 1 of 1 Spencer Sloan is inspired by the work of Hieronymus Bosch, Richard Diebenkorn, Ralph Steadman.
Inkjet
$3,800
"Jessica Alba - riding her bike in Malibu, July 5, 2015" Colorful Abstract Photo
Located in Atlanta, GA
Spencer Sloan is a mixed-media artist whose recent work, digitally manipulating paparazzi photographs into abstraction using a series of image-corrupting applications, stems from his...
Inkjet
$400
Contemporary abstract expressionist woman's portrait "She who sees tomorrow"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary abstract expressionist woman’s portrait was created by French artist Natalya Mougenot and forms part of her ongoing Women series—a deeply personal body of work dedi...
Paper, Acrylic
Bloody Hands Cyanotype Photograph, Abstract, Signed, 31.49x23.62
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The photos from the series Let Me Tell You a Story show, each one individually, certain themes through strongly narrative visual units. Each photograph is dedicated to a specific rep...
Archival Paper
#130, Abstract, Photography, Painting, Expressionism
Located in München, BY
Unique piece in this size More sizes and an Essay from Lyle Rexer about this series on request. Joachim Schmeisser’s work rescues photography from the centuries-old straightjacket ...
Pigment
Chrysler Building Spire New York Art Deco Skyscraper
Located in Miami, FL
Since 1969 Mitchell Funk has been photographing the Chrysler Building in dramatic and novel ways. This recent image incorporates the Chrysler Building's pointy neighbor, the supertall skyscraper One Vanderbilt. Its modern spire harmonizes with the 1930 soaring Art Deco icon. Notice how Funk incorporates accents of yellow that offsets the twilight blue. The entire image is accented by a cozy moon that consummates the composition. Signed and dated on the lower right, numbered on verso, 3/15 other size available, unframed, Printed Printed on Hahnemühle Fine Art paper. Mitchell Funk is a pioneer of " Color Photography" In 1970 he participated in one the first " Color Photography" show...
Archival Pigment
Rubber and light bulbs #05- dark sea landscape photography with lights
Located in New York, NY
The series 'Trespassing' explores encounters between human and nature. Human-made objects are placed into a landscape, where their interactions with the natural elements are recorded...
Digital Pigment
Into The Void 03 and Be The Eye In the Storm 02, Diptych.
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The artist's computer-generated paintings merge craftsmanship and technology, creating an eclectic and unique style. Through her art, she aims to illuminate the world. Tcherassi's w...
Archival Pigment
#203, Abstract, Photography, Painting, Expressionism
Located in München, BY
Unique piece in this size More sizes and an Essay from Lyle Rexer about this series on request. Joachim Schmeisser’s work rescues photography from the centuries-old straightjacket ...
Pigment
#257, Abstract, Photography, Painting, Expressionism
Located in München, BY
Unique piece in this size More sizes and an Essay from Lyle Rexer about this series on request. Joachim Schmeisser’s work rescues photography from the centuries-old straightjacket ...
Pigment
$4,400
Aspen Study II - large scale photograph of Indian summer autumnal color palette
By Frank Schott
Located in San Francisco, CA
Aspen Study II by Frank Schott a series of images capturing the yellow golden Indian summer foliage palette of aspen trees in California's Sierra Nevada ...
Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Archival Pigment, Archival Ink, Giclée
Childhood, I’m Looking at the Sun #4, Abstract Photograph, 2025
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Childhood, I’m Looking at the Sun is a return to the first way of seeing—the moment when the world has not yet been divided into familiar things, but remains a living field of light,...
Digital
$6,500
New York City Street Starbursts over Mid-Town Manhattan -Abstract Photography
Located in Miami, FL
Streetlights on Manhattans' Sixth Avenure transform into a starburst of kaleidoscope color through an act of creativity from Photographer Mitchell Funk. The emanating light is a m...
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
$10,000
Dawn
Located in Fairfield, CT
Also available 50 x 70 in. $9,500, edition of 10. Christine Matthäi was born in Germany. She lives and works between Shelter Island, New York, Germany and the Bahamas. Her LIGHT and...
C Print
Gaia 125 - Limited Edition Black and White Print, Edition of 10, 18cm x 24cm
Located in Brighton, GB
Gaia 125 by Jaume Llorens Bach Gaia 125 is a 18cm x 24cm Black and White Photographic print on Premio Kozo 180gsm White Paper by Awagami Factory This size is a limited edition of 1...
Black and White, Digital
Untitled X. From LenkPlay Series. Limited edition color photograph
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The exploration of the concept of play as an artistic impulse presents playful, almost "baroque-written"photographs that are the result of a repeated (recycled) notion of play. Start...
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Miami Downtown, Black and White Architectural Landscape Photography
By Luca Artioli
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The 'Miami Skin Series' it’s not a traditional collection of photos about the architecture of Miami and Miami Beach. It’s rather a quick journey between its own skin from the Art Dec...
Archival Pigment, Black and White
Chrysler Building Top , Art Deco Architecture New York City
Located in Miami, FL
It's the epitome of Art Deco Architecture. The top of the Chrysler Building is lit by golden light in this photograph of a classic New York City scene. Photographer Mitchell Funk s...
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Inkjet
#231, Abstract, Photography, Painting, Expressionism
Located in München, BY
Unique piece in this size More sizes and an Essay from Lyle Rexer about this series on request. Joachim Schmeisser’s work rescues photography from the centuries-old straightjacket ...
Pigment
The Sea
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Edition 2/15 Archival pigment print “Water's Edge” a collection of photos by Marian Crostic defines the power of the ocean and the land which borders it. Having spent much of her l...
Archival Pigment
Anemorphose Cabo Verde #7
Located in New York City, NY
27 x 44 in Edition of 9 EUR 3.500 35 x 57 in Edition of 9 EUR 5.500 48 x 71 in Edition of 9 EUR 7.100 Dye Sublimation on Aluminum 48 x 77 in Edition of 9 EUR 9.100 Dye Sublimation...
Dye Transfer
Solitude
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Edition 2/15 Archival pigment print “Water's Edge” a collection of photos by Marian Crostic defines the power of the ocean and the land which borders it. Having spent much of her l...
Archival Pigment
Passing Through
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Edition 2/15 Archival pigment print “Water’s Edge” a collection of photos by Marian Crostic defines the power of the ocean and the land which borders it. Having spent much of her l...
Archival Pigment