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.
"Resonance "
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Ihor Volkov-Tkachynskyi draws inspiration from Japanese lithography and its distinct sense of flat perspective, reinterpreting the still life genre through a rhythmic play of form an...
Canvas, Oil
Dance of Life
Located in Zofingen, AG
“Dance of Life” From the series “Metamorphoses of the Spirit” This work explores life as continuous movement — fragile, sensual, yet filled with inner strength. Through organic forms...
Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$1,314Sale Price|20% Off
Blue Yellow and Orange Abstract Diagonal Lines and Shapes French Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Composition signed by Gilbert Pelissier (French born 1924) oil painting on canvas with a rope material attached, unframed dated 88' canvas size: 46 x 35 inche...
Canvas, Oil
$10,000Sale Price|20% Off
Large Mid Century Modern Texas Artist Abstract Expressionist Action Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
An abstract expressionist painting by Duayne Hatchett . Oil on canvas, circa 1990. Signed verso. Framed. Image size, 60"H x 56"L. Duayne Hatchett was a visual artist whose work...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Companion To The Good
Located in Dallas, TX
acrylic & oil on canvas
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$1,643
Original Set of 2 Oil and Gold leaf-Golden Summer 2024-25-British Awarded Artist
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This special set paintings include two oil and gold-leaf on canvas paintings by Shizico Yi from 2024 to 2025; the set is curated to highlight her painting practice with Gold leaf vs ...
Gold Leaf
$899
Lotus in the Storm - pink and green abstract expressionist nature painting
Located in Silverthorne, CO
"Lotus in the Storm" is an abstract expressionist celebration of life and spring, with a luminous blush movement across a softened field of green, evoking the quiet moment when matte...
Linen, Oil
Totems by Frédérique Domergue - Set of abstract metal sculptures, steel, bronze
Located in Paris, FR
Totems is a set of sculptures by French contemporary artist Frédérique Domergue. The sculptures are made with oxidized zinc and bronze leaves on aluminum, patina fixed with oak slats...
Bronze, Steel
CC #86 - Green Blue Abstract Geometric Wall Sculpture
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Anna Kruhelska, a talented visual artist and practicing architect from Lodz, Poland, merges her expertise in both fields to create captivating artworks. With a background in major ar...
Wood, Plywood, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Harlequin, Cubist Screenprint by Anatole Krasnyansky
Located in Long Island City, NY
This surreal, contemporary-cubist screenprint by the artist is reminiscent of a harlequin kneeling before an audience, one hand raised. The piece is nicely framed and is signed and n...
Screen
FS 221 - Soft pastel color orange, pink, blue abstract geometric watercolor
By Evan Venegas
Located in New York, NY
Evan Venegas studied at the San Francisco Art Institute and earned his BFA in Painting in 1998. Evan Venegas creates artwork that lives at the intersection of geometry and atmosphere...
Watercolor, Archival Paper
$16,469
Opium
By Damien Hirst
Located in London, GB
Damien Hirst Opium, 2000 Lambda C-Type print on Gloss Fuji Archive paper. Signed by the artist, lower right on recto Numbered on verso 48 x 43.7 cm 52 x 48 cm (framed) Edition of 500...
C Print, Lambda
$3,600
Large Modernist French Abstract Expressionist Colorful Bird Painting Roger Lersy
By Roger Lersy
Located in Surfside, FL
Roger Lersy, French (1920 - 2004) Oil on canvas Signed, R. Lersy, dated 1961 lower right Measuring 35 X 31 Matted and framed. sight 26 X 21.5 Roger Lersy was born in Paris, France ...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Anya Simmons, Dancing Moon Cottages, Limited edition landscape print
By Anya Simmons
Located in Deddington, GB
Dancing Moon Cottages is a limited edition print by Anya Simmons, inspired by her travels across the United Kingdom. This Giclée limited edition print is created using archive quali...
Archival Paper, Screen
$7,500
Richard Huntington 1960s Geometric Abstraction Large Mid Century Modern NYC
Located in Buffalo, NY
A mid-century modern geometric abstract painting by American artist Richard Huntington. Richard Huntington (b. 1936) is an American painter, printmaker, and writer, is Critic Emerit...
