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.
$1,790Sale Price|20% Off
Circular Multicolor Clay Sphere Wall Relief Geometric Pop Abstract Sculpture
Located in FISTERRA, ES
Circular wall relief composed of hundreds of hand-formed clay spheres creating a vibrant geometric field of color, texture and dimensional abstraction. Bubble belongs to Elizabeth A...
Clay, Spray Paint, Board
avp_1219 - Original Color Drenching Contemporary Abstract Painting on Paper
By Alex Voinea
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The colorful abstract artworks of Romanian artist Alex Voinea are inspired by experiments with paint poured over vibrating surfaces, such as speakers at full volume. Alex Voinea coll...
Paper, Acrylic
$4,520
Twilight - Muted Color Atmospheric Abstract Landscape Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Mark Acetelli’s oil and mixed media paintings awaken the viewer’s sense of exploration and adventure; they demand a new discovery. His artworks exhibit a chemistry of complexity and ...
Canvas, Oil
Among Chaos
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 120×97 cm (overall size with stretching 130×107 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled In this work, I explore the phenomenon of inner light — that unch...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,090
Festival of Joy - Abstract Expressionism Maximalis Delight Joy Texture Statement
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Festival of Joy Abstract Expressionism Colorful Delight Joy Movement Texture Statement Vibrant Festivitas Laetitiae - Festival of Joy This vibrant artwork, set on a deep cr...
Oil, Acrylic
Axe Intérieur, Large Abstract Oil Painting, Signed, 2026, Textured
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Framed in black or light wood (collector's choice) Inner Axis (Axe intérieur) is a masterful work by contemporary French artist Sophie Dumont, exploring the delicate tension between ...
Oil
Gas Station Attendant (African American artist)
By Earl Hill
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Earl Hill (1927-1985). Gas Station Attendant, 1966. Oil on masonite panel, 10.5 x 13.5 inches, 15 x 18 inches framed. Signed and dated lower right. Inscribed...
Masonite, Oil
Within the Radiance
Located in Zofingen, AG
Within the Radiance Size: 120×97 cm (overall size with stretching 130×107 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled This painting is part of the series “Past Pass...
Canvas, Acrylic
$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
$376
Abstract Impressionist oil painting on cardboard "Blossoms of the almond tree"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary floral expressionist piece with a touch of impressionism was created by French artist Natalya Mougenot and belongs to her evocative series dedicated to the beauty o...
Oil, Cardboard
$2,119Sale Price|25% Off
Original Set of 9 Garden Story-Le Bleu-British Awarded Artist-Gold leaf on Oil
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This rare offer, Set of 9 latest collection of Garden Story in gold leaf and oil on oil paper board are a part of Le Bleu Series by award winning British artist Shizico Yi. She crea...
Gold Leaf
Soft Morning in Venice
Located in Zofingen, AG
Soft Morning in Venice from the Inner Landscapes series Abstract impressionist painting inspired by the quiet atmosphere of Venice in the early morning - a moment when the city app...
Canvas, Oil
Green Daze, Contemporary Abstract Painting, original painting
Located in Deddington, GB
Rebecca's work is inspired by a lifelong love of nature, colour, and pattern. Growing up in Kew, she was deeply influenced by the beauty of Kew Gardens and its rich abundance of bota...
Canvas, Acrylic
$16,000
"Catching the Light" Colorful Mixed Media Abstract Painting, Textured Impasto
Located in Carmel, CA
Sveta Hessler (Russian, born 1973) "Catching the Light" 2026 Oil and mixed media on stretched canvas Signed and dated on verso. "Catching the Light" is a commanding work that reward...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Stretcher Bars
$1,097
Original-Dahlias Field-Jardin d'Hiver-British Awarded Artist-Gold leaf + Impasto
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
Jardin d'Hiver Series is Shizico Yi's latest collection, created in her winter studio while longing for the summer left behind. Reflecting on the vibrant days spent painting en plein...
Gold Leaf
Roy Lichtenstein - 1987 Modern painting with Clef poster, Hand Signed, inscribed
Located in New York, NY
Offset lithograph poster Signed exhibiton poster for the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Hand signed, dated '88 and inscribed 'To Osc...
Lithograph, Offset
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
Tipping Point, Contemporary Large Abstract Oil Painting, 42x42 in
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Title: Tipping Point This original oil painting by French contemporary artist Sophie Dumont explores the fragile balance between structure, movement, and silence. Composed of interl...
Canvas, Oil
$1,413
Holy Split I Mixed Media Original Painting on Canvas, Abstract Landscape, 2026
Located in Paris, IDF
HOLY SPLIT I 2026 Paris, France HOLY SPLIT I is an ethereal mixed medium painting on canvas depicting a surreal dreamlike rift in a serene landscape. Abstract fuchsia forms suggesti...
Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic, Pencil
$8,500
"Try Not to Dream", Abstract Expressionist, Figures, Yellow, Gray, Oil Painting
By Sorin Bica
Located in Franklin, MA
Sorin Bica's "Try Not to Dream" is a 82 x 76 x 2 inch abstract expressionist oil painting on canvas. It features elongated figures in bold yellow, white, gray, and red, with expressi...
Canvas, Oil
$471
Contemporary abstract expressionist woman's portrait painting "Inner light"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary abstract expressionist portrait was created by French artist Natalya Mougenot as part of her ongoing exploration of emotional identity, inner truth, and the human s...
Acrylic, Paper
Rêver Ensemble - Soft Green 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
$306
Abstract impressionist floral acrylic painting on paper "Morning's rose bloom"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary expressive impressionist floral piece with a touch of abstract and art brut, Morning’s Rose Bloom, was created by French artist Natalya Mougenot in her Lyon studio ...
Paper, Acrylic
Mémoire du Rivage Contemporary Coastal Abstract Painting by Sophie Dumont
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
French contemporary artist Sophie Dumont is known for her textured oil paintings exploring memory, landscape, and the passage of time through layered abstract compositions. Born in P...
Oil
Blush of Spring II - Impressionistic Painting on Linen Canvas, floral art
Located in Zofingen, AG
Blush of Spring II captures a quiet moment of early bloom. Delicate pink buds and soft white petals emerge along slender branches, floating gently across a pale green background. The...
Canvas, Linen, Acrylic
$1,260Sale Price|30% Off
Pedro Friedeberg "Ciudad de un millón con 25 huevos duros" Silkscreen
Located in Cuauhtemoc, Ciudad de México
WE WILL SHIP THIS ARTWORK WORK TO YOU WITH A COURTESY PEDRO FRIEDEBERG STYLE BLACK AND GOLD STRIPED FRAME . . . . Pedro Friedeberg is an Italian-born Mexican artist and designer kn...
Etching
$3,089
Quiet Serenade - abstracted figurative art - underwater expressive oil painting
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Oil
$1,043Sale Price|20% Off
Mid Century French Geometric Abstract with Spires in Teal Purple and White
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: Mid Century French Geometric Abstract with Spires in Teal Purple and White by Serge Guerin (b. 1916), French Acrylic and gouache on artists paper, unframed Size: 25.75 (height...
Ink, Gouache, Acrylic
$1,496Sale Price|25% Off
The Desire to Fly - Abstract Oil on Linen Seascape, Signed, 50x100 cm
Located in Silverthorne, CO
A sweeping abstract seascape and sky painting in deep blues, vibrant pinks, and hints of green. A gorgeous jewel-like surface and ever-changing movement. This painting was inspired b...
Linen, Oil
Pearlescent Drapery. 3D textured
Located in Zofingen, AG
The artwork, created on 1 cm thick plywood, is a unique combination of textures and natural elements. The upper part of the painting is made from faux leather with a pearlescent tint...
Plywood, Mixed Media
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
#200, 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 Fondest Memories
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Acrylic and mixed media on canvas 20 x 20 x 1.5 2025 Edges painted white, back wired, ready to hang. Sarah Trundle is a Charlottesville, Va. painter who, after beginnings in repres...
Acrylic
Shoreline by Gabriela Azar Schreiner.
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 spa...
Acrylic
$2,020
Earth to Sky - Tall Impasto Inspired Colorful Thick Paint Abstract Painting
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...
Canvas, Acrylic, Glitter
$1,317Sale Price|20% Off
The Vanguard Series Nr. XV: A Collection of Postwar European Abstractions by JG
Located in London, GB
"The Vanguard Series Nr. XV: A Collection of Postwar European Abstractions", oil on board, by JG (circa 1950s–70s). A compelling body of work emerging from the forgotten studios and ...
Oil, Board
$18,000
Sonia Gechtoff - Portico, painting on masonite, Signed, Ex- Andre Zarre, Framed
Located in New York, NY
Sonia Gechtoff Untitled portico, from the estate of gallerist Andre Zarre, 1977 Acrylic and graphite on masonite Signed and dated '77 in graphite on the front Unique Provenance: Acqu...
Masonite, Acrylic, Graphite
Spring. Awakening
Located in Zofingen, AG
shipped in roll “Spring. Awakening” reflects the first quiet shift of the season — a moment when light, color, and space begin to open. Soft layers of pale tones, subtle pinks, and g...
Canvas, Acrylic
Dominance, Contemporary Large Abstract Geometric Oil Paint, 34 x 34 in
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Accords Intérieurs 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. Sophie Dumont...
Canvas, Oil
The Open Door 1979 Signed Limited Edition Lithograph
Located in Rochester Hills, MI
Artist: Romare Bearden Title: The Open Door Year: 1979 Print: Lithograph on Somerset Paper Paper size : 22'' x 30'' Edition: Signed in pencil and marked 4/175 Romare Bearden is r...
