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.
Forces of Nature 26 - Textural Abstract Minimalist Artwork on Canvas
By Len Klikunas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Len Klikunas paints minimalist artworks to modify experienced reality through visual perception. The Blocks series is a mix of art and architecture, hovering between painting and scu...
Gesso, Canvas, Mixed Media
Finding the Music No. 3
Located in Columbia, MO
Renowned career illustrator Stephen Gammell now devotes his energy to a full-time studio practice, and we’re honored to bring the current work of an ar...
Ink, Watercolor
"Untitled" Ronnie Landfield, Abstract, Gestural, Black and White, Shades of Grey
Located in New York, NY
Ronnie Landfield Untitled, 1980 Signed and dated lower right Lithograph on paper 22 1/2 x 30 inches Born in 1947, Ronnie Landfield began his artistic training at the Art Students L...
Paper, Lithograph
Tapies Vertical original lithography lithograph
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Tapies Litografia original Work reproduced in the catalogue raisonné, image 286. Edited in 1971 TAPIES was the maximum representative of Spanish abstract art of the 20th century. ...
Paper, Lithograph
$645
A Potted Succulent and a Rhizome - Original Vibrant Abstract Botanical Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Krisanne Souter weaves together elements of nature and ancient feminine archetypes, such as the Mother and the Mystic. Botanical themes, playful elements, and unexpected surprises ar...
Paper, Ink, Acrylic, Watercolor, Color Pencil
Remembering Spain, oil, horizontal, landscape, abstract
Located in Oslo, NO
Remembering Spain is an oil painting inspired by the artist’s recent travels, capturing the atmosphere, colours, and impressions gathered during time spent in Spain. Focusing on feel...
Canvas, Oil
Untitled (SF-355), Abstract Expressionist Lithograph by Sam Francis
By Sam Francis
Located in Long Island City, NY
Sam Francis, American (1923 - 1994) - Untitled (SF-355), Portfolio: Papierski Portfolio, Year: 1992, Medium: Lithograph on BFK Rives, signed and numbered in pencil, Edition: 50...
Lithograph
$9,200
Glowing forest by Gabriela Azar Schreiner. Contemporary abstract Painting
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
Fantasy Garden 22, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
My Garden Series is the only gardening I do. This is from my imagination. The lyrical lines always lend themselves to being gardens as soon as I incorporate any green! :: Painting ::...
Acrylic
$464Sale Price|45% Off
Colorful Portrait Painting on Board by Peter Keil w Tiffany Blue Background
By Peter Keil
Located in Hudson, NY
This modern abstract painting by Peter Keil is on a smooth masonite board with a painted Tiffany Blue background, black abstract portrait. Here you ...
Masonite, Acrylic, Board
$2,115
“Full moon” Original semi-abstract landscape. Large , horizontal. Painting.
Located in Oslo, NO
This artwork presents a dynamic, dreamlike landscape, blending natural and abstract elements in a captivating symphony of colors and textures. A swirling sky, dominated by a luminous...
Canvas, Acrylic
Touched, 2023, Bronze, edition of 10, Cuffed Series, Hand Sculptures
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
$7,150
Elemental Drift (Grey, Blue, & White Abstract Expressionist Oil Painting)
Located in Hudson, NY
Elemental Drift Grey, White , Blue Abstract Expressionist Painting Made by Ragellah Rourke in 2025 oil on canvas 36 x 48 inches, unframed The sides are cleanly painted light grey so ...
Canvas, Oil
$2,232
Contemporary Mixed-Media Abstract Painting on Canvas by Emma Labattaglia 2025
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
At Escat Gallery, we are committed to upholding the highest standards of trust and professionalism for our collectors. Every artwork in our collection includes a Certificate of Authe...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
Screen tbd7 (gold metallic abstract grid wood painting contemporary natural)
Located in Quebec, Quebec
In Melisa’s optical and pulsating compositions, the natural world acts as blue-print while she explores the notion of the sublime through blur and precision. The artist develops an a...
Spray Paint, Wood Panel
"Duality of Color" - Bold Contemporary Abstract in Orange, Blue, and Black Oil
By Kobi Raz
Located in Carmel, CA
Kobi Raz (Israeli, born 1959) "Duality of Color" 2024 Oil paint, canvas, stretcher bars The artist signed the bottom left of the painting. “Duality of Color” is a striking abstract ...
Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars
$658Sale Price|20% Off
Not Everybody does have Flies in his Head
Located in Slovak Republic, SK
Etching on fine art paper, E.A. 1/1 from the cycle " Botanical Dream Nr. 11", recently presented in the Danubiana Meulenstein Art Museum in Bratislava.
