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.
premieres lueurs, Abstract Lanscape, oil, Expressionism, Contemporary art
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Size unframed: 50 x 50 cm (15.75 x 15.75 in) Size framed 57 x 57 cm or 22.44 x 22.44 in. Choose the color of frame black or wood. A certificate comes the painting the painting is re...
Oil
$3,860
Contemporary Minimalist Green Tones 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
London Sakura-Hand painted Limited Edition-British Awarded Artist-Edition #6/10
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This painting captures the early spring in Shizico Yi’s garden, where the Cherry Prunus stands as the season’s first joyful announcement. Painted en plein air, it reflects the raw fr...
Metal
Untitled CIX by Frédérique Domergue - Large abstract painting on metal leaves
Located in Paris, FR
Untitled CIX is a unique painting by French contemporary artist Frédérique Domergue. This painting is made with oxidized zinc and bronze leaves on honeycomb aluminium panel, patina f...
Metal, Bronze
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
Sharing Abundant Space: Abstract Figurative, Acrylic Painting, Bold, Colorful
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Sharing Abundant Space Sharing Abundant Space - Painting Figurative Maximalism Contemporary Floral Bold Invest In this one-of-a-kind abstract impressionism artwork by Karnis...
Gesso, Canvas, Wood, Acrylic, Woodcut, Stretcher Bars
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
$14,000
E /// Anni Albers Female Women Artist Abstract Geometric Screenprint Bauhaus Art
By Anni Albers
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Anni Albers (German-American, 1899-1994) Title: "E" Portfolio: (First) Triadic Series *Signed and dated by Albers in pencil lower right Year: 1969 Medium: Original Screenprin...
Screen
Close to Me
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 97×97 cm (overall size with stretching 107×107 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled This painting is part of the series “Past Passing Me By”. The figu...
Canvas, Acrylic
Exotischer Klang Exotic Sound, 1930 Oversize Archival Pigment print
Located in London, GB
Exotischer Klang (Exotic Sound), 1930 (after) Paul Klee (Original work) is Pen and ink, pencil, and watercolour on paper, mounted on card, 47 × 61.3/62.3cm. Dusseldorf, North Rhine-...
Archival Pigment
$796Sale Price|20% Off
Ellsworth Kelly, Lotus, from Derriere le Miroir, 1982
Located in Southampton, NY
This exquisite lithograph by Ellsworth Kelly (1923–2015), titled Lotus, originates from the historic 1982 folio Derriere le Miroir, No. 250, Hommage a Aime et Marguerite Maeght (Trib...
Lithograph
Savor
By Iryna Rets
Located in Zofingen, AG
Savor” is a work from the series From Simple to… about simple things that help a person maintain inner balance. A sheep savoring a small flower within a green landscape conveys a sen...
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
Palette 6 - Huge Large XXXL Abstract Colorful Painting Signed 2026
By SOOS TIBERIU
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
Promises III
Located in Napa, CA
Adele Moore Yonchak holds a BA in Studio Art from Hollins University with additional coursework from Lorenzo de' Medici Art Institute in Florence, Italy. While her formal training a...
Charcoal, Acrylic
Echoes in Pink Geometric Abstract Painting: Paper and Spray Paint
Located in New York, NY
In her work, Noam explores the intersection of geometry, rhythm, and material through a refined visual language. Using repetition and variation, she constructs a structured grid that...
Paper, Spray Paint
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
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
"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
Of Grey and Colors by Gaetan de Seguin - Figurative contemporary Painting
Located in DE
Contemporary figurative painting with lots of details and movement. Beautiful statement piece for any art collection. Combining a lot of different colors in any interiors and settin...
Canvas, Acrylic
Nick Thomm - Loom (HYDRA) Standard
By Nick Thomm
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
$1,350
"Once Verdant" (flora, abstract, roses, blush, pink, green, dye, antique linen)
Located in Paris, IDF
ONCE VERDANT 2024 Paris, France This enchanting painting portrays the artist's vision of an abstracted, organic floral pattern. The floral shapes and shadows allude to traces of a ...
Linen, Dye, Oil
Fantasia 2 - Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Abstract, 48in x 48in
By Mario Angel
Located in Mississauga, CA
"Fantasia 2" breaks completely away from classic representation, splitting a complex, surreal environment into a hypnotic, dreamlike vista of fluid, organic contours and geometric bo...
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
#43, 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
$795Sale Price|20% Off
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
Whispers in Blue - Abstract Figurative Landscape 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
Bark and Reliefs Abstract Geometric Wall Sculpture, Resin
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Bark and Reliefs, 2018 By Carla Gimbatti From the Series Reliefs Aquaresin and Pigment Overall Size: 79 H x 33 W in. Individual Size: (Bark) 79 H x 16.5 W in. (Reliefs) 79 H x 8....
Resin, Pigment
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
"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
$7,800
Matter and Antimatter - Italian Abstract Art, Gestural Abstraction, Blue, Yellow
Located in New York, NY
Materia et Antimateria by Ruggero Vanni is an exceptional example of abstract expressionism meeting sculptural sensibilities. This unique mixed-media painting blends pigments and tex...
Canvas, Oil
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
$3,600
576 Circles V.5 - Original Contemporary Blue Tone Abstract Geometric Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Brandon Neher is a California artist whose original paintings embody a profound exploration of space, structure, and balance, infused with a touch of modern minimalism. Drawing inspi...
