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.
Water Garden. Large Contemporary Triptych Oil Painting
Located in Brecon, Powys
Francesca Owen is one of the foremost Expressionist artists in the UK. Her works are heavily influenced by the sights, sounds and colours of India where she travels extensively and w...
Oil
$3,900Sale Price|56% Off
Light Thoughts, 2024 Mixed Media on Artist Board, Abstract Geometric Art
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Light Thoughts, 2024 Mix Media on artist board Size - 72" height x 84" width x 1.75" depth Signed Murray Duncan is a self-taught creative visionary. Know for his large-scale, expres...
Glaze, Oil Crayon, Acrylic
$160Sale Price|36% Off
Joan Miro 'Pasadena Art Museum Exhibition' 1969- lithograph Mourlot Mid Century
By Joan Miró
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This original lithograph poster was produced for the retrospective exhibition of Joan Miró's graphic work, held at the Pasadena Art Museum in California, U.S.A., in 1969. Published b...
Lithograph
$15,000Sale Price|20% Off
Abstract Landscape, large mid-century green painting, COBRA art movement
Located in Beachwood, OH
Erik Ortvad (Danish, 1917 - 2008) Abstract Landscape, 1946 Oil on canvas Signed and dated lower right 32 X 37.5 inches 35 x 40.5 inches, framed Born in 1917 in Copenhagen, Erik Ortvad was a surrealist painter and a founding member of the COBRA art...
Oil
$2,600
Wallpaper 2: Abstract Green Encaustic Painting of Yellow Flower Petals on Panel
By Allyson Levy
Located in Hudson, NY
Abstract painting with green encaustic and light yellow flower petals on wood panel "Wallpaper 2" made by Allyson Levy in 2020 encaustic and flower petals on wood panel, 24 x 24 x 2 ...
Organic Material, Mixed Media, Encaustic, Wood Panel, Pigment
$1,975
Wild Skies 4 - Abstract Gold Leaf and Acrylic Landscape Painting on Wood Panel
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Adele Webster’s contemporary landscape paintings explore atmosphere, light, and the emotional presence of open space. Working with layered acrylic washes on wood panel, Webster creat...
Gold Leaf
Untitled
Located in New York, NY
Artist Unidentified /Unknown, "Untitled" Edition 79 /100, 19.75 x 25.50, Late 20th Century Colors: Purple, Blue, Brown, Yellow, Turquoise, Pink Note* Unidentified Artist signature o...
Lithograph
Water Flowers Abstract Painting, Large Oil on Canvas, Signed, 2010+
Located in London, London
Decor floral, vintage flowers Abstract painting on canvas, blue, extra-large, XXL, large oil on canvas painting, abstract expressionism. Abstract art, water flowers, exotic flower...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
$565
Wild West - Framed Abstract Desert Inspired Landscape Acrylic Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Taylor Pierce is a Las Vegas-based contemporary landscape painter whose original desert paintings capture the beauty, resilience, and spiritu...
Canvas, Acrylic
Homenaje a Jonas Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Abstract, 21st Century
By Rafael Ruz
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Original artwork by Spanish artist Rafael Ruz. Acrylic on canvas in perfect condition. While contemplating the painting of Ruz, we are inclined to talk about real ‘psychodrama’, in ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Otherworldly - Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Abstract, 36in x 36in
By Mario Angel
Located in Mississauga, CA
This surreal abstract acrylic on canvas painting, titled "Otherworldly," presents a compelling exploration of avant-garde cubist and expressionist design, defined by its complex arra...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,500Sale Price|40% Off
Landscape with Orange Sky
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
James Earl Ray (1928-1998). Landscape with Orange Sky. ca. 1975. Oil on masonite panel measures 6.5 x 8.5 inches, 10.5 x 12.5 inches framed. Signed lowe...
Masonite, Oil
$1,847Sale Price|20% Off
Abstract 23101
Located in Zofingen, AG
Introducing 'Abstract 23101,' a vibrant and uplifting modern abstract painting that radiates positivity in every brushstroke. Crafted with a rich and thick layer of paint, this artwo...
Acrylic
Yellow, Abstract Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Multiple layers of color characterize this abstract piece. Shades of orange, yellow, and cream are applied dynamically, creating a vibrant composition. Bold b...
Oil
The Dark - Giclee Print on Hahnemühle Paper, Signed, Edition 124/250
By Anish Kapoor
Located in London, GB
Artist: Anish Kapoor Title: The Dark Year: 2026 Medium: Giclee print on 308gsm Hahnemühle PhotoRag archival cotton paper Dimensions: 63.5 x 50.8 cm Edition: 124 of 250 hand-signed an...
Giclée
$2,700
"Light in the Darkness (IV)" - Acrylic and Glow in the Dark Figurative Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Light in the Darkness (IV)* is a 2024 acrylic and glow-in-the-dark painting by Nigerian artist Ifeoluwa Alade, created for his solo exhibition *The Sprout of Hope* at Abend Gallery. ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,517Sale Price|20% Off
Untitled. Big format contemporary abstract painting, colorful, young Polish art
Located in Warsaw, PL
Bright and colorful acrylic on canvas abstract painting by young Polish artist, Zuzanna Malinowska. Composition consists of geometric shapes in the centre , on the white background....
Canvas, Acrylic
$4,312
Contemporary Minimalist Earth Blue Abstract Painting Canvas Tete Alurralde
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
At Escat Gallery we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of trust and professionalism for our collectors. Every artwork in our collection comes with a Certificate of Au...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic, Pigment
Abstract Composition - Original color Etching and Aquatint - 1967
Located in Paris, IDF
Robert MOTHERWELL Abstract Composition Original etching and aquatint Unsigned On Johannot vellum 37.5 x 28 cm (c. 15 x 11 inch) Published by Lazar Vernet in 1967 and limited to 200 ...
Etching, Aquatint
$3,400
Poch 146 Dos Con Copas, Abstract Expressionist Acrylic Painting on Canvas, 2010
By Ramon Poch
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
146 original acrylic painting Born in Badalona (Barcelona). Photographer and advertising film director. Founding partner of the advertising production company La Cosa de las Pelicul...
Canvas, Acrylic
$5,219Sale Price|49% Off
Youth Acrylic and Oil Painting of Unicorn, One-of-a-Kind, 150x223cm
Located in London, London
Unicorn mystery passion spring Swift brushstrokes evoke a sense of power and speed full size of the canvas 156x229cm (size 150x223cm) acrylic, oil on canvas one-of-a-kind The...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$5,990
Whispering Winds Bay by Gabriela Azar Schreiner. Contemporary abstract
Located in Mentone, AU
This painting is unstretched and unframed. It will be carefully rolled and shipped in a tube. "Creating large-scale abstract paintings that evoke tranquility and presence in any spac...
Acrylic
On The Horizon - Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Abstract, 36in x 36in
By Mario Angel
Located in Mississauga, CA
This captivating abstract expressionist painting, titled "On The Horizon," delivers a powerful demonstration of mid-century modernist and surrealist abstraction, defined by its intri...
Canvas, Acrylic
$520Sale Price|20% Off
Mid-20th Century Abstract Expressionist Lithograph, Signed
Located in Belgrade, MT
This lithograph is part of my private collection. It is limited in edition ,artist signed lower right and is in very good condition. Walter Becker was a German artist. Another impres...
Lithograph
ECHO
By Oksana Reva
Located in Zofingen, AG
This painting resonates with silence dissolved in shades of blue. Gentle layers of color, from the lightest to the deepest, unfold into an invisible vibration—an echo that seems to...
Canvas, Oil
$2,797Sale Price|20% Off
Large Multicolor Relief Wall Sculpture Abstract Mosaic in Clay on Framed Panel
Located in FISTERRA, ES
"Chewing Gum" 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-sculpted c...
Clay, Canvas, Spray Paint
Impermanence Series n16 and n20 Diptych. From Impermanence series
Located in Miami Beach, FL
In the Kingdom of Transience, everything is temporary, subject to constant change. Everything is unstable and volatile like the wind. The precariousness of our existence reminds us t...
Paper, Mixed Media
"Yellow" (2022) by Jennifer Bobola, Mixed Media Abstract Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"Yellow" is an original, handmade mixed media painting, by Jennifer Bobola, that presents colorful abstract expressionism. Artist Statement: Let’s be honest, understanding abstract ...
Mixed Media
$7,150
Before The Wire (Green, Blue, & White Abstract Expressionist Oil Painting)
Located in Hudson, NY
Before The Wire Green, White , Blue Abstract Expressionist Painting Made by Ragellah Rourke in 2025 oil on canvas 36 x 48 inches, unframed The sides are cleanly painted light grey so...
