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.
Falling Reef. From the series Polyculture
Located in Miami Beach, FL
These works explore our relationship with the incredible biodiversity of our planet Earth. Visual representations of flowing colours, smells, sounds and the feeling of our life sourc...
Canvas, Acrylic
original lithograph
By Joan Miró
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: original lithograph. Printed in 1961 in an edition of 1200 for the wrap-around dust-jacket cover of the "Miró 1959-1960" catalogue, published by the Pierre Matisse Gallery. S...
Lithograph
original lithograph
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: original lithograph. Printed in 1971 for the art revue Derriere le Miroir (issue number 190) and published in Paris by Maeght. Size: 15 x 11 inches (380 x 278 mm). There is p...
Lithograph
Large Vintage American Cubist Abstract Original New York School Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage American cubist abstract oil painting. Oil on canvas. Framed. Unsigned. Measuring: 49 by 37 inches overall, and 48 by 36 painting alone. Excellent condition, ready to hang a...
Canvas, Oil
$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
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
After the rain
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work continues the exploration of silence as an inner space — a state in which perception softens and boundaries dissolve. “After the rain” is not a clearly defined landscape, b...
Canvas, Mixed Media
$14,710
Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) Complete portfolio of 9 lithographs on BFK Rives- 1965
Located in Varese, IT
Complete portfolio of 9 lithographs on BFK Rives paper, edited in 1965 There are included two works by Pablo Picasso “Fumeur” and “Visage” Limited edition of 100 copies. Each work i...
Lithograph
$19,392
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
Partay - Large Scale Abstract Colorful Expressionist Textural Drip Painting
By Marc Raphael
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles artist Marc Raphael's abstract expressionism paintings are influenced by New York's abstract expressionist movement. After encountering Jackson Pollock’s work for the fir...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,101
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
$305
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
Between the Waves
Located in Zofingen, AG
Between the Waves Sometimes, even in the most beautiful places, we do not find inner peace. The heroine of this work exists in a moment of quiet pause, alone with her thoughts and em...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Echoes: Abstract Geometric Mixed Media on Paper, Signed, 32x40
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Echoes, By Murray Duncan Mixed media on paper Size: 32" × 40" Unframed, signed "Echoes" is an evocative abstract composition where expressive line work emerges from a richly layer...
Glaze, Oil Crayon, Acrylic, Pencil
$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
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
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
$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
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
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
Contemporary abstract expressionist still life painting "Dialogues in stillness"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary vivid abstract-expressionist still life painting depicting everyday objects and red apples has been created by French artist Natalya Mougenot. Known for her express...
Paper, Acrylic
$1,046Sale 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
$7,400
Rearranging Form - Large Contemporary Silver Tone Abstract Acrylic Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Harrison Gilman's large original artworks begin with a layer of fast-paced gestural abstraction followed by organic shapes and geometric structures. Some of his paintings remain in t...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Held in Stillness, Original Abstract Botanical Painting, pink, blue green, white
Located in Cumming, GA
Held in Stillness – Original Contemporary Abstract Botanical Painting, 36 x 48 inches Every element within Held in Stillness has been intentionally refined to maintain simplicity wi...
Canvas, Acrylic
Honey Bee on Flowers Original Painting Garden Wall Art Bee Art
Located in Zofingen, AG
Honey Bee on Flowers – Original Oil Painting, Impasto Floral Garden Art, Contemporary Nature Wall Art This original floral painting captures a vivid and intimate moment from nature—...
Canvas, Oil
$148,610
FAZ-Übermalung (Editions CR 122) Gerhard Richter Painting Abstract Unique print
Located in Bristol, GB
Oil paint, squeegeed, on offset print on smooth lightweight card, mounted on card Edition 28 of 32 unique works 39 x 55 cm (15.4 x 21.7 in) Framed 51.5 x 71.5 x 2.5 cm, 20.3 x 28.2 x...
Oil, Offset
Original Set-Jardin d'Hiver-le bleu series-British Awarded Artist-work on paper
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This Set of 2, work on paper, named Le Bleu are a part of Jardin d'Hiver Series by award winning British artist Shizico Yi. She created the series in her winter studio while longing...
Gold Leaf
Provence Landscape Oil on Canvas Painting by Jean Navarre
By Jean Navarre
Located in Atlanta, GA
A luminous Provençal landscape by Jean Navarre (1914–2000), this expressive oil on canvas captures the sun‑drenched path known as "Le Chemin du Terme in F...
Canvas, Oil
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
White folds 12. 3D abstraction
Located in Zofingen, AG
The painting, created on canvas with clay, depicts soft, flowing folds that create the impression of draped fabric. The entire piece is rendered in a pure white color, giving it eleg...
Clay, Canvas, Acrylic
$556Sale Price|20% Off
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
Umbrella - Silent Rain No.13, Abstract Painting, 21st Century, Acryl, Clay
By Roger König
Located in Dessau-Rosslau, Sachsen Anhalt
Delicate blush pink tones and expressive monochrome figures create a poetic dialogue beneath the iconic umbrellas. Part of Roger König's iconic Umbrella Series, this original mixed ...