Oil, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Esperit Catala II, Abstract Expressionist Etching by Antoni Tàpies
Located in Long Island City, NY
Date: 1974 Etching, Aquatint, and Intaglio on Guarro paper, signed and numbered in pencil Edition of 21/75 Size: 22 x 30 in. (55.88 x 76.2 cm) Frame Size: 26 x 34 inches Publisher: E...
Etching, Aquatint, Intaglio
$602Sale Price|20% Off
Abstract 2554
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this piece, I poured my emotions into thick, textured acrylics, letting colors collide and dance freely. It’s a celebration of spontaneity and lightness, capturing moments of joy and vulnerability. The blend of soft pastels and bold strokes brings warmth and energy, ready to uplift any space with its vibrant, expressive spirit. It invites you to feel the movement and breath of life in every layered stroke. ⭐ Artist : Alex Senchenko Title: Abstract 2554 📐 Size: 100cm. x 30cm. 🖌️ Medium: Professional Gallery Canvas, Acrylic Paints Original Painting on a 1.5cm. Deep "GALLERY WRAP" Stretched Canvas 🎨 Style: Abstract Contemporary Modern Wall Art...
Oil, Acrylic
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
Huge French Contemporary Modernist Train Track Tunnel Abstract Oil Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Composition signed by Jacqueline VERDET (French, 1931-2023) oil painting on canvas, unframed canvas: 45.5 x 35 inches condition: the work is in overall very sound and good c...
Canvas, Oil
$1,850Sale Price|53% Off
Abstract Expressionist Still Life Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Mid Century Modern abstract expressionist oil painting. Oil on canvas, circa 1960. Unsigned. Unframed.
Canvas, Oil
$78,211
No.210624 by Thierry Martenon - large wall sculpture, abstract geometric, wood
Located in Paris, FR
No.210624 is an abstract sculpture in wood by French sculptor Thierry Martenon. A group of textured, pointed, and curved sculptures reminiscent of a forest of sculptural forms. The a...
Wood
Abstract Composition
Located in Wiscasett, ME
Tempura on heavy paper, signed and dated 1945 lower left. The piece measures 23" x 30" including the frame and presents very well overall. Provenance: Willard Gallery, NYC Brad...
Tempera, Watercolor
$2,800
Memory Machine: abstract oil painting w/ organic shapes & vivid colors on red
Located in Bryn Mawr, PA
This is an original oil on canvas painting depicting a system of vividly colored, patterned organic forms against a textured red background. It is signed, dated, and titled on the ba...
Canvas, Oil
POWDER
By Oksana Reva
Located in Zofingen, AG
“This work seems to capture the delicate thread one soul leaves upon another, barely perceptible yet enduring through time.”
Canvas, Oil
$10,000
Dante's Summer - Vibrant Red Orange Atmospheric Abstract 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
The Tide of Existence, Abstract Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
The vibrant abstract painting captures the constant motion of existence. Turquoise represents calm periods and emotional currents, while darker blues and blacks...
Acrylic
A Large, Dynamic 1960s Mid-Century Modern Abstract Expressionist Painting
By George Waite
Located in Chicago, IL
A Large, Dynamic 1960s Mid-Century Modern Abstract Expressionist Painting by Notable Chicago Artist, George Waite (Am. 1935-1994). Executed in the artist's signature palette of brig...
Canvas, Oil
Women on the Beach (Constellations)
By Joan Miró
Located in Paris, FR
Stencil, 1959 Publisher : Pierre Matisse (New York) Printer : Mourlot (Daniel Jacomet) Image dimensions : 35.50 cm. x 43.00 cm. (13.98 in. x 16.93 in.) Paper dimensions : 35.50 cm. x...
Stencil
One Truth - Impasto Inspired Thick Paint Pink 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, Glitter, Acrylic
Helen Frankenthaler - original vintage 1960s Andre Emmerich gallery poster print
By (after) Helen Frankenthaler
Located in New York, NY
Offset lithograph poster published by the Andre Emmerich Gallery on the occasion of Helen Frankenthaler's 1965 exhibition. In good vintage condition with original folds as issued, wi...