Etching
Blooming In Silence. Contemporary Figurative Painting
Located in Brecon, Powys
100 x 70cm mixed media and oil painting on canvas. "Blooming in Silence" portrays the quiet strength that lies within growth and transformation. A cascade of vibrant flowers emerges...
Oil
Echoes (14/13) by James Lumsden - abstract painting, pastel blue and pink
Located in Paris, FR
Echoes (14/13) is a painting by Scottish artist James Lumsden created with acrylic on canvas (gloss finish) and focusing on shades of blue and pink. Dimensions: 23.6 x 19.7 inches (6...
Canvas, Acrylic
$352
Modern Abstract Expressionist woman's portrait acrylic on paper " True self"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary abstract expressionist portrait of a woman was created by French artist Natalya Mougenot. Bold, vivid, and emotionally charged, the piece—titled "True Self"—explore...
Acrylic, Paper
$1,720Sale Price|20% Off
Retrato Fondo Negro Mirada, Contemporary Art, Abstract Painting, 21st Century
Located in Mexico City, MX
Contemporary Art, Abstract Painting Acrylic on canvas 106 x 106 cm Signed FREE SHIPPING ROLLED UP About the artist Enrique Pichardo (Mexico City, 1973) graduated from Escuela Naci...
Canvas, Acrylic
Landscape Sculpture
Located in Columbia, MO
Framed silk scarf/screenprint by Ascher after an original work by Barbara Hepworth. With printed signature "Barabara Hepworth" lower left, and "by Ascher" in bottom right. Handwritte...
Screen
Composition - Lithograph on Paper - Mid-20th Century
Located in Roma, IT
Composition is an original print in lithograph on paper realized by an anonymous artist of the mid-20th Century. In very good conditions. The artwork is created through confident s...
Lithograph
Renaissance
Located in Bloomfield, ON
Elegant form and a delightful pastel palette. This is âRenaissance’ , an abstract painting by Milly Ristvedt. The master colourist is playing with soft colours here—against a sky-b...
Canvas, Acrylic
Original-Summer Night-British School-UK Awarded Artist-impressionist-abstract
Located in London, GB
This painting captures a view from the east end of the garden, looking towards the west gate where old giant trees frame wildflower areas on both sides. Shizico Yi used the colour bl...
Gesso, Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
"Abraxus" - Bay Area Abstract Expressionist
By Conrad Alvarez
Located in Soquel, CA
Compelling Abstract Expressionist oil painting titled "Abraxus" by San Francisco Bay area Abstract Expressionist Conrad Alvarez (American, 20th centu...
Canvas, Oil
Wildflower Dream by Ellen Rolli, Contemporary Still Life Oil on Paper
By Ellen Rolli
Located in Atlanta, GA
"Wildflower Dream" by Ellen Rolli – Mixed Media Abstract on Paper (30 x 24 in) Lush, expressive, and full of movement, Wildflower Dream by Ellen Rolli is a 30 x 24 inch mixed media ...
Paper, Mixed Media
$1,527
Muted Woodland Soft Abstract Landscape Earth Tones by Federica Furbelli
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Federica Furbelli (1988, Varese, Italy) is a visual artist based in Mallorca whose practice centers on psychogeography, exploring drift, movement, and the relationship between nature...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
Mid Century French Abstract Line Drawing Twin Female Figures Ink on Paper
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: Mid Century French Abstract Line Drawing Twin Female Figures Ink on Paper Signed (initials) by Serge Guerin (b. 1916), French Black ink on paper, unframed Size: 19.75 (height) x 12.75 (width) inches Provenance: private collection, Paris, France Condition: good and sound, light handling to sheet and faint age toning consistent with age; deckled edges present Description: An elegant and meticulously balanced ink drawing by French modernist Serge Guerin, this mid-century composition captures two mirrored female forms rendered in flowing black lines. The symmetrical structure and interwoven contours create a sense of duality and rhythm, merging sensuality with abstraction. Guerin’s precise yet fluid style distils the human figure into an almost architectural motif, evoking both Surrealist automatism and the graphic minimalism associated with the post-war Ecole de Paris. The subtle interplay between curved and angular forms reveals the artist’s deep understanding of balance and design. Executed in crisp black ink on textured wove paper, the work exemplifies Guerin’s refined linear technique and meditative control. The paired figures may be read as symbols of harmony, reflection, or unity—an exploration of femininity abstracted into pure form. Signed with the artist’s monogram in the lower right, this drawing would suit collectors of modernist works on paper, mid-century line art, or minimalist figurative compositions. Keywords for collectors and interiors: French mid century abstract, modernist nude, twin figures, symmetrical line art, Ecole de Paris ink drawing...