Clay, Acrylic
Within the Green Crowns
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 97×120 cm (Total canvas size including stretching margins: 107×130 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled This artwork is a visual metaphor for the sanct...
Canvas, Acrylic
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
The Golden Hour, Venice
Located in Zofingen, AG
The Golden Hour, Venice from the Inner Landscapes series Contemporary Impressionism Abstract Cityscape Acrylic on Canvas Bathed in golden light, Venice becomes less a destination...
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Acrylic
"Monet Lilly Pads" Giverny Pond Colorful Impressionistic Oil Painting Framed
By Cindy Shaoul
Located in New York, NY
This painting depicts an impressionistic scene of Monet's Lily Pond in Giverny, a poetic piece with beautiful details. The work reminds us of Claude Monet, with impressions captured ...
Oil, Wood Panel
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
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
$544Sale Price|20% Off
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
Night Veil - abstract painting, made in grey-blue, beige color
By Mila Akopova
Located in Fort Lee, NJ
Interior design paintings. The work was done with alcohol ink in grey-blue and beige color on Yupo paper. The work is 11 by 14 inches in size, framed (gold or black) with a glass fac...
Paper, Ink
$6,800
Breathtaking (Triptych) - Large Colorful Impasto Inspired 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, Mixed Media, Acrylic
#21, 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
$2,900Sale 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
Nick Thomm - STEMS (Amber) XL
By Nick Thomm
Located in FITZROY, VIC
Nick Thomm - 'STEMS' - (Amber) XL SIZE 92cm x 122cm 36" x 48" Limited Edition of #25 Hand Signed & Numbered. Archival Pigment Print on Hahnemühle 308gsm Fine Art Paper. Condit...
Archival Ink, Giclée, Archival Pigment
Original-Once in a Sturgeon Moon-Brit Awarded Artist-plein-air with gold-leaf
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
Painted en plein air beneath the final full moon of summer—the Sturgeon Moon—this work captures a rare moment when the florals in Shizico Yi’s garden glowed under brilliant moonlight...
Gold Leaf
Hand-Gilded-Constant Gardener-the last Artist Proof-Rare X-Large-Awarded Artist
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This is an unique one-off Artist Proof, in a rare Extra-Large square format. A special Proof that only 3 have been made with hand gilded Gold Leaf. The outstanding hand-painted qual...
Gold Leaf
$1,450Sale Price|50% Off
Whirl Wind (Abstract, Expressive, Fun, Colorful, Warm, 50% OFF - MUST GO NOW)
Located in Kansas City, MO
Katherine Bello Whirl Wind Mixed Media on Canvas 2025 Size: 24 x 48 inches (60.96 x 121.92cm) Signed and titled by hand COA provided *on stretcher frame, ready to hang. -----------...
Wood, Oil, Stretcher Bars
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
Whispers of Willingness
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work echoes the theme of a quiet inner decision — that moment when a willingness to open up to the light is born from within. White blossoms appear as a language of softness tha...
Canvas, Acrylic
'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
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
original lithograph
By Joan Miró
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: original lithograph. Catalogue reference: Mourlot 508. Printed in 1967 for the art revue Derriere le Miroir (issue number 164-165 -- L'Oiseau Solaire, L'Oiseau Lunaire, Etinc...
Lithograph
Picasso and the Human Comedy, Verve Lithograph Print, 1954
Located in London, GB
Picasso and the Human Comedy, Verve, Vol. VIII, No 29/30, 1954 Original lithographs published by Mourlot Frères Original lithograph print from Verve Vol. VIII, No 29/30 printed by t...
Lithograph
Love In Bloom - Color Drenched Figurative Abstract Textured Impasto Oil Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ekaterina Ermilkina’s original, abstract fine art paintings are created using a skillful combination of applying and removing oil paint with a palette knife on canvas. Her inspiratio...
Canvas, Oil
Warm Touch
By Oksana Reva
Located in Zofingen, AG
“Warm Touch” A peaceful wave unfolds across the canvas — not forceful, not fierce, but gently wrapping the space in tenderness. Its shifting shades of blue flow softly, like the brea...
Canvas, Oil
"Synergy"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
This striking contemporary masterpiece is a profound exploration of human connection and the fragmented nature of identity. Employing a sophisticated palette of earthy ochre, charcoa...
Gold Leaf
$4,701
Concerto cubiste — Contemporary Geometric Abstract Oil Painting, Sophie Dumont
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Concerto Cubiste Oil on canvas 65 x 81 cm (25.6 x 31.9 in) Framed dimensions: 72 x 88 cm (28.3 x 34.6 in) 2026 Black floating frame included. Wood frame on request ...
Oil
Joan Cruspinera Red Abstract Oil Painting on Canvas, 1996
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
Joan Cruspinera Red Abstract Oil Painting on Canvas, 1996. Oil on canvas. Signed and dated 1996. 61 × 50 cm (24 × 19.7 in.). Original oil on canvas by Catalan artist Joan Cruspinera...
Canvas, Oil
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
Diana Ruban Large Surreal Flying Bird Contemporary Figurative Painting
By Diana Ruban
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Complimentary shipping is available when the artwork is carefully rolled and shipped in a protective tube. This is a safe and widely used method for transporting large-format paintin...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic