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.
Contemporary Watercolor Painting, 'Design for Light', c. 2000 by David Ruth
By David Ruth
Located in Oakland, CA
This is a contemporary abstract watercolor painting by artist David Ruth. This series of paintings often feature bright colors and vibrant layouts that draw the viewer in. They are c...
Paper, Watercolor
$1,480Sale Price|20% Off
Sidera (Honeymoon) -21st Century, Contemporary, Abstract Expression, Flower Love
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Sidera reflects that kind of radiant intimacy, the soul's longing to chart constellations in another person, to navigate the galaxies of their experiences, and to leave behind light,...
Canvas, Ink, Acrylic
$1,800
Held by Nature’s Embrace, 36” x 24” original neutral botanical abstract
Located in Cumming, GA
An understated botanical abstraction designed to bring warmth, balance, and natural sophistication to a thoughtfully curated interior. Held in Nature’s Embrace combines muted sage g...
Canvas, Acrylic
$5,483
Vers l'equilibre, Contemporary Large Abstract Geometric Oil Painting, 34 x 34 in
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Vers l'Équilibre - Oil on canvas Unframed: 80 x 80 x 2 cm (31.50 x 31.50 x 0.79 in) Framed: 87 x 87 x 3.5 cm (34.25 x 34.25 x 1.38 in) Black or natural wood floater frame available S...
Canvas, Oil
Where it is quiet, No.5
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this work, the artist explores silence as a state of inner balance and presence. Drawing from the ощущення of natural landscapes, she creates a distilled, atmospheric space where ...
Canvas, Mixed Media
$4,800
Orchard (Abstract Painting on Canvas in Earth-Tones of Blue & Green, Framed)
By James O'Shea
Located in Hudson, NY
Abstract painting on canvas in an bright, earthy blue and green palette "Orchard", made in 2010 oil on board 33.5 x 32 inches 35 x 33 x 2 inches with a natural maple floater frame S...
Oil, Wood Panel
Going: Abstract Mixed Media on Wood Panel, Framed, 91.4x76.2 cm
Located in BARCELONA, ES
Stephen identifies the delicate texture and beauty of the natural oxidation process. Oftentimes a found object initiates his work: By incorporating an object directly, imprinting, or...
Mixed Media, Wood, Wood Panel
The Beginning
By Oksana Reva
Located in Zofingen, AG
“The Beginning” Oil on linen, multilayer technique This work captures the moment when form is born out of silence. Translucent layers of oil, laid one upon another like breaths of t...
Canvas, Oil
The Inner Light
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 110×97 cm (overall size with stretching 120×107 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled "The Inner Light" is a visual meditation on preserving one's true...
Canvas, Acrylic
Presence silencieuse, Contemporary Large Abstract Geometric Oil Paint
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Presence Silencieuse Oil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm (31.5 x 31.5 in) Framed dimensions: approx. 87 x 87 cm (34.3 x 34.3 in) Floating frame available in black or natural wood. Presence S...
Oil, Canvas
Quiet Horizon, Abstract Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Layered palette knife strokes form a rhythmic horizon where a soft, light-filled sky meets deep, shifting water. The textured surface suggests the quiet movemen...
Oil
$1,300Sale Price|35% Off
1950's Mid-Century Abstract Expressionist painting
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Stunning abstract expressionist painting, ca. 1955. Oil on Canvas, measuring 36 x 40 inches. Some natural cracking and paint loss due to heavy impasto technique. Unsigned. Art su...
Canvas, Oil
$2,192
Fragments of Light - Large Impasto Abstract Painting, Textured Blue Pink Canvas
Located in Zofingen, AG
Experience the captivating interplay of light, color, and texture with this original abstract painting. "Fragments of Light" is a visual metaphor for the artist’s vision of life — po...
Acrylic
Large Mid Century Modern Abstract Impressionist Landscape Oil Painting
Located in Plymouth, England
An original signed and dated oil painting by Alfred Levy 'Alvy' (1915-1970) depicting a harbour-side arcade scene in the artist's characteristic modern French style. It's entitled,...
Oil
$970
"Morning tulips" Modern floral Still life bouquet acrylic painting on paper
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
Morning Tulips is an original contemporary floral still life painting from 2026, an expressive figurative artwork in acrylic on paper, measuring 59.4 × 84.1 cm (23.4 × 33.1 in), insp...
