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.
$1,350Sale Price|25% Off
New England Winter
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Gordon Ham (20th century) New England Winter, ca. 1940. Oil on unstretched canvas panel, 14 x 17 inches. Measuring 17 x 20 inches framed. Signed lower right. Vertical cracking ...
Oil
Midnight
Located in Paris, FR
Silkscreen, 1959 Edition : 55/150 Publisher : Denise René (Paris) Image dimensions : 49.00 cm. x 35.00 cm. (19.29 in. x 13.78 in.) Paper dimensions : 67.00 cm. x 50.00 cm. (26.38 in....
Silk
$60Sale Price|20% Off
Figurations of Clangor Offset Print, Abstract Expressionist, Unframed
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This striking poster features the work of Adolph Gottlieb, one of the iconic figures in the Abstract Expressionist movement, from the exhibition *Los Irascibles: Pintores Contra el M...
Offset
$11,242
Abstraction 150-200 1 15 by Nicolas Galtier - Gold Leaf Painting, Abstract
Located in Paris, FR
Abstraction 150-200 1 15 is a painting by French artist Nicolas Galtier. The artist uses a mixed technique combining pigments, binders, glues and various metal powders and sheets. Th...
Linen, Mixed Media
"Relaxing at Camarillo" - Abstract Expressionism
Located in Soquel, CA
"Relaxing at Camarillo" - Abstract Expressionism A man relines in a black hat and a green shape emulating the symbol of infinity, accented in bright canary yellow and gray, by Calif...
Paper, Acrylic, Gouache, Pencil
$850
Color Field Triptych, Squares Coral Transitions, Geometric Minimalist, Limited
By Cyd Fontaine
Located in Barcelona, ES
This minimalist triptych by Cyd Fontaine explores chromatic transition through a sequence of nested geometric bands that shift from deep blue to warm coral. The composition recalls a...
Photographic Paper, C Print, Giclée
Vintage American Modernist Signed Abstract Expressionist Framed Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage American modernist abstract expressionist painting. Oil on canvas. Framed.
Canvas, Oil
Revolving House - Geometric Abstract Gouache Piece after Paul Klee
By Paul Klee
Located in Soquel, CA
Revolving House - Geometric Abstract Gouache Piece after Paul Klee Colorful expressionist piece inspired by Paul Klee's "Revolving House" by an unknown artist. This piece takes the ...
Paper, Gouache
$6,200
Faded Rose - Muted Color Atmospheric Abstract Alluring 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
$74,000
The Angel
By Jack Bush
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Jack Bush (1909-1977) is known as one of Canada’s most successful abstract artists. Beginning in the 1960s, he achieved international recognition for his contributions to color-fiel...
Masonite, Oil
CLAUDE LAGOUCHE (1943-2020) ORIGNAL 1970'S FRENCH CUBIST ABSTRACT COLLAGE WORK
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist: Claude Lagouche (French 1943-2020) Claude Lagouche was born January 2, 1943 in Naves, died January 16, 2020. He quickly gained recognition for his talent and his work, exh...
Paint
Summer Peonies, Oil Painting
By Lisa Elley
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Inspired by nature's blooms, artist Lisa Elley rendered this piece solely with the use of a palette knife. She creates thick tangible textures, leaping off th...
Oil
$26,500
Large Abstract Expressionist Mid-Century Acrylic Painting, Cleveland School
Located in Beachwood, OH
Richard Andres (American, 1927–2013) Untitled, 1968 acrylic on canvas signed lower right, signed and titled verso 88.5 x 50.5 inches Has an indent and a tear in the canvas. See phot...
Acrylic
Lacey Abstract
By Spe
Located in Houston, TX
Abstract painting on light bluish/green background with shades of gold/borwn by English artist Spe, 2013. Signed lower right. Original artwork on paper displayed on a white mat with...
Paper, Acrylic
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
$5,000
Arrived /// Josef Albers Abstract Geometrical Screenprint 1960's Color Theory
By Josef Albers
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Josef Albers (German-American, 1888-1976) Title: "Arrived" Portfolio: Soft Edge - Hard Edge *Unsigned edition Year: 1965 Medium: Original Screenprint on Mohawk Superfine Bris...
Screen
Original ink on Paper, Contemporary Abstract Expressionist
By TUSET
Located in Carballo, ES
Black And White Minimal Painting is an original artwork realized by TUSET in 2020. The painting is unframed, we can frame it in natural wood or black on request. The title of this ...
