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.
$2,175
Golden Slumber - Moody Abstract Atmospheric 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
$6,200
A Romantic Dance - Large Abstract Illuminous Textural Floral Acrylic Painting
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
$1,699Sale Price|20% Off
Anna
Located in London, London
limited edition, 7/20 print on paper, abstract figure, woman, female portrait, large brush stroke, contemporary art, abstract, expressionism hand signed 2025 About the artist:...
Paper, Color, Digital
$3,200
"Lines 311" 2025 pigmented ink on 300 lb hot press watercolor paper, 40 x 30 in.
By Dana Piazza
Located in New York, NY
Dana Piazza Lines 311, 2025 pigmented ink on 300 lb hot press watercolor paper 40 x 30 in. (pia014)
Paper, Ink
Source of Renewal
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work captures a moment of absolute tranquility-a private paradise bathed in light and hidden behind a dense veil of emerald greenery. Horses gathered at the water's edge in the ...
Canvas, Acrylic
#264 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
Odyssey in Pink, Abstract Oil Painting on Canvas, Signed, 100x78 cm
Located in Bogotá, Bogotá
Abstract painting with a rich texture and interwoven layers of color. Pink tones predominate, enhanced by flashes of other colors and a geometric element. The composition displays a ...
Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$4,110
Floating - Large Color Drenched Impasto Mixed Media Textural 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
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
$2,800
Sarah Morris - November 2021, lithograph, with artist signed numbered COA 14/100
By Sarah Morris
Located in New York, NY
Sarah Morris November 2021, 2021 Lithograph on wove paper Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity - hand signed by Sarah Morris (the artist) as well as the head of ICA Editions...
Lithograph, Offset
Secrets of the Garden
Located in Zofingen, AG
Secrets of the Garden is a contemporary figurative painting capturing a quiet summer moment of rest and intimacy. Two female figures stand together in a garden, suggesting friendship...
Canvas, Acrylic
Red fish
Located in Zofingen, AG
The red fish is a symbol of confidence, stable good fortune, and abundance. It represents moving in one’s own rhythm, trusting intuition, and inner stability. The red color emphasize...
Watercolor, Archival Paper
Resurfacing Mix Media on Canvas, Abstract, 48x48, 2025
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Resurfacing, 2025 by Murray Duncan Mixed media on canvas 48 × 48 inches Resurfacing is a quietly assertive abstract work that explores repetition, erosion, and the persistence of...
Glaze, Acrylic, Pencil
$530
"Rosa Pristina" (contemporary, original, abstract, floral, pink flora, natural)
Located in Paris, IDF
ROSA PRISTINA Latin for "earliest rose" or "pristine rose," captures a bloom suspended forever between full vitality and delicate decay. The painting is an abstract elegy to the rose...
Dye, Oil, Plaster, Cotton Canvas
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
Cafe Bougainvillea, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A sunlit cafe courtyard framed by bougainvillea in full bloom comes alive with color and movement. Expressive brushwork and thick impasto in the foliage create ...
Oil
$15,000
RARE! Mark Rothko at Museo d'Arte Moderna Ca' Pesaro, Venezia hand no. 250/500
By Mark Rothko
Located in New York, NY
Mark Rothko at Museo d'Arte Moderna Ca' Pesaro, Venezia, 1970 Offset lithograph and lithograph on high quality lithographic paper Numbered in pencil 250/500 in the lower left front ...
Pencil, Lithograph, Offset
$424Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary vivid expressive figurative dog's portrait on paper "Goofy eyes"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“Goofy Eyes” is a contemporary acrylic painting by French artist Natalya Mougenot, created on heavyweight Italian paper as part of her expressive series of character-driven animal po...
Paper, Acrylic
$16,000
"I Dream in Flowers", Vibrant Colorful Heavily Textured Mixed Media Abstract
Located in Carmel, CA
Sveta Hessler (Russian, born 1973) "I Dream in Flowers" 2025 Oil and mixed media on stretched canvas The artist signed the back of the painting. “I Dream in Flowers” is a heavily te...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Stretcher Bars, Oil
Inner Order: Abstract Expressionism Oil Painting, Geometric, Library
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Title: Inner Order Artist: Sophie Dumont Year: 2022 Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions (unframed): 60 × 73 cm (23.62 x 28.74 in) Dimensions (framed): 67 x 80 cm (26.37 x 31.49 in) Si...
Oil
$2,004
Abstract Impressionist Oil Painting on Canvas of Provence, France 1970's
Located in AIGNAN, FR
Vintage Abstract Impressionist oil painting on canvas, signed by the artist, Maryvonne LE DEIST (b.1936). This painting is entitled, 'Les Alphinnes' which is a small mountain range ...
Oil
Palette 6 - Huge Large XXXL Abstract Colorful Painting Signed 2026
Located in Zofingen, AG
FREE SHIPPING - This artwork is shipping UNMOUNTED and ROLLED UP in a tube and you can stretch it very easy to your local framer. In this very beautiful large colorful, bold, vivid a...