Acrylic, Paper
Oil on canvas “Abstract Composition”, Yves Frangeul, 1964 France
Located in Valladolid, ES
Amazing oil on canvas with an abstract and avant-garde theme, by the French painter Yves Frangeul, dated 1964. The work presents a non-figurative scene, seemingly a superimposition o...
Canvas
$880Sale Price|70% Off
Flags of peace #28 by Gilbert Pauli - Oil on canvas 70x90 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Born in 1944 in the canton of Fribourg, Gilbert Pauli currently lives in Geneva, where he devotes himself to painting and sculpture, a passion he developed from his childhood. His fa...
Oil
Can this be real From the my journey collection - 1999
Located in Rochester Hills, MI
Alexandra Nechita Can this be real From the my journey collection - 1999 Print - Lithograph on Arches Archival Paper 35½'' x 23¾'' inches Edition: Signed in pencil, dated and marked 139/199 Embossed with Mourlot Paris Stamp "I am so blessed to have a younger brother named Maximillian. Can this be real? I feel so infinitely happy, so full of life, so complete to have Maximillian. Loving to open up a chest full of race cars and trucks or kicking a ball the way boys do, was something unknown to me.""Having my pony tail pulled so much was another surprise of having a little brother. Even wild adventures like building pyramids out of live snails was nothing compared to trying to hold our garden spiders...
Lithograph
$700
Calm Blue Waters no1 original abstract painting on fine art paper 79w x 56 h cm
Located in COOMERA, QLD
Immerse yourself in the tranquil beauty of "Calm Blue Waters no1," a captivating abstract painting on paper. This original artwork, rendered in acrylics on fine art paper, showcases ...
Paper, Acrylic
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
$5,711
Au bord du jour, Contemporary Large Abstract landscape Oil Painting, 34 x 34 in
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Au bord du jour - Oil on canvas Unframed: 80 x 80 x 2 cm (31.50 x 31.50 x 0.79 in) Framed: 87 x 87 x 3.5 cm (34.25 x 34.25 x 1.38 in) Black or natural wood floater frame available Si...
Canvas, Oil
$450
Miami Art Deco Pool, Blue Cyanotype on Paper, Abstract Shapes Water Reflections
By Kind of Cyan
Located in Barcelona, ES
This is an exclusive handprinted limited edition cyanotype. "Miami Art Deco Pool" shows the movements of water over a tiled swimming pool floor. Details: + Title: Miami Art Deco Poo...
Emulsion, Watercolor, Photographic Paper, C Print, Lithograph, Other Medium
Modern City scape, London from St.Pauls in monochrome
Located in Woodbury, CT
William Yates (British, 20th Century) St. Paul’s Cathedral, London Oil on board, circa 1970 Signed on the reverse William Yates was a gifted British painter whose expressive citysca...
Oil, Board
Don't Let Them Burst Your Bubble: Purple 31425: Glass Wall Sculpture
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary wall sculpture features bubbles of purple glass. Cheryl Wilson Smith is known for her uniquely beautiful glasswork-its form, colour and texture is often inspired b...
Glass, Blown Glass
CC #86 - Green Blue Abstract Geometric Wall Sculpture
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Anna Kruhelska, a talented visual artist and practicing architect from Lodz, Poland, merges her expertise in both fields to create captivating artworks. With a background in major ar...
Wood, Plywood, Mixed Media, Acrylic
In the Bag
By Aaron Wexler
Located in New York, NY
Aaron Wexler received his B.F.A. in painting from Tyler School of Art - Philadelphia, PA. & M.F.A in painting from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago. He has exhibited his work nationally and internationally - including Josée Bienvenu Gallery, Pavel Zoubok Gallery, Morgan Lehman Gallery, The National Academy Museum, The Katonah Museum of Art, among many others. Works have been acquired by numerous collections such as The Saatchi Collection, The West Collection, Fidelity Investments Art...
Archival Pigment
Huge French 20th Century Abstract Expression Painting 1980's Blur of Colors
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Composition by Marie Deloume (French born 1942) oil painting on paper stuck on canvas, unframed canvas size: 40 x 29 inches Signed verso condition: overall ver...
Canvas, Paper, Oil
$1,600
Interwoven I, 2026 — Original Abstract Mixed Media on Paper, Murray Duncan
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Interwoven I, 2026 - mix media on paper, 32" x 44", signed Interwoven Forms is an original mixed-media work on paper by Canadian artist Murray Duncan. Layered gestural forms and fin...
