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.
Posture by Julien Guarneri - Stainless Steel Sculpture
Located in Paris, FR
Posture (2022) by Julien Guarneri Sanded stainless steel sculpture, 42 × 11 × 13 cm / 16.5 × 4.3 × 5.1 in. (Can be produced on a monumental scale - contact us for further information...
Stainless Steel
Dualis Chimera I: Primal Shadow, sculpture, ceramic
Located in Zofingen, AG
Ceramic sculpture, granite, ceramics, paints. 1046 gradus Size of painting - 17cm x 26cm x 47cm, (7" x 10" x 18.5") Part of the Dualis Chimera series, this sculpture explores the coe...
Granite
Don't Let Them Burst your Bubble: Turquoise 71425 - Blown Glass Wall Sculpture
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary wall sculpture features turquoise coloured glass bubbles. Each work is individually hand-formed in glass, so slight variations in colour, shape, and texture from t...
Glass, Blown Glass
Double Spinner Lg - Wind Kinetic Sculpture, Copper and Steel
Located in Bloomfield, ON
The uniquely magical kinetic sculptures of American artist Lyman Whitaker translate an unseen force of nature-the wind into a visible, graceful and mesmerizing dance. As a master in...
Copper, Steel
Tectonics 028
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Experience the captivating "Tectonics 028", a striking wall sculpture that delves into the interplay of structure and rhythm. This oversized piece, meticulously crafted from carved a...
Wood, Mixed Media
Don't Let Them Burst Your Bubble: Rainbow 4 XL - Abstract Blown Glass Sculpture
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary rainbow colored glass wall sculpture was created by Cheryl Wilson Smith. Cheryl Wilson Smith is known for her uniquely beautiful glasswork-its form, color and textu...
Glass, Blown Glass
Pumpkin, Yellow/Black, Yayoi Kusama 草間 彌生
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Yayoi Kusama (1929) Title: Pumpkin, Yellow/Black Year: 2016 Medium: Painted cast resin sculpture Sculpture Size: 4 × 3.5 x 3.5 inches Inscription: ©Yayoi Kusama, as issued No...
Epoxy Resin
$16,000
Temps Zero: Contemporary Outdoor Sculpture, Stainless Steel, Red, 72x42
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This elegant contemporary outdoor sculpture in bright poppy red was hand-forged from stainless steel by Philippe Pallafray. Its eye-catching minimalist form has one large ring and tw...
Stainless Steel
$1,350
Don't Let Them Burst Your Bubble: Rainbow 3 XL - Blown Glass Sculpture
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary rainbow coloured glass bubble is a tabletop sculpture. Cheryl Wilson Smith is known for her uniquely beautiful glass work-its form, colour and texture are often in...
Glass, Blown Glass
Pumpkin, Red/White, Yayoi Kusama 草間 彌生
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Yayoi Kusama (1929) Title: Pumpkin, Red/White Year: 2016 Medium: Painted cast resin sculpture Sculpture Size: 4 × 3.5 x 3.5 inches Inscription: ©Yayoi Kusama, as issued Notes...
Epoxy Resin
Pumpkin, Yellow/Black, Yayoi Kusama 草間 彌生
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Yayoi Kusama (1929) Title: Pumpkin, Yellow/Black Year: 2016 Medium: Painted cast resin sculpture Sculpture Size: 4 × 3.5 x 3.5 inches Inscription: ©Yayoi Kusama, as issued No...
Epoxy Resin
Exuberant, Blue - Blown Glass Wall Sculpture, Abstract, Contemporary
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary blue-coloured glass wall sculpture was created by Cheryl Wilson Smith. Each work is individually hand-formed in glass, so slight variations in colour, shape, and t...
Glass, Blown Glass
Union VI, Bronze by Delphine Brabant - Geometric Abstract Sculpture
Located in Paris, FR
Delphine Brabant: Union VI, Bronze, 2025 25 × 7 × 6 cm / 9.8 × 2.8 × 2.4 in 5 kg / 11 lbs Edition of 8 + 4 Artist's Proofs Union VI, Bronze is a sculpture by contemporary French art...
Bronze
Pumpkins, Yellow/Black, Red/White (Two Sculptures), Yayoi Kusama 草間 彌生
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Yayoi Kusama (1929) Title: Pumpkins, Yellow/Black, Red/White (Two Sculptures) Year: 2016 Medium: Painted cast resin sculptures Sculpture Size: 4 × 3.5 x 3.5 inches, each Insc...
Epoxy Resin
No.020125 by Thierry Martenon - Monumental Abstract Wood Sculpture, Outdoor Art
Located in Paris, FR
No.020125 is an abstract wood sculpture by French sculptor Thierry Martenon. This monumental sculpture combines smooth geometric patterns with a highly textured surface. The artist ...
