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.
Joyce Ann
By Otis Huband
Located in Dallas, TX
Born in 1933, Otis Huband declared his intention to be an artist at age 6. He earned his BFA and MFA at Richmond Professional Institute of the College of William & Mary, now Virginia...
Canvas, Oil
$429Sale Price|20% Off
1960's French Cubist Abstract Oil Painting - Monogrammed
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist/ School: French School, signed with initials, dated 1960's Title: Cubist abstract Medium: oil painting on board, unframed board: 13.75 x 10.5 inches Provenance: private co...
Oil
$6,500
Large John Hultberg SF Bay Area Artist Abstract Expressionist Collage Painting
Located in Surfside, FL
John Hultberg (American 1922-2005) New American Night 1967 Collage on board, framed Hand signed, titled, dated, and inscribed "Collage 29" on verso Dimensions: framed 31 x 41 image ...
Paint, Paper, Board
Cubist Nude, Abstract Lithograph by Dimitri Petrov
Located in Long Island City, NY
Dimitri Petrov, American (1919 - 1986) - Cubist Nude, Year: circa 1975, Medium: Lithograph, signed and numbered in pencil, Edition: 200, Size: 22 x 30 in. (55.88 x 76.2 cm)
Lithograph
$1,250Sale Price|78% Off
A View to Remember
Located in Atlanta, GA
This painting is in excellent condition, new gallery arrival. Cortes is a Spanish artist born in Valencia in 1963. He began law studies in his hometown, which he abandoned to devote...
Canvas, Oil
Modern Abstract Black White Nature Oil Painting on Paper "Under the Maltese sun"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This painting "Under the Maltese sun" , created by French artist Natalya Mougenot, is part of her Nature series. Completed in the summer of 2023, it reflects the artist’s desire to c...
Oil, Paper
$2,459Sale Price|20% Off
"Floral Landscape" very large diptych on linen, colorful impressionistic art
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Look at the flowers. It is simply unbelievable how happy flowers are." - Osho „Floral Landscape“ is a captivating diptych with two parts, each measuring 80x80x2 cm/31,5x31,5x0,8 in...
Spray Paint, Canvas, Acrylic
The Painted Lady - Large Impasto Thick Paint Colorful 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 a...
Canvas, Glitter, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Whisper
Located in Zofingen, AG
shipped in roll size of artwork 150x120 + 10 cm This work is about tenderness and strength, about the path, choice and movement. The river gently unfolds its flow through fields o...
Canvas, Acrylic
Sunsets on the Hudson (Abstract Painting in Blue, Pink and Metallic Gold)
By Bruce Murphy
Located in Hudson, NY
Sunsets on the Hudson (Abstract Painting in Blue, Pink and Metallic Gold), 2019 by Bruce Murphy 38 x 42 inches, unframed, enamel paint on archival paper Signed, verso This gestural ...
Enamel
Ricky Lee Gordon Abstract Diptych Sea Contemporary Minimalist Ocean Horizon 2025
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Dimensions: Height: 170 cm Width: 312 cm (overall, including the 10 cm gap between the two panels) Depth: 4 cm Note: This diptych consists of two individual panels displayed with a ...
Oil, Carbon Pencil, Pigment
$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
The bird in love
Located in Paris, FR
Silkscreen, 1994 Edition : 150 ex. 64.50 cm. x 50.00 cm. 25.39 in. x 19.69 in. (paper) 64.50 cm. x 50.00 cm. 25.39 in. x 19.69 in. (image) Handsigned by the artist in pencil Cer...
Silk
1960s "Moonscape" Red, Pink, Orange Collage Intaglio Etching NY Artist
Located in Arp, TX
Myril Adler "Moonscape" c.1960s Intaglio etching collage, ink on paper 3"x6" site unframed Signed and titled in ink Myril Adler, was born on September 22, 1920 in Vitebsk, Russia (n...
Paper, Ink, Intaglio
$304Sale Price|20% Off
Ocean blue - abstract painting, made in blue color
By Mila Akopova
Located in Fort Lee, NJ
Interior design paintings. The work was done with alcohol ink in blue color on Yupo paper. The work is 11 by 14 inches in size, framed (gold or black) with a styrene face on a mat bo...
Paper, Ink
Rhodotorulic Acid. Woodcut in colors. Signed.