Canvas, Oil
My Own Confessor
Located in Zofingen, AG
There are things you carry for so long that you forget they have weight. Not because they are small. But because there was never anyone to put them down with. No hand extended in the...
Canvas, Oil, Spray Paint
$5,000
La Vie Est Belle - Original Colorful Abstract Expressionism Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The paintings of Bruce Rubenstein seamlessly marry sophistication with affordability. His original art merges the creative attitudes of the two distinct art hot spots of New York and...
Canvas, Charcoal, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
A Turbulence Left Inside, botanical, landscape, joan mitchell, contemporary
By Lloyd Tabing
Located in Jönköping, SE
This painitng is from my newest body of work titled Sovereign Solitude. This collection explores the architecture of the internal landscape, a realm entirely self-contained, independ...
Acrylic
$5,128
Adam Pendleton - Mask, Screenprint, Black Dada, Contemporary Art, Signed Print
By Adam Pendleton
Located in Hamburg, DE
Adam Pendleton (American, b. 1984) Mask (Collector’s Edition), 2020 Medium: Screenprint on paper (410 gsm) inkl. artist book Dimensions: 27.9 x 24.1 cm (11 x 9.5 in) Edition of 50: H...
Screen
Interior with Standing Dog
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Irvin Nahan (b.1927) Interior with Standing Dog, 1970. Watercolor and pencil on paper. Image measures 5 x 6.5 inches. Framed measurement: 10 x 12 inches. Signed and dated by ar...
Watercolor, Pencil
$863Sale Price|20% Off
Parisian Abstract Expressionist Original Oil Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Stunning original oil painting by the French abstract artist, Yvette Dubois-Habasque (1929-2016). The painting has excellent provenance having come from the artists studio sale in Pa...
Oil
Eternity Abstract Expressionist Painting, XXL Oil & Acrylic on Canvas
Located in London, London
full size 229x156cm full size canvas approximate stretched size 220x150cm All custom charges are included in the final price agreed. unframed, shipped rolled XXL, Extra-large pain...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$2,200
Absolute Wealth - Large Contemporary Abstract Maximalism Painting, Ready to Hang
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Absolute Wealth Large Painting Absolute Wealth - Contemporary Abstract Colorful Maximalism Bold Invest Another soulful artwork by Karnish. Symbols and forms unfold in this m...
Gesso, Canvas, Acrylic, Wood, Charcoal, Spray Paint, Color Pencil, Stret...
Nympheas De Mon Coeur - Soft Abstract Floral Landscape Painting
By Vè Boisvert
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Drawing inspiration from an immersive and impressionistic interpretation of nature, Canadian artist Vé Boisvert paints textural original artworks that capture the fleeting effects of...
Canvas, Acrylic
Abstract R 2415
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Artist : Alex Senchenko © Title: Abstract R 2415 . Acrylic Paints. The painting was created on 100% cotton 340gsm Canvas made in Italy (Pintura). 2024 • Size of a painting: 2...
Acrylic
$1,720Sale Price|20% Off
Zipline - Textured Black and White Abstract Thick Paint Monochrome Original Art
By Tasha Jentel
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Tasha Jentel creates original abstract art that merges minimalist design with richly tactile, sculptural texture. Working exclusively in black and white, ...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Impermanence Series n6. From the Impermanence series
Located in Miami Beach, FL
In the Kingdom of Transience, everything is temporary, subject to constant change. Everything is unstable and volatile like the wind. The precariousness of our existence reminds us t...
Ink, Canvas, Pigment
Structure - Modern Abstract painting, Geometric, Original Oil on Canvas
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Structure Silencieuse is an original oil on canvas by French contemporary artist Sophie Dumont. Through a carefully balanced composition of interlocking geometric forms, the painting...
Oil
$466Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary impressionist still life floral painting on canvas "Blue Room"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“The Blue Room” by French artist Natalya Mougenot is a contemporary still life that radiates serenity, sincerity, and the quiet brilliance of color as emotion.Centered on a transluce...
Canvas, Acrylic
$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
Flowers - Colorful Contemporary Floral Painting on Canvas
Located in East Quogue, NY
Julia Scheuer’s "Flowers" is an exuberant meditation on resilience and the emotional promise of spring. Created after a long winter, the painting channels the artist’s anticipation o...