Offset
$588
Sakura at sunrise //abstrakt floristics oil painting / moody art / good vibes
Located in Zofingen, AG
This painting captures the beauty of the awakening of nature. The touches of the oil palette embody the bright dance of the first rays of dawn, embracing delicate flowers. Thr...
Oil
After sound
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work is about a sound that has already disappeared, yet continues to exist as a trace. I am interested not in the moment itself, but in what remains after: vibration, residual m...
Canvas, Acrylic
Love surrounds you by Love 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
$7,900
Midnight Blue - Large Modern Abstract Textured Color Drenched Landscape Artwork
By Lee Herring
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Lee Herring is a contemporary painter specializing in vibrant, textured, and abstract landscapes that convey fleeting moments. Herring's energetic artworks are inspired by everyday m...
Canvas, Varnish, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Presence silencieuse, Contemporary Large Abstract Geometric Oil Paint
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Presence Silencieuse 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. Presence S...
Canvas, Oil
$1,950
“So Plant, So Animal III” (Animalia, Fuana, Bold, Graphic, Abstract, Neutral)
Located in Paris, IDF
Bold yet delicately portrayed, "So Plant, So Animal III" is an abstract piece framed to perfection, offering a timeless neutral color palette. The central theme captures the essence ...
Linen, Wood, India Ink, Acrylic
Day on the Horizon
Located in Atlanta, GA
This painting has only been shown in a gallery setting. All images have light and shadow reflections due to the reflective nature of the resin finish. Yury was born in Belarus and...
Resin, Acrylic, Panel
$6,472
A source. Contemporary oil abstract painting by Polish Young Artist, Big format
By Klaudia Lata
Located in Warsaw, PL
Big scale abstract oil painting by Polish artist Klaudia Lata. KLAUDIA LATA (born in 1993) Graduate of painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice. Diploma in 2017 in the stud...
Canvas, Oil
$2,539
Huge French Abstract Orange & Turquoise Shapes French 20th Century Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Large French Mid Century Abstract Oil Painting Orange Turquoise Biomorphic Forms by Gilbert Pelissier (French, born 1924) French abstract expressionist oil painting on canvas, unfram...
Oil
$4,000
On a Clear Day: framed abstract painting by Black African American artist
Located in Bryn Mawr, PA
"On a Clear Day" is an acrylic painting of an abstracted, dream-like landscape on leather mounted on MDF panel. The work itself is 24" x 22", framed to 24.5" x 22.5" in a narrow, sim...
Leather, Acrylic, Panel
Mist in the Glen, original painting, contemporary
Located in Deddington, GB
This painting was inspired by the early morning mist in the mountains and valleys of Skye. The light made the landscape look ethereal and otherworldly depicting the transient atmosph...
Oil, Panel
$2,000
Village Dans La Brume - Contemporary Abstract Landscape Oil Painting
Located in East Quogue, NY
"Village dans la Brume" Oil on canvas, 30 x 30 inches (unframed) Christopher Charveriat works in oil on canvas, moving fluidly between portraiture, abstraction, and mixed media, inc...
Canvas, Oil
$4,500
A Primitive Pictograph (Abstract Painting in Metallic Gold & Splashed of Color)
By Bruce Murphy
Located in Hudson, NY
A Primitive Pictograph (Abstract Painting in Metallic Gold & Splashed of Color), 2021 by Bruce Murphy 38 x 38 inches, unframed, enamel paint on archival paper Signed, verso This ges...
Enamel
$24,500
"Colorful Stories" by Masri - Large Gestural Contemporary Abstract Expressionist
Located in Carmel, CA
Masri (Lebanese, born 1965) "Colorful Stories" 2018 Acrylic paint, Oil paint, Mixed Media, Canvas, Stretcher bars The artist signed the back of the painting. "Colorful Stories" by M...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
Creation, Oil and acrylic on canvas, Iranian Contemporary Painting
Located in London, GB
Firoozeh Akhlaghi 1968 - Current Creation, 2022 Oil and acrylic on canvas 150 x 210 cm 59 x 82 5/8 in
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Robert Motherwell - Pull Out All Flags, iconic etching & aquatint, SIgned 33/50
Located in New York, NY
Robert Motherwell Pull Out All Flags (Engberg, Banach 263), 1980 Aquatint and etching in colors, on German Etching paper, with full margins Hand-signed by artist, Pencil signed and n...