By Damien Hirst
Located in Paris, FR
HIRST Damien (1965 - ) Rhodotorulic Acid. Woodcut in colors. Signed. Provenance : DTR Modern Gallery, New York. About Damien Hirst (Artist) British artist Damien Hirst is widely considered the enfant terrible of contemporary art. He is the most prominent of the so-called Young British Artists, or YBAs, a group, largely composed of Hirst’s classmates at Goldsmiths, in London, that began exhibiting together in warehouses and factories after 1988 and is known for the use of unconventional materials and “shock tactics.” In the 1990s, Hirst said, “I can’t wait to get into a position to make really bad art and get away with it.” And indeed, he is notorious for piquing critics and baffling the public with such pieces as his signature glass vitrines containing dead sheep or sharks in formaldehyde, and his diamond-encrusted skull, For the Love of God. Working primarily in sculpture, Hirst takes after French modernist master Marcel Duchamp in his use of ready-made objects and materials, which he combines to ironic effect. He often creates in series, as with The Cure (Violet) and The Cure (Turquoise), both from 2014, which are among several pill paintings...
Paper
Layers of Silence: Abstract Acrylic Painting on Canvas, 100x100 cm
Located in Zofingen, AG
Elevate your interior with "Layers of Silence," a stunning original abstract painting by renowned contemporary artist Alex Senchenko. This piece is a masterclass in texture and depth...
Oil, Acrylic
Vintage American Modernist Abstract Expressionist Framed Large Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage American modernist abstract oil painting. Oil on canvas. Framed. Unsigned. Measuring: 46 by 58 inches overall, and 45 by 57 painting alone.. In excellent original condition...
Oil, Canvas
Hand painted Proof-Gladiolus Common Blue-British Awarded Artist-English Cottage
Located in London, GB
"Gladiolus Common Blue" marks the latest project by Shizico Yi, a continuation of her renowned "Sunlit Series." Initiated in late spring 2023 and extending throughout the years where...
Gesso, Oil, Acrylic, Archival Paper
$6,600
Day of the Swans (vertical gestural abstract oil on canvas in green and red)
Located in Hudson, NY
Abstract oil painting on canvas with pastel palette with red and green “Day of the Swans”, painted by Ragellah Rourke in 2021 48 x 36 inches, oil on canvas Sides are cleanly painted so additional framing is optional Wire backing for easy hanging Artist signature located on the back This contemporary, abstract painting was created by Hudson Valley based artist, Ragellah Rourke in 2021. Her most recent body of work focuses on relationships between color and space. Elements of symbolism, reminiscent of Gustav Klimt, decorate the composition with abstract markings and calligraphic gestural brushwork. Warm yellow and red tones with hints of green radiate upwards into a background of white, recalling the awaking the nature during the beginning of spring. There is wire installed on the back for easy hanging. The painting’s sides are cleanly painted so additional framing is optional. Artist Statement: My paintings are very textural and built up slowly over long periods of time. The surface holds the memory of the painting’s development, all the time looking for clues for what will come next. I look for connections between the forms that develop. They are never something that I logically calculate, but rather a long string of chances, thoughts, and guesses. The appearance and meaning develop throughout the progression of the painting. It is a continuous search for resolution, balance and mystery within the painting. Artist CV: 1963 Born Albany, NY 1998 BA Painting, The University at Albany, State University of New York Residing: East Berne, NY SOLO EXHIBITIONS: 2012 Carrie Haddad Gallery...
Canvas, Oil
Orange Circle, Abstract Oil Painting
By Heidi Hybl
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A glowing orange circle burns against a deep blue rectangular form, set within a light blue field. The closed structure and unexpected color contrast with the l...
Oil
Abstract 5, Abstract Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Patches of cream, turquoise, and grey fill this abstract painting. Blue and orange accents, along with black lines, create contrast. Scratches and marks bring d...
Oil
"A Summer Day in Nantucket" Limited Edition Giclee Print, 60" x 48"
By Sofie Swann
Located in Westport, CT
This Limited Edition abstract print, "A Summer Day in Nantucket," by Sofie Swann measures 60" x 45" and is an edition of 95. Printed on canvas, this print ships rolled with natural c...
Digital, Giclée
Large Antique American Abstract Expressionist Flower Still Life Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique American modernist abstract still life painting. Oil on canvas. Framed. Signed verso. Measuring: 48 by 56 inches overall, and 46 by 54 painting alone. In excellent origina...
Canvas, Oil
Morning Magic, Abstract Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Dorothy Gaziano layers orange and light blue with oil paint and cold wax. Using black to enhance details, she applies marks and scratches, adding contr...
Oil
"Untitled #275 " watercolor print on fine art paper
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Over the past 20 years, Michelle Oppenheimer has become well known for composing paintings that capture the imaginative and organic possibilities of abstract watercolor and acrylic. ...