Canvas, Acrylic
Big Sur Views - Abstract Landscape Ocean Blue Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With a contemporary perspective on landscape painting and inspired by paintings created by old masters, German artist Katharina Husslein paints in a representational manner to captur...
Canvas, Oil
$1,490
Floral Fantasy: Nature Abstract Bold Statement Colorful Invest Striking Delight
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Floral Fantasy Nature, Abstract, Bold, Statement, Colorful, Invest, Striking, Delight, Modern, Landscape. In this work, I've poured my heart into a vivid garden of dreams, u...
Acrylic, Gesso, Canvas, Wood, Stretcher Bars
$1,792Sale Price|20% Off
Maurice Vagh Weinmann Floral Bouquet Still Life Oil Painting Framed
By Maurice Vagh-Weinmann
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title Maurice Vagh Weinmann Floral Bouquet Still Life Oil Painting Framed Key Details Artist: Maurice Vagh Weinmann, Hungarian, 1899–1986 Title: Summer Bouquet Medium: Oil painting o...
Oil
$1,303Sale Price|20% Off
French Abstract Oil Painting Neutral Tones Jean Briant
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist: Jean Briant (French, 20th Century) Medium: Oil on canvas Size: 24 x 36 inches Signature: Signed lower right; signed verso Condition: Excellent condition Provenance: French sc...
Oil
Julia Martins Miranda Large Contemporary Botanical Oil Painting Lush Green
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
This work is presented in a scroll-like (parchment-style) format, with the painting executed on a flexible support and suspended using metal rods at the top and bottom, allowing the ...
Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$900Sale Price|40% Off
Large format vintage multiple exposure male nude, signed by Jack Mitchell
Located in Senoia, GA
16 x 20" vintage silver gelatin photograph, multiple exposure male nude. Titled, numbered, dated, and signed by Jack Mitchell on the recto. Comes directly from the Jack Mitchell Arch...
Silver Gelatin
$162Sale Price|20% Off
Exotic French Impressionist Oil Painting Bridge and Palm Trees.
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Maggy Clarysse (1931-2011) Oil on board, unframed 10.75 x 8.75 inches Signed co...
Oil
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...
Canvas, Oil
$635
No Dogs Allowed On The Trails - Original Abstract Landscape Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Taylor Pierce is a Las Vegas-based contemporary landscape painter whose original desert paintings capture the beauty, resilience, and spiritu...
Canvas, Acrylic
$266Sale Price|20% Off
20th Century French Expressionist Tall Pine Tress in Moonlight Blue Forest
By Akos Biro
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Moonlight Blue Forest by Akos Biro (Hungarian 1911-2002) pastel painting on artist paper, unframed painting: 9 x 12 inches provenance: the artists estate, France Superb ...
Pastel
$1,303Sale Price|20% Off
Blue Yellow and Orange Abstract Diagonal Lines and Shapes French Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Composition signed by Gilbert Pelissier (French born 1924) oil painting on canvas with a rope material attached, unframed dated 88' canvas size: 46 x 35 inche...
Canvas, Oil
Abstract 2631 - Original Acrylic Abstract Painting
Located in Zofingen, AG
This abstract composition pulses with raw energy. A symphony of warm peaches and gold clashes against deep, oceanic blues. The palette creates a striking visual tension. Each layer b...
Oil, Acrylic
$597Sale Price|37% Off
TOMMASO PRINCIPE (b1942) ITALIAN SIGNED OIL - ELEGANT LADIES IN PARKLAND
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
"Walking in the Park" by Tommaso Principe (Italian b.1942) signed lower corner oil painting on canvas, unframed canvas: 19.5 x 27.5 inches Beautiful Italian Impressionist oil...
Oil
$2,840
Alfred Jansen, Non Objective, Gnomen, lithograph, 1960, Pratt Graphic Art Center
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Alfred Jensen (American, born Guatemala, 1903–1981) Gnomen, 1960 Color lithograph on Arches wove paper Image: approximately 12 × 15⅞ inches (30.5 × 40.3 cm) Sheet: approximately 18½ ...
Lithograph
Ethereal Abstraction 31, Abstract Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Patrick O'Boyle abstractly paints a dreamy mist of hot pink, mustard yellow, and violet with gentle strokes of emerald. He applies several coats of col...
Acrylic