Wood
Crescendo III - Red Geometric Metal Outdoor Sculpture, Abstract Contemporary Art
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This outdoor contemporary geometric metal sculpture is made of red cubes. Claude Millette’s expressive architectural sculptures reflect his fascination with opposing ideas of moveme...
Metal, Steel
$4,900
Dale Chihuly Hand-Blown Mango & Teal Lip Glass Basket Sculpture Signed & Dated
By Dale Chihuly
Located in Portland, OR
Artist: Dale Chihuly Title: Mango Basket with Teal Lip Wrap Medium: Hand Blown Glass Size: 6 1/2" wide x 6 1/4" deep x 7" tall Signed: Inscribed and dated by Chihuly Year: 2000 Prove...
Blown Glass
$90,000
Cones 690: Abstract Sculpture, Hand Forged Aluminum, Dynamic Form
Located in Bloomfield, ON
He has been called the ‘Light Sculptor.’ Quebec artist Jean-Pierre Morin is inspired by the light and shapes found in nature. The pleasing organic shape of this gorgeous sculpture is...
Metal
Between Us - Contemporary Metal Abstract Outdoor Sculpture
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary outdoor abstract sculpture is comprised of two metal columns. Quebecois sculptor Stephane Langlois comes from a rural background and draws enduring inspiration fr...
Metal
Pieced - Glass Sculpture, Abstract Wall Art, Soft Colors, 2010-
Located in Bloomfield, ON
Glass artist Cheryl Wilson Smith’s grandmother used to create hand-stitched quilts from cut squares of fabric. This beautiful wall sculpture with its patchwork pattern, and its soft ...
Glass
$1,597
Union VI, Plaster by Delphine Brabant - Geometric Abstract Sculpture, White
Located in Paris, FR
Delphine Brabant: Union VI, Plaster, 2025 25 × 7 × 6 cm / 9.8 × 2.8 × 2.4 in 4 kg / 8.8 lbs Edition of 8 + 4 Artist's Proofs Union VI, plaster is a sculpture by contemporary French ...
Plaster
Breeze - Abstract Sculpture in White Felt, Contemporary, Handmade, 2010+
By Chung-Im Kim
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary white sculptural wall hanging was handmade. For more than three decades, internationally acclaimed artist Chung Im-Kim has woven two worlds together. The Canadian...
Felt
Next by Julien Guarneri - Stainless Steel Sculpture
Located in Paris, FR
Agitation évolution inox (2024) by Julien Guarneri Stainless steel sculpture, 22 × 32 × 12 cm / 8.7 × 12.6 × 4.7 in. (Can be produced on a monumental scale - contact us for further i...
Stainless Steel
Mécanique Céleste Rouille V2 - (Celestial Mechanics Rust) - Outdoor Sculpture
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary outdoor architectural sculpture is forged from steel. Philippe Pallafray’s visually compelling monumental sculptures are widely collected around the world. The ide...
Steel, Stainless Steel
$13,700
Cloudstack - Large Oversized Red Contemporary Geometric Metal Steel Sculpture
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Inspired by dance and weightlessness, Granville Beals' industrial metal sculptures are primarily about relationships. Concerned with form and abstraction, he does not merely manipula...
Metal, Steel
$42,000
Equilibre Rouille No.6 - Abstract Metal Outdoor Sculpture in Stainless Steel
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary outdoor metal sculpture is geometric in shape. Philippe Pallafray's hand forged and welded stainless steel sculpture seems to defy gravity. The Quebec sculptor is ...
Metal
Bark Wall Sculpture, Abstract Geometric, Resin and Pigment
Located in Miami Beach, FL
From the Series Reliefs Aquaresin and Pigment 79 H x 16.5 W in. This striking artwork features three elongated, vertical panels, each uniquely textured with a rugged, charred surf...
Resin, Pigment
Pumpkin, Red/White, Yayoi Kusama 草間 彌生
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Yayoi Kusama (1929) Title: Pumpkin, Red/White Year: 2016 Medium: Painted cast resin sculpture Sculpture Size: 4 × 3.5 x 3.5 inches Inscription: ©Yayoi Kusama, as issued Notes...
Epoxy Resin
Untitled III by Antoine Vidal - Vertical abstract sculpture, light gray and gold
Located in Paris, FR
Untitled III is an abstract sculpture by French artist Antoine Vidal. Bronze, 19.3 × 5.9 × 3.5 in (49 × 15 × 9 cm). Limited edition of 8 + 4 Artist's Proofs. Vidal's works in bronz...
Bronze
$55,000
Mobius H6 Mirror Polished Stainless Steel - abstract, contemporary, sculpture
By Jeremy Guy
Located in Bloomfield, ON
Jeremy Guy’s distinctive abstract sculptures grace the grounds of many public places the world over. This is a favorite form—elegant, and bodacious, the curves of Mobius are based on...