Paper, Inkjet
$105,236Sale Price|22% Off
Blue Red & Green Abstract Expressionist Painting by British Contemporary Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Blue, Red & Green Abstract Expressionist Painting, entitled 'Tropical City #1', an extremely rare early work from leading British Contemporary Artist...
Gesso, Canvas, Cotton, Paint, Varnish, Cotton Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, ...
Cuerpos Magnéticos #42. 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
L'homme à la fraise - Linocut by Pablo Picasso - 1962
Located in Roma, IT
Color linocut on strong wove paper, realized in 1962. Image dimension: 53.2x39.2; Sheet dimension 62.5x44.3 cm. One of the "épreuves de passe" remaining with the printer Arnéra in ...
Linocut
Paradise 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
$3,900
Absorbed in Brilliance (Gerhard Richter Style Abstract Painting in Blue & Teal)
By Bruce Murphy
Located in Hudson, NY
Abstract expressionist painting in the style of Gerhard Richter in a blue, teal, and green palette with accents of peach, yellow, and pink "Absorbed in Brilliance", made by Bruce Mur...
Enamel
Oed de Chat, Abstract Geometric Etching with Aquatint by Jacqueline De Butler
Located in Long Island City, NY
Jacqueline De Butler, French (1928 - ) - Oed de Chat, Year: circa 1968, Medium: Etching with Aquatint on Arches, signed and numbered in pencil, ...
Etching, Aquatint
$990
Pink and Blue Sea Diptych, Unique Monotype Painting of Fish Patterns, Art Brut
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, Acrylic, Monotype
Hushed Moment 2
Located in Santa Fe, NM
Encaustic on panel. It's simple; I create art because it makes me happy. I try not to overthink the process of what I’m painting and let my intuition be my guide. I love laying do...
Encaustic
Lilacs In Vase - painting #1
Located in Zofingen, AG
Abstract flower painting with bouquet of lilacs contains a lot of positive energy, the bright picture is a beautiful wall decor for interior and wonderful gift for your loved ones. ...
Canvas, Oil
$72Sale Price|20% Off
Grazia Offset Print by Gunter Blum, Abstract Expressionist, 1994
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This striking photograph of Grazia by Gunter Blum exemplifies the artist’s renowned ability to capture the female form in all its unabashed beauty and power. Grazia is depicted tilti...
Offset
$60Sale Price|20% Off
Couronne d'Epines Offset Print, Abstract Expressionist Style, 1980s
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This poster reproduction of Alexei Jawlensky’s Crown of Thorns captures the artist’s bold Expressionist style and spiritual depth. The subject’s mask-like face, rendered in thick bru...
Offset
Abstract Oilpainting on canvas for sale - unique by Frank Vaders
Located in Winterswijk, NL
This painting by Frank Vaders is a unique piece from the 1990s, made in oil on canvas with the dimensions 251 × 200 cm. It is in good condition but with 2 paint abrasion within the i...
Canvas, Oil
Autumn Biogram of the Nelson
By Kory Twaddle
Located in Kansas City, MO
Artist : Kory Twaddle "Autumn Biogram of the Nelson" Newsprint, graphite, conté crayon pastel, charcoal, beeswax, cardboard, paper, gingko leaves, stickers, and Mixed Media on drawi...
Paint, Paper, Conté, Charcoal, India Ink, Acrylic, Tempera, Watercolor, ...
Beginning to shine
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Beginning to shine" is when the darkness is doomed. The picture is filled with light and warmth that awakens hope. This is the moment when the darkness admits its defeat to the ligh...
Canvas, Acrylic
$22,000
"Fantastic Life" - Large Colorful Textured Oil Impasto Contemporary Abstract Art
Located in Carmel, CA
Sveta Hessler (Russian, born 1973) "Fantastic Life" 2023 Oil Paint, Canvas, Stretcher Bars The artist signed the bottom right and the back of the painting. "Fantastic Life" is an ex...
Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars
Cumulus - Mixed Media Abstract Sculptural Artwork
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Kristina Fjellman, a Minnesota-based visual artist and performer, seamlessly blends sculpture and performance art in her captivating work. She has garnered recognition with exhibitio...
Steel
#130, 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
Puppet Man, E. A
Located in Miami Beach, FL
"Puppet Man, 1960. By Alexander Calder. "E.A" Written in pencil by the artist The "E.A." designation on the print likely indicates it's an artist's proof, o...