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
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
Helter Skelter - Large Contemporary Cubist Terracotta Orange Oil Painting Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles artist Harrison Gilman graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. In 2018 his artworks were exhibited at the We Rise Art Fair in Los Angeles alongside Shepard Fairey ...
Canvas, Oil
The Beacon - Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Abstract, 48in x 60in
By Mario Angel
Located in Mississauga, CA
This masterwork, titled "The Beacon," breaks entirely from traditional realism, with the artist dismantling an intricate, multi-character setting into an enchanting, surreal panorama...
Canvas, Acrylic
$927Sale Price|20% Off
Original Diptych -Sunlit Series: Red and Blue-British Awarded Artist-Gold Leaf
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This stunning Original Set of two paintings by Shizico Yi on Canvas includes: Sunlit-Primary Colour Series- Blue Sunlit-Primary Colour Series- Red these are a part of Shizico Yi's Su...
Gold Leaf
When Love Lingers: Contemporary Figurative Painting, 89x130cm
Located in DE
Contemporary figurative painting with lots of details and movement. Beautiful statement piece for any art collection. Combining a lot of different colors in any interiors and settin...
Canvas, Acrylic
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
Tête-à-tête
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 132×142 cm (overall size with stretching 142×152 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled This painting captures a fragile, precious moment of genuine inti...
Canvas, Acrylic
Inner Order: Abstract Expressionism Oil Painting, Geometric, Library
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Title: Inner Order, grey books 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 3...
Oil
Time of change
Located in Zofingen, AG
This painting explores an inner sense of trust that is shaped through closeness, support, and growing up. It speaks about the moment when a person learns to find safety within themse...
Canvas, Acrylic
Umbrella - Silent Rain No.10, Abstract Painting, 21st Century, Acryl, Clay
By Roger König
Located in Dessau-Rosslau, Sachsen Anhalt
Part of Roger König's iconic Umbrella Series, this original mixed media artwork explores themes of protection, memory, resilience and human presence. The umbrella is not a symbol of ...
Clay, Acrylic
Gaia 23, Black-and-White Print Diptych, Limited Edition of 10, 18x24cm
Located in Brighton, GB
Gaia 23 by Jaume Llorens Bach Gaia 23 is a 18cm x 24cm Black-and-White print on Premio Kozo 180gsm White Paper by Awagami Factory This size in a Limited Edition of 10 + 2 Artist's ...
Photographic Paper, Black and White, Digital
$7,100
av_965 Colorful Original Contemporary Abstract Painting on Natural Linen Canvas
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...
Linen, Acrylic
$15,000
"Pond With Lotus Flowers" Monet's Water Garden in Giverny Painting on Canvas
By Eric Alfaro
Located in New York, NY
From Monet's sanctuary in Giverny, we are transported effortlessly through bold brushwork and impasto paint. Alfaro diligently layers the canvas with acrylic paint creating a truly b...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,945
Pelerinage aux Sources, Abstract Impressionist Oil on Canvas, 1960s
By Jean-Theobald Jacus
Located in North Clarendon, VT
A fantastic oil on canvas by French mid century artist Jean Théobald Jacus. Pelerinage aux Sources is vivid, bold, and iconic. This painting is lik...
Oil
Abstract Action Painting in Vibrant Colors
Located in San Francisco, CA
This abstract painting is a work by Joan Miller Linsley (1922–2000), an American artist recognized for her contributions to the Washington, D.C. art scene and her powerful social com...
Canvas, 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
$11,500
Golden Moments - Large Original 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
$2,105
In the Hydrangea Thickets. Textured floral, Japandi, Wabi-Sabi, Shabby Chic
Located in Oslo, NO
In this work, the artist immerses the viewer in a living, breathing environment—a space where color becomes a state, and texture a tangible memory of summer. Intertwined stems, leave...
Canvas, Acrylic
AWH 352 - Abstract Minimalist Textured Layered Colorfield Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Bernhard Zimmer produces deeply layered, subtly textured abstract paintings that contain diametrically opposed elements—order and chaos, abstraction and representation, boldness and ...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
PULSATION OF TIME
By Oksana Reva
Located in Zofingen, AG
In Pulsation of Time, the artist turns to the technique of impulsive gesture, intertwining it with delicate, translucent glazing. The multilayered texture forms a space that seems to...
Canvas, Oil
$393Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary expressive seascape ocean waves acrylic painting on paper
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This artwork " "Waiting for calmness on the ocean waves" "is a vibrant and dynamic depiction of a seascape, masterfully capturing the essence of a lively and tumultuous ocean. The...
Paper, Acrylic
$1,440Sale Price|20% Off
Colorful Abstract Geometrical Late 20th Century Painting by Ohio Artist
Located in Beachwood, OH
James Massena March (American, 1953-2021) Untitled Oil on canvas 30 x 24 inches "My paintings are about space, form and energy. I generally start ...
Oil
$525
Contemporary abstract expressionist floral painting on paper "Floral Radiance"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This painting makes part of my series dedicated to the scenes of a summer period. This abstract vibrant floral painting called "Floral radiance" is done in a modern contemporary exp...
Paper, Acrylic
$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
"Abstract Black vs Red ", K65TR, Abstract, 21st Century, Acrylic, Clay
By Roger König
Located in Dessau-Rosslau, Sachsen Anhalt
Artist: Roger König b. Dessau, Germany (1968) Master student of Kurt Schönburg, HWK Halle, Germany. The works are developed through a historically informed, proprietary material pra...
Clay, Acrylic
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
$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