Lithograph
Solace Clouds Abstract Painting, Acrylic and Ink, Framed, 2010s
By Lynn Sanders
Located in Santa Fe, NM
Lynn Sanders is an artist excited by beauty: architecture, foliage, landscapes, seascapes, interiors. She finds palettes and shapes in her environment and propels them into her work,...
Acrylic Polymer, Ink, Acrylic
$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
Flirty Young Woman (Cahiers d'art) - Original poster
Located in Paris, IDF
Henri MATISSE (1880-1954) Flirty Young Woman (Cahiers d'art) Original poster High quality offset print Signed in the plate On glossy paper, 60 x 40 cm (23.6 x 15.7 in.) INFORMATION...
Offset
Abstract Expressionist Painting (Mid-century Modern action composition)
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Untitled Abstract Expressionist painting, 1957 Oil on canvas measuring 18 x 30 inches. Signed with monogram and dated lower right. Two repair patches on back on painting. Artist...
Oil, Canvas
"I Want To Believe", Abstract Expressionist, Figurative, Red, Oil Painting
By Sorin Bica
Located in Franklin, MA
Sorin Bica's "I Want To Believe" is a 69 x 58 inch abstract expressionist oil painting on canvas, representing stylized human figures in vivid red, orange and black tones, with bold ...
Canvas, Oil
Forest Moons, Contemporary Abstract Painting
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Forest Moons is an abstract painting in layered greens, with a mix of soft circular shapes and more solid, angular forms. The composition suggests a natural setting, with lighter spo...
Acrylic, Wood Panel
'Lily in Charcoal' abstract expressionism photography edition 3 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...
Paper, Photographic Film, Charcoal, Archival Ink, Archival Paper
$22,500
Saturday on Wednesday, Large Abstract Expressionist Acrylic Painting, 20th C.
Located in Beachwood, OH
Richard Andres (American, 1927–2013) Saturday on Wednesday, c. 1975 acrylic on canvas signed lower right, signed and titled verso 48.5 x 62.5 inches Richard Andres was born in Buff...
Acrylic
Echoes of the Flow
Located in Zofingen, AG
This piece from the *"Silhouettes"* series presents a bright abstract landscape where hints of a river, fields, and sky can be discerned. It continues the exploration of the connecti...
Acrylic, Archival Paper
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
Original Diptych-Strawberry Moon-Awarded Artist-gold leaf with oil on oil paper
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This Diptych make with oil and gold leaf on Georgian oil paper board is a part of Summer Bloom Series by Shizico Yi, it's an extension of her long running Sunlit project; it captured...
Gold Leaf
Mediterranean Garden (Under the Mandarin Trees)
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work emerges at the intersection of a personal journey through Italy and the universal image of the garden as a space of harmony and inner order. The Mediterranean garden here i...
Canvas, Acrylic
$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
Shazam Acrylic on Canvas Abstract Painting, Framed, 48 x 48, 2010-
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Shazam Acrylic on canvas 48 x 48 x 1.5 Edges painted white, back wired, ready to hang. Sarah Trundle is a Charlottesville, Va. painter who, after beginnings in representational ar...
Acrylic
$2,500
avp_1519 - Original Abstract Deep Magenta Tone Contemporary Painting on Paper
By Alex Voinea
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The colorful abstract artworks of Romanian artist Alex Voinea are inspired by experiments with paint poured over vibrating surfaces, such as speakers at full volume. Alex Voinea coll...
Paper, Acrylic
"Ambient Resonance" - Organic hand-built ceramic sculpture bowl
By Jessamyn Go
Located in East Quogue, NY
"Ambient Resonance" Hand-coiled and pinched wide ceramic bowl sculpture by Jessamyn Go. Iron Speckled Brown Stoneware, White Crawl Glaze, White Glaze Interior Size: 11.5 x 11.5 x 7...
Ceramic, Stoneware, Glaze
Hydrangea on Green, Oil Painting
By Judy Mackey
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A bouquet of white hydrangeas rests in a deep blue vase. Thick palette-knife strokes give the flowers a sculptural presence, while soft green tones in the backg...
Oil
$20,142
Untitled XLII by Ferle - Large abstract painting, grey and black, dark tones
By Elvire Ferle
Located in Paris, FR
Untitled XLII is a unique oil on free-standing canvas painting by contemporary artist Ferle, dimensions are 280 × 200 cm (110.2 × 78.7 in). The artwork is signed, sold unframed and c...
Canvas, Oil
$1,980
Love Conquers All - Extra Large Abstract Painting, Bold Colors, New, Maximalism
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Love Conquers All - Omnia Vincit Amor Extra Large Abstract Investment Bold Color Large rendition in the Unchained Expressions series. It attempts to map the road to freedom...
Acrylic, Gesso, Canvas, Oil, Spray Paint, Color Pencil
$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