Archival Paper, Lithograph
$296
Contemporary impressionist expressive acrylic floral bouquet vase painting
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This captivating floral artwork "Summer blooming flowers in a blue vase" is an exuberant portrayal of a bouquet, radiating vibrancy and textural complexity. The piece commands attention with its vigorous brushstrokes, creating a sense of movement and depth. The bouquet is composed of blooming flowers in a rich palette of colors ranging from various shades of pinks and purples to luminous whites. Each flower is rendered with bold, gestural layers of paint, creating a tactile surface that invites the viewer to appreciate the artist’s dynamic technique. The background, with its harmonious blend of cool blues and popping greens, forms a vivid contrast against the warm tones of the flowers, enhancing their visual impact. Noteworthy is the blue-checkered vase...
Paper, Acrylic, Watercolor
$796Sale Price|20% Off
Abstract Figurative Composition in Oil on Board
Located in Soquel, CA
Abstract Figurative Composition in Oil on Board Boldly colored abstract composition by an unknown Bay area California artist (20th Century)...
Oil, Fiberboard
"Resonance" Raku metallic glazed ceramic abstract stoneware sculpture
Located in East Quogue, NY
Stunning hand-pitched Raku metallic glazed, speckled stoneware ceramic sculpture by Jessamyn Go. Jessamyn Go's work is deeply rooted in the visceral, meditative experience of workin...
Ceramic, Stoneware, Glaze
Eternal Sakura - Original Textured Neon Pink Landscape Artwork
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The delicate and poetic artworks of painter Frederic Paul reference his Asian roots in expressive and elaborate compositions. Inspired by the bold colors, spices, flora, and landscap...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic, Rice Paper
$400
"My Heart on Noir" Black and White Contemporary Oil Painting with Floater Frame
By Cindy Shaoul
Located in New York, NY
Motivated by bold color and fast brushwork, we are moved by the simplicity and thick textured oil paints in these works. Shaoul’s “My Heart Collection” is a vibrant and energetic dis...
Oil, Board
$796Sale Price|20% Off
Jasper Johns, Summer Green, State II, from The Seasons, 1991
By Jasper Johns
Located in Southampton, NY
This exquisite lithograph by Jasper Johns (born 1930), titled Summer Green, State II, originates from the 1991 publication Jasper Johns, The Se...
Lithograph
#205, 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
Exploded City
Located in Dallas, TX
oil on canvas signed on the back
Canvas, Oil
$4,321
Fear and Compliance, contemporary, expressionism, Joan Mitchell, Larry Poons
Located in Jönköping, SE
This painting is part of a series titled Contemplation and Introspection. In this series I am exploring the profound relationship between nature and the human experience. The collect...
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
$597Sale Price|20% Off
20th Century Original French Expressionist Oil Painting Abstract Face
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Original oil painting by P. Valetti (French, second half 20th century) oil on canvas, unframed size: 24 x 19.75 inches condition: very good provenance: from the artists estate, Franc...
Canvas, Oil
Edo, Abstract Expressionist Screenprint by Dan Christensen
Located in Long Island City, NY
Dan Christensen, American (1942 - 2007) - Edo, Year: circa 1981, Medium: Screenprint, signed, titled and numbered in pencil, Edition: HC, Image Size: 38.5 x 27 inches, Size: 42 ...
Screen
$7,160Sale Price|20% Off
Venetian Series, Dale Chihuly
By Dale Chihuly
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Dale Chihuly (1941) Title: Venetian Series Year: 2018 Medium: Lithograph, silkscreen and acrylic on Waterford paper Edition: 79/125 Size: 37 x 25 inches Inscription: Signed a...
Acrylic, Intaglio, Screen, Lithograph
"Tattered", Contemporary, Gestural, Ceramic, Green, Cream, Gray, Sculpture, 2024
Located in Franklin, MA
Sara Fine-Wilsons “Tattered” is a gestural 17 x 8 x 9 inch ceramic sculpture in pale aqua, green, lavender, cream and gray. In this evocative sculpture individual slab elements are ...
Ceramic, Clay
Blooming Horizon
Located in Zofingen, AG
In Blooming Horizon, the artist captures the vibrant essence of a blooming meadow beneath a radiant sky. This abstract landscape is characterized by dynamic textures and luminous col...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,176
Joan Miró - MARAVILLAS CON VARIACIONES.. Lithograph Contemporary Art Abstraction
By Joan Miró
Located in Madrid, Madrid
Joan Miró - Maravillas con variaciones acrósticas en el jardín de Miró XIII Date of creation: 1975 Medium: Lithograph on Gvarro paper Edition: 1500 Size: 49,5 x 71 cm Condition: In v...
Paper, Lithograph