Ink
Untitled Seahorse Abstract Space Watercolor Painting
Located in Houston, TX
Untitled watercolor surrealist painting with a sea horse and planets. The work is done using bright warm colors and is signed by the artist in the bottom corner. The painting is not currently framed. Artist Biography: Born in the Belgian Congo in 1940, Gustave Alhadeff won his first award at the annual art show in Elisabethville, at age 13. His formal art education began with Mr. Marcel Pire (Prix de Rome). He continued his studies at the Michaelis School of Fine Art, with Mr. Van Nesche in Cape Town, South Africa from 1956 to 1957. He was awarded a scholarship from the Art Academy to continue his studies with Mr.Creytens at the "Institute National Superieur des Beaux Arts" in Anvers, Belgium. The following year he entered the class of Mr. Leon Devos...
Watercolor
$580
The Sun, Golden Colors, Warm Tones Diptych, Space Age, Abstract Geometry Hue
Located in Barcelona, ES
Cyd Fontaine (Lausanne, 1992) is a contemporary artist renowned for her captivating use of dreamy atmospheric gradients, which has helped her carve a distinctive niche in the world o...
Archival Ink, Photographic Paper, C Print, Giclée, Archival Pigment
Lilac turquoise with gold abstraction
Located in Zofingen, AG
This is an abstract painting created using the fluid acrylic technique (fluid art), featuring expressive movement and a rich interplay of color. The composition is built on the free...
Canvas, Acrylic
$565Sale Price|24% Off
Lemon Sizzle Palm - Original Tropical Landscape Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Kathleen Keifer is a California-based internationally collected artist. She is a leading force of the New California Realism. With a high level of technical virtuosity Keifer creates...
Canvas, Acrylic
Debra Smith "Shifting Vision #5" -- Abstract Vintage Silk Collage
By Debra Smith
Located in New York, NY
Debra Smith Shifting Vision #5, 2017 pieced vintage silk 18 x 15 in. This original textile collage by Debra Smith features graphic shapes crafted with layers of vintage silk in vari...
Silk, Found Objects, Mixed Media
Lily of the Valley - Original Framed Floral Art on Antique Botanical Book Page
By Lee Herring
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Lee Herring focuses his contemporary paintings on vibrant, textured, and abstract landscapes that convey fleeting moments. Herring's energetic artworks are inspired by everyday momen...
Paper, Mixed Media
$960Sale Price|33% Off
'Submerging, ' by Lisa Miceli, Watercolor on Paper Painting
By Lisa Miceli
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
This 15" x 22" watercolor on paper painting by Lisa Miceli depicts an imaginative abstracted landscape. This painting is part of the "latticeWorks Series."...
Watercolor, Paper
$3,050
Together Bound - Original Medium Size Abstract Organic Form Redwood Sculpture
By Joe Garnero
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Joe Garnero’s medium of choice for his winding abstract wood sculptures is reclaimed Redwood roots, which he finds along the northern California coast. The distinct curving shapes of...
Steel
Enchanted - Meadow of Abundance, Abstract Floral Painting on Canvas, Unique
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Enchanted - Meadow of Abundance and Stillness - In Pink Floral Flowers Abstract Unique Exclusive One-of-a-kind Striking Abundant Meadow Landscape Nature We all need to feel...
Acrylic
Liquid Matter, Abstract Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Bright, vibrant colors create a dreamlike abstract composition. Primarily painted in soothing blues and greens, the piece features splashes of red that catch the eye. Artist Dorothy Gaziano...
Oil
Cobalt Confetti, Abstract Painting
By Lisa Carney
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Shades of blue, turquoise, and green suggest a garden scene. Drip and spatter techniques create the impression of blooming flowers and thriving plants. This flo...
Acrylic
Graphic arts. Black-yellow
Located in Zofingen, AG
The painting presents a bold geometric abstract composition built on the contrast between yellow and black. Wide diagonal bands form sharp angular shapes that intersect across the ca...
Canvas, Acrylic
Willow, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By Tracy Burke
Located in Yardley, PA
This piece was created on museum quality gallery wrapped canvas stretched over a hand-crafted wooden stretcher frame. Edges are staple-free and painted to compliment the artwork. No ...
Acrylic
Júlia Martins Miranda – Contemporary Tropical Flora Painting, Oil on Canvas 2026
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
This work is presented in a scroll-like (parchment-style) format, with the painting executed on a flexible support and suspended using metal rods at the top and bottom, allowing the ...
Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Forces of Nature 20 - Rich Textured Abstract Minimalist Beige Canvas Painting
By Len Klikunas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Len Klikunas paints minimalist artworks to modify experienced reality through visual perception. The Blocks series is a mix of art and architecture, hovering between painting and scu...