Canvas, Acrylic
$5,500
Willem de Kooning - Lithograph for Spoleto Festival, Hand Signed/N, unframed
Located in New York, NY
This gorgeous, large vintage lithographic print, is a rare hand signed and numbered print from the limited edition of 150, the present work numbered 61/150. (There was, separately, a...
Lithograph
$1,640
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
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
Alexander Calder - Our Unfinished Revolution poster Limited Edition of 250, '76
Located in New York, NY
Offset lithograph poster Printed signature and date on offset paper This poster was published in a limited edition of 250 - unnumbered - separate from the lithographic portfolio of...
Lithograph, Offset
8.19. #6 - Color Drenched Expressive Abstract Mixed Media Painting on Paper
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...
Paper, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Twilight Landscape 2 - Abstract Expressive Earth Blue Ink Painting on Paper
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Bettina Mauel expresses dynamism and sensuality in her paintings: “I paint what I experience,” she articulates. “This includes landscapes, flowers, and people in motion, capturing th...
Linen, Ink, Mixed Media, Graphite
$1,158
Vibrant Abstract with Bold Green Moody Colours French 20th Century Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Composition signed by Gilbert Pelissier (French born 1924) oil painting on canvas, unframed inscribed verso and dated 85' canvas size: 35 x 46 inches condition...
Oil
$6,700
12 Dreams - Large Floral Mixed Media Abstract Landscape Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The paintings of Bruce Rubenstein seamlessly marry sophistication with affordability. His expressive abstract landscape artwork 'Flourishing Fields' features whimsical details and vi...
Enamel
$1,415
Echoes of What We Keep. Oversized abstract painting, brown, ochre, expressionism
Located in Oslo, NO
This abstract painting explores the quiet traces left by the people and moments that shape us. Soft layers of blues, sand tones and muted violets overlap like sedimented memories, cr...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,500
Interaction of Color: Homage to the Square, Abstract Screenprint by Josef Albers
By Josef Albers
Located in Long Island City, NY
This "Homage to the Square" print was created by Albers for the occasion of an exhibition at Grippi Gallery in Manhattan in 1973. It is in an excellent white contemporary frame. Art...
Screen
Strates en suspens, Large Abstract Landscape, Oil painting, Contemporary
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Oil on canvas Unframed: 100 × 100 cm (39.4 × 39.4 in) Framed: 107 × 107 cm (42.1 × 42.1 in) Framed in a black or natural wood floater frame (collector’s choice) Sophie Dumont is a F...
Oil
$15,000
"Love for Meadow VIII", Colorful Bright Abstract Painting, Textured Impasto
Located in Carmel, CA
Sveta Hessler (Russian, born 1973) "Love for Meadow VIII" 2026 Acrylic and mixed media on stretched canvas The artist signed the back of the painting. "Love for Meadow VIII" is a ri...
Canvas, Stretcher Bars, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Moon by Frédérique Domergue - Abstract painting and wall sculpture, original
Located in Paris, FR
Moon is a unique painting and wall sculpture by French contemporary artist Frédérique Domergue. This artwork is made with polished pink copper leaves on metal frame, dimensions are 1...
Metal, Bronze, Copper
Cuerpos Magnéticos #44. Wall sculpture
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Cuerpos Magnéticos was born searching for the relationship between nature and our bodies: we see rocks, bones, structures, flexibility, attractions, spaces, movement, stillness. Cuer...
Epoxy Resin, Pigment
$750
Painting Blue Dog Classic Gold Contemporary Nature Abstract Serenity Floral Calm
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Sunbeam Serenity Painting Animal Dogs Modern Gold Contemporary Striking Invest Energy Nature Blue This painting forms part of an artwork series called BLUE. I borrowed from ...
Gold
Gerhard Richter -Abstract Picture, limited edition authorized reproduction print
Located in New York, NY
Gerhard Richter Untitled Abstract Picture, 2002 Offset lithograph on GardaMatt Art 250 GSM paper Not signed, edition of 3433 12 1/2 × 16 3.5 inches Unframed Printed on GardaMatt Art...
Lithograph, Offset
$5,781Sale Price|30% Off
Coastal Equilibrium
Located in London, London
SPECIAL SPRING FLASH SALE: 25% OFF this weekend only to celebrate our 2026 Collection launch. Ships safely rolled in a gallery tube. All the custom charges are included in the final...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
"Last Light" (2025) Abstract Figurative Oil and Mixed Media Painting on Canvas
By John McCaw
Located in Denver, CO
John McCaw's (US based) "Still Life" is an abstract oil painting in greens, grey, black and yellow. John McCaw (b. 1967), the eldest son of American expressionist Dan McCaw and bro...
Canvas, Oil
Maia, Abstract Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
This abstract painting weaves linear gestures with organic circular shapes in vibrant, layered colors. Random forms create points of focus and guide the eye thr...