Glaze, Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Pencil
Rainlight - Ethereal atmospheric landscape painting
Located in Silverthorne, CO
Rainlight is an ethereal atmospheric abstract landscape painting in a palette of violet, blue, brown, gold, green and white. It is organic and dramatic, depicting a rain shower in an...
Canvas, Oil, Pigment
$7,939
Horizontal Construction III - Geometric Abstract Sculpture, Charred Oak Wood
Located in Paris, FR
Horizontal Construction III is a sculpture made of charred oak wood by the artist Alban Lanore. This horizontal sculpture, carved from a single block of wood, features an arrangement...
Oak
1987 French Abstract Expressionist Composition Oil Painting Andre Copin
By Andre Copin
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist: André Copin (French, 1911–1998) Medium: Oil on canvas Date: Circa 1987 Size: 39.4 x 31.9 x 1.2 inches Signature: Signed lower corner Condition: Good condition Description A ...
Oil
$1,680Sale Price|20% Off
The Alchemy of Letting Go. Modern colorful abstract painting 100x100 cm
By Anna Selina
Located in Zofingen, AG
This vibrant abstract piece, titled "Alchemy of Letting Go," features energetic, sweeping brushstrokes in bold, vivid colors. The dynamic composition embodies a process of transforma...
Oil
Rene Leroy Large French Abstract Cubist Mixed Media Painting Framed
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Key Details Artist: Rene Leroy, French, born 1932 Title: Abstract / Cubist Composition Medium: Mixed media, material and oil on canvas, framed Size: Painting: 29 x 36 inches; framed:...
Oil
Mid Century French Figurative Painting Boys in Blue Oil on Board Signed
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist: French School, mid 20th century Medium: Oil on board Size (framed): 34.5 x 23 inches Frame: Framed Signature: Signed lower right (indistinct) Condition: Good condition Descr...
Oil
Large Multicolor Relief Wall Sculpture Abstract Mosaic in Clay on Framed Panel
Located in FISTERRA, ES
"Chewing Gum Fakes" is a bold and vibrant wall sculpture that captures the sensory joy and visual rhythm of childhood memories through a meticulously crafted arrangement of hand-scul...
Clay, Canvas, Spray Paint
$1,300
Offering in Bloom: Original Impressionism Floral Painting, Vase, Light, Striking
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Offering in Bloom "Offering in Bloom" is a painting that portrays a deep connection to beauty and a soft sense of calmness. An offering can be seen as a tangible gift... In t...
Gesso, Canvas, Wood, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars, Other Medium
L'ordre des tomes, Contemporary textured Oil on Canvas, Abstract library
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Born in Paris in 1964, French contemporary painter Sophie Dumont creates richly textured oil paintings inspired by landscapes, artists' studios and her celebrated library series. Her...
Oil
"umbrella girl series" RK69DE7, Abstract, Painting, 21st Century, Acrylic
By Roger König
Located in Dessau-Rosslau, Sachsen Anhalt
Art measures 31.49 x 23,62 inches Frame measures 36.22 x 28.34 x 2.36 inches Framed in a high-quality contemporary wooden moulding. Color: antique gold All art frames show signs of...
Clay, Acrylic
Connection 2: Figurative Abstract Acrylic on Canvas, Ochre, Navy, 30 x 40in
By Mario Angel
Located in Mississauga, CA
"Connection 2" is a figurative abstraction by Colombian-born, Canadian-based painter Mario Angel. For Mario, the painting is about holding dear the relationships we have and form thr...
Canvas, Acrylic
Large Vintage American Modernist Cubist Portrait Original MCM Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage American modernist oil painting. Oil on canvas. Unsigned. Measuring: 34 by 22 inches overall. Excellent condition, ready to hang and enjoy.
Oil, Canvas
$1,480Sale Price|20% Off
Komorebi -21st Century, Contemporary, Abstract Expression, Friendship, Art Deco
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
There are days I find myself looking back at moments that live quietly in memory, days filled with laughter, noise, and the warmth of people I once stood beside. I painted this from ...
Canvas, Ink, Acrylic
Kook, Signed Geometric Abstract Painting by Aaron Parazette
Located in Long Island City, NY
"Kook" is an acrylic painting on canvas by American artist Aaron Parazette (b. 1960), dated 2007. The square-format work depicts large overlaying block...
Canvas, Acrylic
One-Of-A-Kind Abstract Painting on Canvas by Serg Graff " Modern Vision", COA
By Serg Graff
Located in Palm Coast, FL
This unique large acrylic painting on canvas is a vibrant and energetic abstract work filled with overlapping splashes, drips, and swirls of bold, bright colors such as pink, yellow,...
Oil
$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
Easy On by Murray Duncan, Abstract Mixed Media on Canvas
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Easy On By Murray Duncan Mixed media on canvas Size: 36" × 36" Unframed, signed Easy On by Murray Duncan is a striking abstract composition that balances bold gestural lines with ...
Glaze, Oil Crayon, Acrylic
Silvery Peace. Textured abstract landscape art, contemporary painting
Located in Oslo, NO
Canvas, acrylic, decorative stones, structural acrylic paste, gel "Silvery Peace" is an atmospheric, semi-abstract work from Anna Shesterikova’s "Gold Series," in which the artist e...
Canvas, Acrylic
Non Title Acrylic Painting, Abstract Expressionist, Framed, 1970s
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
French painter born in 1900 and died in 2000. Abstract artist with a long career.
Acrylic
$5,500
Brass Section Jamming at Minton's 1979 Signed Lithograph by Romare Bearden
Located in Rochester Hills, MI
Artist: Romare Bearden Title Brass Section Jamming at Minton's from the Jazz Suite Year: 1979 Print - Lithograph on Arches Archival Paper Paper Size 27.75'' x 33.5'' Edition: Signed...
Lithograph
Nick Thomm - LUMINANCE - SET (Standard)
By Nick Thomm
Located in FITZROY, VIC
Nick Thomm 'LUMINANCE' (SET) 69cm x 92cm (27"×36″) per print. Blue Limited Edition of 425. Orange Limited Edition of 409. Archival Pigment Print on Hahnemühle 308gsm Fine Art Pape...
Archival Ink, Giclée, Archival Pigment
'What I Meant to Say', Original Abstract Text-based Painting
Located in Westport, CT
Painting Description — What I Meant to Say Acrylic on canvas, 36 x 36 x 1.75 inches, 2026, TG648 The debut piece of the Things I Meant to Say collection. Flowing script is carved dir...
Acrylic
Tableau Series - Theta: Abstract Monoprint, Framed 44.75 x 31.25
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This unique embossed white monoprint was inspired by nature and features tree branch-like imagery. Susan Collett is a Canadian ceramicist and print maker known for her singular visi...
Paper, Monoprint
Presence
Located in Zofingen, AG
A work from the “Inside and outside” series. This work explores the delicate boundary between the inner and outer worlds, between what we feel and what we allow others to see. Images...
Mixed Media, Canvas
$1,600
Untitled #537 by Murray Duncan – Original Contemporary Mixed Media on Paper
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Untitled #537 by Murray Duncan – Contemporary Mixed Media on Paper Size: 32" x 40" Unframed, signed on the back A striking exploration of form and movement, Untitled #527 by Murray ...
Oil Crayon, Acrylic, Pencil
$2,627
"Provençal Joy" Contemporary abstract expressionist french nature painting
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
Discover “Provençal Joy,” an original contemporary abstract landscape painting by French artist Natalya Mougenot, created in acrylic on stretched cotton canvas. Measuring 92 × 73 × 2...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Silent Reverie - Abstract Acrylic on Canvas, Black, Beige, Grey 36in x 36in
By Mario Angel
Located in Mississauga, CA
This fine art piece, titled "Silent Reverie" is a profound example of mid-century modern abstraction and textured minimalism, characterized by its balanced, circular forms cradled wi...
Canvas, Acrylic
Original World Cup USA 94 - Coca Cola Soccer poster
Located in Spokane, WA
Original World Cup USA ’94, Coca Cola sponsored vintage poster. Archival linen backed in A- condition, ready to frame. This World Cup ’94 poster is very rarely seen or available....
Offset
Abstract Composition, large etching with aquatint
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork "Abstract Composition." c.1970 in an original color etching and aquatint on Arches paper by noted Polish artist Johnny Friedlaender, 1912-1992. It is hand signed and num...
Aquatint, Etching
$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
Mid 20th Century French Expressionist Abstract Portrait Very Thick Impasto Oil
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Portrait Expressionist work, painted with very thick impasto oil paint. unsigned but clearly by a very good hand. French School, mid 20th century oil on board, unframed 36...
Oil
"Untitled #260 " watercolor print on fine art paper
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Over the past 20 years, Michelle Oppenheimer has become well known for composing paintings that capture the imaginative and organic possibilities of abstract watercolor and acrylic. ...
Paper, Inkjet