Stainless Steel
Zephyr Monumental 2/7 Mirror Polished Stainless Steel - outdoor sculpture
By Jeremy Guy
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This sculpture is number 2 in an edition of 7 and can be purchased on a commission basis. Please allow 24 -30 weeks before shipping. It can also be created in smaller sizes, between ...
Stainless Steel
Noteworthy - Original Contemporary Expressive Geometric Abstract Metal Sculpture
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Inspired by dance and weightlessness, Granville Beals' industrial metal sculptures are primarily about relationships. Concerned with form and abstraction, he does not merely manipula...
Metal, Steel
$4,500
Teslar
Located in West Hollywood, CA
An organic, topographic form spreads across the wall in cream, its irregular silhouette pooling into deep cavities of black, cobalt blue, and a single rose-pink hollow. The shapes re...
Wool
My Joyful Heart - Lively Colorful Abstract 3-D Painted Weaving
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Impasto-painted strokes of bright colors are the framework of artist Shiri Phillips’ abstract artworks. Her paintings are flooded with texture through the layering of acrylic paint i...
Wire
$1,550
Chrome Double Doodle Mesa Bloom Sculpture - Abstract Powder Coated Steel
Located in Santa Fe, NM
It was the tumult of the sixties that compelled me to drop out of Swarthmore College, move “back to the land” and become an intuitive artist. I believed that if we were to survive a...
Steel
$2,050
Deep Roots - Original Elegant Organic Abstract Redwood Sculpture with Maple Base
By Joe Garnero
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Joe Garnero’s medium of choice for his winding abstract wood sculptures is reclaimed Redwood roots, which he finds along the northern California coast. The distinct curving shapes of...
Steel
Sculpted white folds. 3D texture
Located in Zofingen, AG
The artwork is crafted on a wooden circular canvas, enhancing its organic and natural appeal. The folds, created from durable mesh and coated with plaster, add depth and texture to t...
Mixed Media
Pumpkin, Red/White, Yayoi Kusama 草間 彌生
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Yayoi Kusama (1929) Title: Pumpkin, Red/White Year: 2016 Medium: Painted cast resin sculpture Sculpture Size: 4 × 3.5 x 3.5 inches Inscription: ©Yayoi Kusama, as issued Notes...
Epoxy Resin
$3,900
Wall Composition 5.1 - contemporary, abstract, glazed, ceramic wall sculpture
By Bill Greaves
Located in Bloomfield, ON
The contemporary horizontal panels of this wall composition are handmade in ceramic. On his Instagram post, Bill Greaves has a series of photographs taken from the shoreline of his ...
Ceramic
$19,525
Petite Chouette 1949, Rare Picasso Ceramic Pitcher, Ramié Catalogue No. 82
Located in Eltville am Rhein, DE
Pablo Picasso Malaga 1881 - 1973 Mougins Petite Chouette, 1949 White earthware with engobe decoration, glazed interior 13 x 15 x 11 cm Impressed studio marke to undersite "EDITION P...
Ceramic
Pumpkins, Yellow/Black, Red/White (Two Sculptures), Yayoi Kusama 草間 彌生
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Yayoi Kusama (1929) Title: Pumpkins, Yellow/Black, Red/White (Two Sculptures) Year: 2016 Medium: Painted cast resin sculptures Sculpture Size: 4 × 3.5 x 3.5 inches, each Insc...
Epoxy Resin
$9,000Sale Price|62% Off
Three Totems - Large Oversized Abstract Modern Textural Grey Steel Sculptures
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Inspired by dance and weightlessness, Granville Beals' industrial metal sculptures are primarily about relationships. His original artworks capture the essence of Abstract Expression...
Metal, Steel
$2,900Sale Price|38% Off
Little Red Ball - Abstract Original Modern Playful Geometric Steel Sculpture
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Inspired by dance and weightlessness, Granville Beals' industrial metal sculptures are primarily about relationships. His original artworks capture the...
Metal, Steel
Bark and Reliefs Abstract Geometric Wall Sculpture, Resin
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Bark and Reliefs, 2018 By Carla Gimbatti From the Series Reliefs Aquaresin and Pigment Overall Size: 79 H x 33 W in. Individual Size: (Bark) 79 H x 16.5 W in. (Reliefs) 79 H x 8....
Resin, Pigment
Totem (medium) by Frédérique Domergue - Abstract metal sculpture, steel, orange
Located in Paris, FR
Totem (medium) is a sculpture by French contemporary artist Frédérique Domergue. The sculpture is made with oak slat, polished gunmetal-finish steel and oxidized steel on the sculpte...