Acrylic
$56Sale Price|25% Off
Blue & Gray Offset Print, Abstract Style, Circa 2005, Unframed
By Mark Rothko
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This high-quality reproduction poster of Mark Rothko's Blue & Grey (1962) was published and designed by the Beyeler Foundation in Basel, Switzerland. The artwork features a subtl...
Offset
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
$2,500
avp_1521 - Original Abstract Vibrant Blue 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
$3,421
Echo of Lanscape, Abstract , oil, Contemporary, multicolor, french art, modern
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Unframed: 60 × 60 cm (23.6 × 23.6 in) Framed: 67 × 67 cm (26.4 × 26.4 in) Frame available in black or natural wood In Echo of Landscape, Sophie Dumont explores the landscape not as ...
Oil
$525
The Marigold Dress 1 - Abstract Flowy Minimalist Figurative Painting on Paper
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Bettina Mauel expresses dynamism and sensuality in her paintings: “I paint what I experience,” she articulates. “This includes landscapes, flowers, and people in motion, capturing th...
Linen, Ink, Mixed Media, Graphite
$956Sale Price|20% Off
Ellsworth Kelly, Yellow Shape, from Derriere le Miroir, 1958
Located in Southampton, NY
This exquisite lithograph by Ellsworth Kelly (1923–2015), titled Forme Jaune (Yellow Shape), originates from the historic 1958 folio Derriere le Miroir, No. 110. Published by Maeght ...
Lithograph
$2,200
1983 Abstract Geometric Oil and Gouache Painting Study for Alma Robert Kelly
By Robert Kelly
Located in Surfside, FL
Robert Kelly (American, 1956-) Abstract Mixed Media on paper Study for Alma 1983 Pencil titled Hand signed lower right Dimensions: Frame: 26 X 19 Image: 24 X 17.5 Robert Kelly ...
Paper, Oil, Gouache
$575
Oh Yosemite - Original Abstract Muted California Landscape Watercolor Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Heidi Lowell is a multidisciplinary artist based in Austin, Texas, whose practice is deeply rooted in the earth itself. Harvesting site-specific soils and plant materials from across...
Paper, Watercolor
$4,200
Timelessness – Original Abstract Marsh Landscape Painting, blue, green, water
Located in Cumming, GA
Timelessness original abstract marsh landscape painting is inspired by the quiet beauty of coastal wetlands and serene waterscapes. Soft blues, muted greens, and layered neutral tone...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,500
"Still Life" (2025) Abstract Figurative Oil and Mixed Media Painting on Canvas
By John McCaw
Located in Denver, CO
John McCaw's (US based) "Still Life" is an abstract oil painting in greens, grey, black and yellow. John McCaw (b. 1967), the eldest son of American expressionist Dan McCaw and bro...
Canvas, Oil
Pink peony on a golden background
Located in Zofingen, AG
A delicate close-up of a blooming pink peony, built on a subtle play of light and tonal transitions. The petals appear to glow from within, shifting from pale blush to richer raspber...
Canvas, Acrylic
Missing Piece, Abstract Mixed on Canvas, 2025, Framed 37.5x49
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Missing Piece, 2025 Artist: Murray Duncan Medium: Mixed media on canvas Frame: Black wood floating frame Canvas Size: 36 in × 48 in Overall Dimensions: 37.25 in × 49 in × 1.5 in Mi...
Glaze, Acrylic, Pencil
$900
Sea in Orange, School of Fish in Turquoise, Abstract Patterns Seascape, Paper
Located in Barcelona, ES
This series by Enric Servera explores the relationship of humans to salt and seawater. The intention of these works is to submerge us into the sea, a salty treasure that surrounds us...
Paper, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Watercolor
First Light, Abstract Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Soft tones, texture, and linework shape this abstract painting. Warm oranges, creams, and yellows contrast with deep blacks, greys, and teals. Artist Dorothy Ga...
Oil
Warm Days, Abstract Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A palpable sense of atmosphere and a soft, dreamy mood evoke memories of long summer afternoons bathed in gentle sunlight. Subtle layers and luminous textures i...
Oil
Nick Thomm - Loom (HYDRA) Standard
Located in FITZROY, VIC
Nick Thomm 'LOOM' (Hydra) 69cm x 92cm (27"×36″) Limited Edition of 305. Archival Pigment Print on Hahnemühle 308gsm Fine Art Paper. Condition: NEW. Worldwide Shipping. Sold Unframed.
Archival Ink, Giclée, Archival Pigment
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
Red Cascade - Cypress Gardens
Located in Bloomfield, ON
The kaleidoscope of colours and the dynamic form of nature are expressed in this joyful celebration of nature. Rendered in right red, yellow, blue, green, orange and yellow—the colou...
Acrylic
$7,500
Sol Lewitt - Unique drawing Geometric Abstraction on franked card, hand signed
By Sol LeWitt
Located in New York, NY
Sol LeWitt Unique Geometric Abstraction on Postcard, 1982 Original drawing done on postcard from the Van Gogh Museum (Amsterdam), mailed, stamped and postmarked (franked) from Spolet...
Ink, Mixed Media, Postcard, Offset