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.
ABSTRACT Contemporary Earth Flora Oil Painting 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
$4,400
"Rose Branches" extra large painting on canvas, rose garden, flowers, rose
Located in Zofingen, AG
Original mixed media painting on cotton canvas. Overall canvas size: 134 × 174 cm (52.8 × 68.5 inches); visible image when stretched: approximately 118 × 160 cm (46.5 × 63 inches). ...
Canvas, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Red Cascade - Cypress Gardens - contemporary, abstract, acrylic on paper
Located in Bloomfield, ON
The kaleidoscope of colours and the dynamic form of nature are expressed in this joyful celebration of nature. Rendered in right red, yellow, blue, green, orange and yellow—the colou...
Monoprint
$1,200
Low Fog
By Ruth Armer
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork titled "Low Fog" 1939 is an oil painting on canvas board by noted California artist Ruth Armer, 1896-1977. It is signed at the lower right corn...
Oil
$14,200
A834 - Original Large Scale Minimalist Contemporary Teal Tone Abstract Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Swiss-born artist Marco Schmidli creates large-scale minimalist paintings reminiscent of color field studies with a contemporary edge. Placing emphasis on process, he lets the medium...
Canvas, Acrylic
Anna - XXI Century, Contemporary Abstract, Figurative Acrylic Painting, Textured
Located in Warsaw, PL
MICHAL SIKORSKI (born in 1972) He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Wroclaw, at the atelier of Professor Stanislaw Kortyka at the department of painting. PhD in Fine Arts. Assis...
Canvas, Acrylic
$800Sale Price|20% Off
Mid Century French Architectural Abstract Ink Drawing Signed SG
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: Mid Century French Architectural Abstract Ink Drawing Signed SG by Serge Guerin (b. 1916), French signed lower right 'SG', name stamped verso Ink on artists paper, unframed Si...
Ink
Ceramic 13, Japanese Ceramic Sculpture by Yasuhisa Kohyama
Located in Wilton, CT
Yasuhisa Kohyama shapes his asymmetrical forms using piano wire, creating distinctive rough surfaces. The clay with its feldspar nuggets creates a tac...
Ceramic, Clay
Pastel Sunrise - Colorful Pink Mixed Media Landscape Nature Inspired 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
$1,144
Original-Lime Tree Path in Autumn-British Awarded Artist-en plein air-Oil Canvas
Located in London, GB
Lime Tree Path in Autumn is the newest work in Shizico Yi’s deeply personal Autumn Series, a project that has become an instant classic within her celebrated career. Painted en plein...
Gesso, Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
"Recycling Post" (FRAMED) Abstract Painting 72 x 48 in by Yoram Katz
Located in Culver City, CA
"Recycling Post" (FRAMED) Abstract Painting 72 x 48 in by Yoram Katz Medium: Used items, Enamel and Spray paint on Canvas Size framed: 73.5 x 49.5 in ABOUT THE ARTIST: Born in Is...
Enamel
How to Get There. Medium abstract painting, magenta, purple, expressionism
Located in Oslo, NO
This original contemporary abstract expressionist painting is defined by a richly textured surface and layered painterly structure. Earthy neutrals, muted blues, warm rust tones, and...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,876Sale Price|20% Off
Geometric Abstract Painting by Listed British artist - Mix of Bright Colors
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
'Abstract Composition' by Michael Haswell (British, 1931-2020) inscribed verso acrylic painting on box canvas (painted edges so do not require framing)...
Canvas, 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
$3,833Sale Price|20% Off
Romans, Abstract library, oil and Collage on canvas, minimalism, textured
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
to confront the arts, to merge them, to mix writing and brush, such is the challenge of the artist. Table of a library with collage of fabric allowing the painting to vibrate more. C...
Oil
$5,764
Le poids des couleurs- Textured Oil Painting, Geometric, Abstract composition
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Le Poids des Couleurs exemplifies Sophie Dumont’s refined approach to contemporary abstraction, where color, structure and balance are treated as architectural elements. In this comp...
Oil
Le Danseur Bleu (Very Large triptych)
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork titled "Le Danseur Bleu" Thriptych, 1985, is a large oil painting and mixed media triptych on canvas linen by noted French artist Pierre Marie Brisson (b. 1955) It is si...
Oil
Brooklyn by Antoine Vidal - abstract bronze sculpture, square
Located in Paris, FR
Brooklyn is an abstract bronze sculpture by French artist Antoine Vidal. Dimensions: 13.3 x 11.8 x 3.5 (34 × 30 × 9 cm). Limited edition of 8 + 4 Artist's proofs. His works in bronz...
Bronze
$3,000Sale Price|20% Off
WILD HORSES-3, Original Signed Contemporary Abstract Expressionist Painting
Located in Boston, MA
WILD HORSES-3, Original Contemporary Abstract Expressionist Painting, 2021 30" x 40" x 2" (HxWxD) Oil and Newspaper on Canvas Hand-signed by the artist. This large-format oil painti...
Canvas, Oil, Newsprint
$336
Contemporary abstract expressive acrylic painting on canvas ready to hang
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
In my abstract artwork, "Radiant Harmony," I engage in a spontaneous and intuitive process, allowing the paints to guide my expression without a predetermined plan. By embracing the ...
Acrylic, Canvas
"Rhythmic Sanctuary" Abstract metallic glaze stoneware ceramic sculpture
Located in East Quogue, NY
Hand-pitched speckled stoneware ceramic sculpture with metallic glaze by Jessamyn Go. Jessamyn Go's work is deeply rooted in the visceral, meditative experience of working with clay...
Ceramic, Stoneware, Glaze
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
$30,400Sale Price|20% Off
"Upper Street" Manierre Dawson, Cubism, Abstract Pastels, Cityscape
By Manierre Dawson
Located in New York, NY
Manierre Dawson Upper Street, 1912 Oil on board 10 x 15 inches Provenance: The artist Estate of the artist Private Collection (gift of Lillian Dawson, widow of the artist) Hollis Ta...
Oil, Board
$645
Mystic Rhizome - Original Colorful Organic Abstract Botanical Painting on Paper
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
Veil of Dusk
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
Automne
Located in Kansas City, MO
Johnny Friedlander Automne 1977 Etching on Arches teinte’ paper Visible: 10 x 7.25 inches Framed: 16.375 x 13.5 x 1 inches Edition: 135 Signed and numbered in pencil along lower edge...
Etching
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
Summer in Italy No. 1 by Amy Dixon, Abstract Large Horizontal Canvas Painting
By Amy Dixon
Located in Atlanta, GA
Amy Dixon’s Summer in Italy No. 1 radiates the color and vitality of Mediterranean summers. This large-scale mixed media canvas brims with bold, expressive brushstrokes and layered t...
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,401Sale Price|20% Off
"Fluids" abstract spray varnish pigments on wood 150x100cm
By Olivier Ebel
Located in Saint Pol de Léon, Bretagne
In "Fluids", Olivier Ebel takes us on a journey of the imagination. Vivid colors and abstract shapes create a dynamic, spellbinding atmosphere. Deep blues and flamboyant yellows evok...
Varnish, Pigment, Other Medium
Continually, A Bright Orange & Red Abstract Painting with Gestural Brushstrokes
Located in New York, NY
Patricia Spergel’s "Continually" (2020) is a striking example of abstract painting, defined by bold color, gestural brushwork, and expressive composition. This 36 x 40-inch oil paint...
Canvas, Oil
"1312 green/grey elegance Part2" Abstract, Painting, 21st Century, Acrylic
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
Star, Geometric Pop Art Screenprint by Arthur Boden
By Arthur Boden
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Arthur Boden, American Title: Star Year: circa 1970 Medium: Serigraph, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 4/50 Image Size: 10 x 9.5 inches Size: 14 x 14 inches Plexi Box ...
Screen
$4,500
28° 14' 22.942'' N, 114° 6' 4.129'' W-6. Cyanotype photograph of the ocean waves
By Paola Davila
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Water is constant in the artist's visual investigation, for her water is no longer the stage in which the body's memory bursts, but rather the environment and protagonist, constant o...
Cotton, Archival Pigment
$6,500
Ynez Johnston Abstract Watercolor & Gouache Painting, 1985, 20th Century Modern
Located in Denver, CO
This striking 1985 abstract painting by Ynez Johnston (1920–2019) exemplifies the artist’s imaginative fusion of modernist abstraction and symbolic narrative. Executed in watercolor ...
Watercolor, Gouache
$2,401Sale Price|66% Off
Penetration
Located in London, London
All custom charges are included in the final price agreed. full size of the canvas 185x121cm (size 80x115cm) acrylic, oil on canvas one-of-a-kind the canvas will be shipped rol...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil
Olympische Spiele Muenchen, Signed Folk Art Lithograph by Alan Davie
By Alan Davie
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Alan Davie, Scottish (1920 - 2014) Title: Olympische Spiele Muenchen Year: 1972 Medium: Lithograph, signed and numbered in pencil Ed...
Lithograph
Peonies on black gold graphic
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Elegance in Black and Gold" is a striking acrylic painting that captures the essence of timeless beauty through its intricate use of graphic lines and a rich palette of golden hues....
Canvas, Acrylic
$3,122
ABSTRACT Artwork Colors Red Blue Orange Canada Contemporary Celia Lees 2025 NEW
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...
Ink, Oil, Acrylic
Grand Kabuki Stainless Steel Abstract Brutalist Sculpture
Located in Surfside, FL
Alfred Van Loen 1978 (1968 in casting?) signed 18 1/2" x 5 1/2" abstract stainless steel sculpture "Grand Kabucki", mounted on wood base, overall size 21 1/2" x 7" If there are any ...
Stainless Steel
Umbra series 15, Abstract Sculpture
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Fear and insecurity came uninvited to keep the artist company. Suddenly it became necessary to release the sensations that surrounded him day and night. At times the artist felt as i...
Brass
$14,000Sale Price|20% Off
Blazing Sun
By Imani Bilal
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Imani Bilal is a contemporary abstract painter and poet based in Jersey City, New Jersey. Her work is deeply inspired by the many states of the human condition and is rooted in her s...
Canvas, Resin, Ink, Acrylic
$1,800
Intimate Lighting: Blue, Abstract Expressionist Screenprint by Robert Natkin
Located in Long Island City, NY
Robert Natkin, American (1930 - 2010) - Intimate Lighting: Blue, Year: 1974, Medium: Screenprint on Arches, signed, numbered and dated in pencil lower left, Edition: 59/100, Image...
Screen
"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
Composition III
Located in Paris, FR
Engraving Handsigned by the artist in pencil Edition : 13/95 76.00 cm. x 56.50 cm. 29.92 in. x 22.24 in. (paper) 76.00 cm. x 56.50 cm. 29.92 in. x 22.24 in. (image) Arches paper A...
Engraving
$1,561
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
My Love For Color - Impasto Thick Paint Abstract Painting with White Frame
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, Acrylic, Glitter
Ultramarine Oval (Colorful Abstract Three Dimensional Wood Wall Sculpture)
Located in Hudson, NY
Large vertical abstract three-dimensional wood wall sculpture with colorful pops of acrylic paint in blue, red, yellow, and red "Ultramarine Oval" by Hudson Valley artist, Peter Hoff...
Wood, Acrylic
'Canyon River', San Francisco Bay Area Abstraction, Mid-Century, Maxwell Gallery
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Signed center right, 'Ide' for Tom Ide (Canadian-American, 1919-1996) and dated 1965. Exhibited: Maxwell Galleries, San Francisco, circa 1965. Ide studied at ...
Canvas, Oil
$112,286
No.020125 by Thierry Martenon - monumental wood sculpture, outdoor, abstract
Located in Paris, FR
No.020125 is an abstract wood sculpture by French sculptor Thierry Martenon. This monumental sculpture combines smooth geometric patterns with a highly textured surface. The artist ...
Wood
Retrato en Rojo, Contemporary Art, Abstract Painting, 21st Century
Located in Mexico City, MX
Contemporary Art, Abstract Painting Acrylic on canvas 200x130cm Signed About the artist Enrique Pichardo (Mexico City, 1973) graduated from Escuela Nacional de Pintura, Escultur...
Canvas, 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
$3,500
WILD HORSES-1, Original Signed Contemporary Abstract Expressionist Painting
Located in Boston, MA
WILD HORSES-1, Original Contemporary Abstract Expressionist Painting, 2021 30" x 40" x 2" (HxWxD) Oil and Newspaper on Canvas Hand-signed by the artist. This large-format oil painti...
Canvas, Oil, Newsprint
Cycle 3, Minimalist Geometric Screenprint by Jay Rosenblum
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Jay Rosenblum, American (1933-1989 Title: Cycle 3 Year: 1979 Medium: Screenprint, signed and numbered in pencil Edition size: 250 Size: 25 in. x 29.5 in. (63.5 cm x 74.93 cm)
Screen
$1,121Sale Price|25% Off
Vintage American Modernist Abstract Expressionist Framed Large Oil Painting
By Adele Becker
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique American modernist abstract oil painting by Adele Becker. Framed. Oil on canvas.
Canvas, Oil
Rooms Orange
By Marina Stern
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This work is part of our exhibition Marina Stern Luminary, the first retrospective of the artist since 2007. Marina Stern was a multifaceted New York-based artist whose works ranged...
Canvas, Oil
The Slow Rushing, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Inspired by the colors of the changing seasons and the illusion of time slowing down. This painting continues around the edges for a gallery wrapped finish. There is a hanger fast...
Oil
Joan Miro Abstract Lithograph, Signed, 1975, Framed
By Joan Miró
Located in Washington, DC
Artist: Joan Miro Title: Joan Miro Medium: Lithograph in colors Date: 1975 Edition: Unnumbered Frame Size: 15 1/8" x 22 3/4" Sheet Size: 7 7/8" x 15 1/2" Signature: Signed in the pla...
Lithograph
Agros, Oil Painting on Linen, Abstract Landscape with Color Fields, 2023
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
This original oil painting on linen is by Sophie Dumont, a French contemporary painter whose work is held in both private and museum collections worldwide. Known for her richly layer...
Oil
$2,161
Salvador Dalí (1904-1989) - La cogida y la muerte - Drypoint, etching - 1973
Located in Varese, IT
Drypoint etching on Arches paper, edited in 1973. Limited edition of 400 copies, numbered 352/400 in lower left corner. Hand-signed by artist in pencil in the lower right margin. Pa...
Drypoint, Etching
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