Ink, Handmade Paper
*Azure serenity " Contemporary abstract Impressionist seaside beach oil painting
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Azure Serenity" is a contemporary expressive oil landscape painting on canvas, 30 × 40 × 1.5 cm (11.8 × 15.7 × 0.6 in), created by French artist Natalya Mougenot after a weekend spe...
Canvas, Oil
$1,225Sale Price|30% Off
Haven Green Abstract Floral Painting, Oil on Canvas, 21st Century
Located in Silverthorne, CO
"Haven" is a green floral abstract painting dedicated to peace in a struggling world. It is an imaginary abstract landscape made with lush greens and earth tones, with hints of crims...
Oil
Nawa
Located in Napa, CA
René Romero Schuler is an American painter and sculptor who creates powerful images that speak to the complexities of the human condition and the spirit that connects all human being...
Canvas, Oil
Mensch, Abstract Geometric Screenprint by Barbara Kohl-Spiro
Located in Long Island City, NY
Barbara Kohl-Spiro, American (1941 - ) - Mensch, Year: 1980, Medium: Screenprint on Arches, signed, titled and numbered in pencil, Edition: 100, Image Size: 29 x 21 inches, Size:...
Screen
$4,223
"umbrella girl series" RK216, Abstract, Portrait Painting, 21st Century, Acrylic
By Roger König
Located in Dessau-Rosslau, Sachsen Anhalt
Art measures 7.87 x 7.87 inches Frame measures 16.14 x 16.14 inches Framed in a high-quality contemporary wooden moulding. Color: antique patinated All art frames show signs of we...
Clay, Acrylic
Touched, 2023, Bronze, edition of 10, Cuffed Series, Hand Sculptures
By Leslie Fry
Located in New York, NY
Artist Statement: #1 My hands reach, touch, and shape. Hands let go and receive; they try to hold things and to hold things together. Some of my images of hands are derived from M...
Bronze
Giuseppe Capogrossi (1900–1972) - Color lithograph on paper - 1956
Located in Varese, IT
Color lithograph on paper, edited in 1956. Limited edition of 150 copies, numbered as 101/150 in lower left corner. Hand-signed in pencil by artist in lower right corner. Paper size...
Paper, Lithograph
$2,000
"DEEP INSIDE 114" Abstract Oil on Canvas Painting 39" x 39" in Larissa Uvarova
Located in Culver City, CA
"DEEP INSIDE 114" Abstract Oil on Canvas Painting 39" x 39" in Larissa Uvarova ATT: ships rolled in a tube Larissa Uvarova is a contemporary artist exploring emotional perception ...
Canvas, Oil
$342
Floral painting "Summer Blooming Flowers in a Blue Vase" Mixed Media on Paper
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
Contemporary Floral Artwork – "Summer Blooming Flowers in a Blue Vase" – Mixed Media on Heavy-Weight Acid-Free Paper (21 × 29.5 cm / 8.3 × 11.6 in), Unframed “Summer Blooming Flowers in a Blue Vase” is a contemporary floral artwork by French artist Natalya Mougenot, created with a vibrant mix of watercolor and acrylic paints on heavy-weight professional acid-free paper. Measuring 21 × 29.5 cm (8.3 × 11.6 in), this one-of-a-kind original painting is sold unframed, giving you the freedom to frame it according to your taste and interior. The composition captures a lively bouquet bursting with color and texture. Flowers in shades of pink, purple, and luminous white are rendered with bold, gestural brushstrokes, creating movement, depth, and vibrancy. The blue-checkered vase...
Paper, Acrylic, Watercolor
This is Up - 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
Flowers_03
By Simon Gaon
Located in New York, NY
“Between chaos and beauty, Gaon finds the pulse of life.” His work is often described as expressionistic, energetic, and deeply tied to the experience of the city, nature and human e...
Oil
Petals in Light - original impressionistic floral art on linen canvas
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Look at a tree, a flower, a plant. Let your awareness rest upon it. How still they are, how deeply rooted in Being. Allow nature to teach you stillness." — Eckhart Tolle Dimensions...
Canvas, Linen, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Untitled (2)
Located in Columbia, MO
Signed and dated '52 recto. John von Wicht (German-American, 1888 - 1970) was a painter and printmaker whose abstract works evolved from European modernism to dynamic, expressionisti...
Paper, Oil
Thomas Whelan Benton Vintage Serigraph, White Snowflake & Red Moon, Mid-Century
Located in Denver, CO
This striking vintage original serigraph by Aspen artist Thomas Whelan Benton features a bold, graphic composition that captures the essence of the Colorado landscape through moderni...
Screen
$636Sale Price|20% Off
Argentinian Tango, Mixed Media Abstract Expressionist
Located in Soquel, CA
Argentinian Tango, Mixed Media Abstract Expressionist An abstract portrait in cool pastels accented in vibrant yellow and pink and lined in ink, by California-based artist, Ricardo de Silva (American). Paper size: 17.75"H x 12"W From a collection of Ricardo de Silva's work and memorabilia. DeSilva was born in Brazil and grew up in Los Angeles. He was a gallery owner, first in Santa Barbara in the 1960's and 70's, then in San Jose in the 1980's. He was dedicated to promoting the work of talented upcoming artists, including Kogyo and Hasui Kiyochika, Robert Frame, Jim Stuckenberg, Alice Robertson Carr, Deborah Eve Alastra...
Paper, Gouache, Ink, Watercolor
Contemporary abstract expressionist oil painting of woman canvas "Female Energy"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This vibrant and abstract painting, titled "Female Energy", is a powerful exploration of womanhood by French artist Natalya Mougenot. As part of her ongoing series dedicated to women...
Canvas, Oil
$31,101
No.061222 by Thierry Martenon - large wood sculpture, abstract, geometric
Located in Paris, FR
No.061222 is an abstract sculpture in wood by French sculptor Thierry Martenon. This large-scale sculpture weaves together richly textured geometric forms, establishing a dynamic int...
Wood, India Ink
$2,200
Circles of Strength: Original Extra-large Painting, Rhino, Geometric, Bold, Blue
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Circles of Strength Original One-of-a-kind Freedom Blue Extra-large Geometric Striking Elephant Unity Karnish’s 'Circles of Strength' masterfully merges a complex geometric ...
Gesso, Canvas, Wood, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic, Color Pencil, Engravin...
Mid Century French Geometric Abstract in Black White and Navy Signed SG
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: Mid Century French Geometric Abstract in Black White and Navy Signed SG by Serge Guerin (b. 1916), French signed lower right “SG”, name stamped verso Acrylic and gouache on ar...
Ink, Acrylic, Gouache
$2,400Sale Price|20% Off
Pastel Cloud Sketch Pink minimalist abstract sky painting
Located in COOMERA, QLD
"Pastel Cloud Sketch Pink" is a large original painting featuring soft pink and green hues that blend to create a dreamy cloudscape. Thick, descriptive strokes of acrylic paint bring...
Canvas, Acrylic
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
Greys & Pinks French Expressionist Abstract Oil Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract by Yvette Dubois-Habasque (1929-2016) dated verso and signed with initials oil painting on artists board, unframed painting measures: 16.25 x 13 inches Stunning original ...
Oil
Double Spinner Sub-Huge - Wind Kinetic Sculpture, Copper and Steel
Located in Bloomfield, ON
The uniquely magical kinetic sculptures of American artist Lyman Whitaker translate an unseen force of nature-the wind into a visible, graceful and mesmerizing dance. As a master in...
Copper, Steel
$5,200Sale Price|30% Off
BRONZE OFFERING XVI
Located in Three Oaks, MI
Cerj Lalonde, born in 1954 in Canada, is a multi-talented artist known for his diverse creative expressions. With an adaptable spirit, Lalonde seamlessly ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,600
Untitled
By Arlene Scult
Located in New York, NY
Arlene Scult, Untitled, Abstract Mixed Media/ Pen and Ink, 27 x 37 Colors: Black, White, Brown Unframed - 20 x 29.50
Paper, Pen
$776
*Silent thoughts " Contemporary expressionist figurative oil woman's portrait
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
Silent Thoughts — Contemporary Figurative Portrait Painting by French Artist Natalya Mougenot, 46 × 33 × 3 cm (18.1 × 13.0 × 1.2 in) Silent Thoughts is an expressive contemporary fi...
Canvas, Oil
$7,890
Jits Do Amalfi - Large Scale Colorful Abstract Modern Mixed Media Art on Canvas
By Rue Bootay
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rue Bootay, a New York-born artist now rooted in the vibrant artistic landscape of Los Angeles, navigates the avant-garde realm of nonrepresentational surrealism with a style uniquel...