Steel
"Orange Crush" - Vintage Glass Sculpture
Located in Westport, CT
Resurrect Studio, “Orange Crush,” Vintage Glass Sculpture, 15 x 13 x 5 in. “Orange Crush” is a vibrant vintage glass sculpture by Resurrect Studio, the collaborative practice of Nan...
Glass, Resin
Equilibre Oblique 2/10 - monumental, geometric abstract, steel outdoor sculpture
Located in Bloomfield, ON
As a young artist, Philippe Pallafray was inspired by sculpture masters and years later his dynamic contemporary sculptures are collected in both Canada and the United States. The Qu...
Stainless Steel
"Lotus" - Vintage Glass Sculpture
Located in Westport, CT
Resurrect Studio, “Lotus,” Vintage Glass Sculpture, 11 x 11 x 8.5 in. “Lotus” is a delicate vintage glass sculpture by Resurrect Studio, the collaborative practice of Nancy Wu and J...
Glass, Resin
Don't Let Them Burst Your Bubble: Amber 2 XL - Blown Glass Sculpture
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary amber coloured glass bubble is a tabletop sculpture. Cheryl Wilson Smith is known for her uniquely beautiful glass work-its form, colour and texture are often inspi...
Glass, Blown Glass
Huma by Antoine Vidal - abstract bronze sculpture, vertical
Located in Paris, FR
Huma is an abstract bronze sculpture by French artist Antoine Vidal. Vidal's works in bronze, very often marked by a verticality with totemic accents, reflect an aesthetic pursuit fo...
Bronze
Crustacean Green Ceramic Bowl Sculpture
Located in East Quogue, NY
"Green Crustacean Seapod", Ceramic Bowl Sculpture Dimensions: 8 H × 8 W × 5 D Medium: Hand-built ceramic, glazed stoneware Hand-built ceramic sculpture finished in a green glaze. Ad...
Ceramic, Stoneware
Juste Milieu by Julien Guarneri - Stainless Steel Sculpture
Located in Paris, FR
Juste Milieu (2022) by Julien Guarneri Sanded stainless steel sculpture, 42 x 22 × 14 cm / 16.5 × 8.7 × 5.5 in. (Can be produced on a monumental scale - contact us for further inform...
Stainless Steel
Don't Let Them Burst your Bubble: Clear 81425 - Clear Glass Abstract Sculpture
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary wall sculpture features bubbles of clear glass. Each work is individually hand-formed in glass, so slight variations in colour, shape, and texture from the images ...
Glass, Mixed Media
$4,200
Turnabout: Abstract Geometric 3D Wooden Wall Sculpture in Green, Grey & Beige
Located in Hudson, NY
Abstract geometric three-dimensional wood wall sculpture in bright pastel hues of sage green, light grey, and beige "Turnabout", hand-carved wooden wall sculpture by Hudson Valley ar...
Wood, Dye, Acrylic, Wood Panel
"Tectonics 018"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
This work is part of the Tectonics series, exploring structure, rhythm, and material. Wall sculpture is crafted from charred wood, shaped into two vertical elements , emphasizing bot...
Wood, Mixed Media
"Resonance" Metallic Raku glazed ceramic abstract stoneware sculpture
By Jessamyn Go
Located in East Quogue, NY
Stunning hand-pitched Raku metallic glazed, speckled stoneware ceramic sculpture by Jessamyn Go. Jessamyn Go's work is deeply rooted in the visceral, meditative experience of workin...
Ceramic, Stoneware, Glaze
The Lady maquette, replica of Chicago Picasso sculpture, American Bridge Company
Located in New York, NY
(After) Pablo Picasso The Lady (Maquette), ca. 1967 Mixed Media Sculpture edition Cor-ten Steel This maquette is based upon the original Chicago Picasso-a monumental sculpture by Pablo Picasso in Chicago, Illinois. The sculpture, dedicated on August 15, 1967, in Daley Plaza in the Chicago Loop...
Stone, Steel
$14,400Sale Price|20% Off
Two Untitled Compositions
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Fumio Otani (Japanese, 1929-1995). Untitled and Untitled, ca, 1965. Cast and polished steel. Smaller composition measures 14.75 x 7.75 x 1.5 inches. Larger composition measures 16...
Steel
Contemporary Minimalist Light Installation Sculpture Suspended LED Artwork Mareo
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Technical Specifications Each sculpture integrates high-quality LED light strips, with each vertical element operating through an independent transformer to ensure optimal performan...
Metal
Pumpkin, Red/White, Yayoi Kusama 草間 彌生
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Yayoi Kusama (1929) Title: Pumpkin, Red/White Year: 2016 Medium: Painted cast resin sculpture Sculpture Size: 4 × 3.5 x 3.5 inches Inscription: ©Yayoi Kusama, as issued Notes...
Epoxy Resin