Etching, Aquatint
$1,080Sale Price|20% Off
Textured Abstract Expressionist Composition in Plaster and Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Soquel, CA
Textured Abstract Expressionist Composition in Plaster and Acrylic on Canvas Brightly colored and deeply textured abstract composition by an unknown artist (20th century). Layers of...
Canvas, Plaster, Acrylic
Study 1944 - Original Oil on Canvas - (Dubourg & de Staël, #21)
By Nicolas de Staël
Located in Paris, IDF
Nicolas de Staël Study 1944 Original oil on canvas Unsigned On canvas 32 x 24 cm (c. 13 x 10 in) Presented in in a wood frame 41 x 34 cm (c. 16 x 13 in) Annotated "Nicolas de Stael ...
Oil
$1,127
Boundless Spring. Medium size abstract painting, floral, soft colors, dyptich
Located in Oslo, NO
Boundless Spring is a diptych built on expansion — of color, of gesture, of spatial breath. The two canvases function as a continuous field, where forms emerge and dissolve without f...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,399Sale Price|20% Off
Blue and Green Swirls Overlaid in Horizontal Stripes Abstract French Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Composition signed by Gilbert Pelissier (French born 1924) oil painting on canvas, unframed dated 87 canvas size: 35 x 45.5 inches condition: overall very good...
Canvas, Oil
Stroll Through the Evening City
By Jacob Burda
Located in Zofingen, AG
This abstract painting, with its rich palette of purples, ochres, greens, and oranges, evokes the atmosphere of an evening walk through the city. There are no literal buildings or st...
Canvas, Acrylic
Storm - Blue Cool Tone Abstract Dramatic Landscape Textural Impasto Painting
By Dana Cowie
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Using an impasto, painterly technique Dana Cowie creates cubist-inspired farm and rural landscapes. Working within controlled color schemes, her artworks appear abstract up close and...
Canvas, Oil
Horses and Riders V
Located in Paris, FR
Lithograph, 1972 Handsigned by the artist in pencil Edition : 31/50 Publisher : Société Internationale d'art XXe siècle (Paris) Printer : Mourlot (Paris) Catalog : Guastalla L108...
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
$35,000
"Raked Off" Lynne Drexler, Abstract Expressionist, Patterns, Orange, Green
Located in New York, NY
Lynne Drexler Raked Off, 1989 Signed, titled and dated on the reverse Oil on canvas 36 x 31 inches Provenance The artist The Collection of Jerry Vis, Monhegan Island Meredith Ward F...
Canvas, Oil
Green Giant, Minimalist Print by Gene Davis
By Gene Davis
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Gene Davis Title: Green Giant Year: 1980 Medium: Lithograph on Arches, signed and numbered in pencil verso Edition: 250 Paper Size: 26 x 28.5 inches
Lithograph
Homeward Bound - Acrylic Abstract Painting, Minimalist, 24x60 Inches
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary acrylic abstract painting is minimalist in form. For more than three decades, Claudia Jean McCabe has been exploring the dynamic potential of abstraction. The Cana...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,121Sale Price|25% Off
Vintage Signed Female Modernist Abstract Expressionist Naturescape Oil Painting
By Adele Becker
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique American modernist abstract oil painting by Adele Becker (1929-2021). Oil on canvas. Framed. Signed.
Canvas, Oil
Abstract Expressionist Two Sided Painting - Male Figuratives in Oil on Masonite
Located in Soquel, CA
Double sided figurative abstract by San Jose, California area artist Daniel David Fuentes (American, 20c-2017). San Francisco bay area abstract expressionist and landscape artist dur...
Masonite, Oil
$3,025
My Hope in Disguise - Abstract Romantic Floral Botanical Still Life Oil Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Denna Erickson’s original artworks move through layers of oil, where personal symbols and organic forms emerge through luminous color. Guided by intuition, her paintings unfold throu...
Oil, Wood Panel