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
In the Sky, Abstract Expressionist Offset Lithograph Poster by Willem de Kooning
Located in Long Island City, NY
Willem de Kooning, Dutch/American (1904 - 1997) - In the Sky, Year: 1982, Medium: Offset Lithograph Poster, Size: 26 in. x 30.5 in. (66.04 cm x 77.47 cm), Frame Size: 27.5 x 30...
Lithograph
$1,500
Bloomtime: Original floral painting on Canvas, Vintage Floral Still Life, Signed
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Bloom-time in pot of blues This artwork is an invitation to connect to abundance and rejuvenation. Working layer upon layer, I honored the delicate blossoms, offsetting the...
Gesso, Canvas, Wood, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
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
$1,800
Those... Plants Howard Hodgkin red orange green etching watercolour gouache
Located in New York, NY
Around each corner of the print, a brilliant stripe of green outlines the image field, as if the viewer were looking through an eye, or peering through a frame. The back of a figure’...
Watercolor, Gouache, Etching
Vintage American Modernist Signed Abstract Expressionist Framed Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Oil on canvas, 28 x 31 inches overall, 25 x 30 inches image size. A dynamic abstract expressionist composition with an energetic interplay of saturated primaries and gestural impasto...
Canvas, Oil
"Merciful" Abstract Calligraphy Painting 32" x 32" inch by Mohamed Hassan
Located in Culver City, CA
"Merciful" Abstract Calligraphy Painting 32" x 32" inch by Mohamed Hassan Medium: ink & gold leaf on paper Mohamed Hassan is a traditional Arabic calligraphist, he obtained his...
Gold Leaf
Mai Tai #2
By Lynn Sanders
Located in Santa Fe, NM
Lynn Sanders is an artist excited by beauty: architecture, foliage, landscapes, seascapes, interiors. She finds palettes and shapes in her environment and propels them into her work,...
Canvas, Acrylic Polymer, Ink, Acrylic
original lithograph
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: original lithograph. This is one of the Alexander Calder lithographs from his "Stabiles" series, printed in 1963 for the art revue Derriere le Miroir (issue number 141) and p...
Lithograph
$797
Modern abstract Impressionist still life floral painting "Roses in silence"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Roses in Silence” is a contemporary floral still life by French artist Natalya Mougenot, whose bold compositions transform vibrant color into quiet emotion and expressive gesture in...
Paper, Acrylic
$6,163
Josef Brauner Black and White Bauhaus Rationalist Collage, Berlin 1927 — Signed
Located in Barcelona, ES
Josef Brauner Black and White Bauhaus Rationalist Collage, Berlin 1927 — Signed and Dated Striking black and white Bauhaus rationalist collage by Josef Brauner, created in Berlin in...
Paper
$684Sale Price|20% Off
А Quiet Еvening in Italy // oil original impasto 3d painting; impressionism.
Located in Zofingen, AG
This original oil impasto painting was created in impressionism style. The artwork is dedicated to the beauty of Italian nature and the feelings of romanticism it evokes. It mast...
Oil
Picky Picky, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By Hal Mayforth
Located in Yardley, PA
A vertically formatted painting in blues, yellows, pinks with darker textured areas of grays, browns and blues combined with loose abstract brushstrokes in reds and grays Many intere...
Acrylic
$960Sale Price|20% Off
Epicenter I (Limited Edition Of Only 30 Prints On Canvas)
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
**FALL SUPER SALE UNTIL OCTOBER 13TH** **IMPORTANT: This is Limited edition of 30 museum quality prints on CANVAS, signed and numbered by the artist. A "Certificate of Authenticit...
Cotton Canvas
Alien, One-of-a-Kind A jewel-like sculpture, Charred Wood & Textile, 22cm
Located in Zofingen, AG
A jewel-like sculptural miniature, this one-of-a-kind object combines charred wood, sumptuous soft textile elements, and shimmering bronze details in an intensely tactile composition...
Bronze
French Expressionist Abstract Oil Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract by Yvette Dubois-Habasque (1929-2016) dated verso and signed with initials oil painting on artists board, unframed painting measures: 13 x 16.25 inches Stunning original ...
Oil
$2,224Sale Price|20% Off
Burrowed Beneath - Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Abstract, 30in x 40in
By Mario Angel
Located in Mississauga, CA
"Burrowed Beneath" stands as a compelling study of figurative abstraction, where the artist navigates the liminal space between the tangible world and the internal landscape of the p...
Canvas, Acrylic