Gesso, Canvas, Mixed Media
Cream String - Porcelain Vase Sculpture
Located in East Quogue, NY
"Cream String" round porcelain vase sculpture with cream and white satin glaze. Size: 7 x 8 x 8 inches Porcelain, ceramic, ceramic sculpture, functional sculpture, functional vessel...
Porcelain, Glaze
$6,800
Portal 7
By Vicki Sher
Located in Dallas, TX
acrylic on canvas
Canvas, Acrylic
Fillmore Psychedelic music poster
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Original Fillmore concert poster. 4-color screen print. Excellent condition. No fading or staining. The 1st poster was printed before the concert and measures 13 5/16" x 21 3/4".
Screen
La Petición, Contemporary Art, Abstract Painting, 21st Century
Located in Mexico City, MX
Contemporary Art, Abstract Painting Acrylic on canvas 150 x 200 cm Signed FREE SHIPPING ROLLED UP About the artist Enrique Pichardo (Mexico City, 1973) graduated from Escuela Naci...
Canvas, Acrylic
Stunning wall installation of bright blue butterflies
Located in London, GB
Paul Villinski is an American sculptor widely known for transforming littered cans from the city streets into large-scale, abstract installations of life-like butterflies. Over three...
Metal, Wire
Abstract Expressionist Two Sided Painting -- Male Figurative
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
Forces of Nature 17 - Textural Abstract Layered Paint Artwork on Canvas
By Len Klikunas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Len Klikunas paints minimalist artworks to modify experienced reality through visual perception. The Blocks series is a mix of art and architecture, hovering between painting and scu...
Gesso, Canvas, Mixed Media
$9,576
L'Homme au regard by Antoine Vidal - vertical bronze sculpture, dark patina
Located in Paris, FR
L’homme au regard is an abstract bronze sculpture by French artist Antoine Vidal. His works in bronze, very often marked by a verticality with totemic accents, reflect an aesthetic...
Bronze
$7,500
Apocalypse- Abstract Sculpture, Brightly Colored Geometric Intertwined Form
Located in Chicago, IL
Robert Segal’s abstract sculpture offers a particularly fertile ground for experiments in shape, color, proportion, and technique. He steps away from non-traditional sculpting method...
Fiberglass, Acrylic
Summer Joy, Abstract Expressionist Color Aquatint by Mark Tobey
By Mark Tobey
Located in Long Island City, NY
Mark Tobey, American (1890 - 1976) - Summer Joy, Year: 1971, Medium: Color Aquatint, signed, numbered and dated in pencil, Edition: 10/96, Image Size: 10.75 x 8.75 inches, Frame Si...
Aquatint
$440Sale Price|20% Off
Only One Earth: Abstract Bold Invest Statement Protest Contemporary Color
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Only One Earth Abstract Bold Invest Statement Protest Contemporary Colorful ONLY ONE EARTH... Mars has no Dancing Trees or Roaming Wildlife, no Wonderous Oceans! With acr...
Oil, Acrylic, Gesso, Wood, Stretcher Bars
$521Sale Price|25% Off
Antique American Modernist Abstract Expressionist Surreal Framed Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique American modernist abstract oil painting. Oil on paper. Framed.
Canvas, Oil
$9,500
Act of Silence - grids of black, white, orange, red, abstract, acrylic on canvas
Located in Bloomfield, ON
A grid of painterly black and white is balanced with large squares of fiery orange and gold each in this bold canvas by Milly Ristvedt. The edges of the squares pulse back and forth ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$58Sale Price|24% Off
Untitled (XX) (Abstract, Red, Grey) (25% OFF LIST PRICE)
Located in Kansas City, MO
Barbara Keidel Untitled (XX) (Abstract, Red, Grey) Linocut 1996 Edition: 3 Numbered and dated by hand in pencil Size: 9 x 8.25 inches (22.86 x 20.95 cm) COA provided Tags: Abstr...
Linocut
La Gestation des Couleurs - The evolution of colours
By Joan Miró
Located in Naples, Florida
Color lithograph on Vélin d’Arches paper Signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 50 + 15 HC Published and printed by Maeght, Paris Printed by ...
Paper, Lithograph
Abstract Expressionist Painting in Acrylic & Oil Pastel, 21st Century -Untitled
Located in Pampilhosa da Serra, PT
Untitled, from Zahra Shahcheraghi’s Enchanters of Heaven series (2024) Acrylic and oil pastel on canvas · Zahra Shahcheraghi’s monumental abstraction bridges Persian artistic herita...
Oil, Acrylic, Cardboard, Paper, Archival Paper