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.
$760Sale Price|20% Off
Sonderlust -21st Century, Contemporary, Abstract, Pop Culture, Anxiety, People
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
All of us can change the past. We cannot take back what has happened, who we love, what we have done. Just like we cannot change our current situation. I think life is a funny thing,...
Canvas, Ink, Acrylic
Large Original Oil Painting Abstract Expressionist Horse
Located in Soquel, CA
Stunning large scale abstract expressionist horse's head/eye, circa 1990. Unsigned. Unframed. Size: 60"H x 60"W x 1.5.
Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars
Gillian Ayres - Star Spangled
Located in London, GB
Gillian Ayres Star Spangled, 2010 Sugar-lift aquatint and etching with carborundum printed in colours, extensively hand-coloured in acrylic paint, on BFK Rives wove paper, with full ...
Aquatint, Etching
Gaia 31 - Spanish Daisies Sparrows in Catalonia Monochrome Black and White Print
Located in Brighton, GB
Gaia 31 - Spanish Daisies Sparrows in Catalonia Monochrome Black and White Print by Jaume Llorens Bach Gaia 31 is a 18cm x 24cm Black-and-White print on Premio Kozo 180gsm White Pap...
Photographic Paper, Black and White, Digital
Contemporary abstract Impressionist landscape on canvas "Summer's nature"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“Nature’s Summer” is a vibrant celebration of movement, warmth, and color — a landscape that seems to pulse with the energy of a Provençal afternoon. The painting is built around the...
Canvas, Acrylic
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
Abstract Oil Painting by Mirko Baricchi – Minimal Contemporary Composition
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Mirko Baricchi (born 1970) is an accomplished Italian painter who currently lives and works between Vicenza and La Spezia, regions located in Veneto and Liguria, Italy, respectively....
Cotton Canvas, Oil
$2,400Sale Price|20% Off
Regrets, I've Had a Few (abstract bright, red, war, texture, forms)
By Liane Ricci
Located in New York, NY
"I’m fascinated by color relationships and the tension between form and line in painting. An alluring use of color can invigorate and emphasize a fanciful quality, creating works that are both timeless and contemporary. With this current series, I explore opposites in structure; while color and shape may reference 1960s Modern Art...
Oil
$1,994Sale Price|20% Off
1960's French Huge Abstract Painting Layers Blue Abstract Textural Composition
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Composition by Gilbert Pelissier (French born 1924) signed oil painting on canvas, unframed inscribed verso dated 68' canvas size: 35 x 46 inches condition: ov...
Canvas, Oil
Hothead - Contemporary Art, Abstract Art
Located in London, GB
Hothead, 2016 Giclée print on 330gsm Somerset Velvet cotton rag paper with an embossed publisher stamp 82 x 78 cm - Framed 80 x 75 cm - Sheet Edition of 250 It comes with COA from t...
Giclée
Diversions 1970 Signed Limited Edition Screen Print
By Ian Tyson
Located in Rochester Hills, MI
Artist: Ian Tyson Title: Diversions Year: 1970 Print: Screen Print Size: 16'' x 15'' inches Edition: signed in pencil and marked 54/150 Ian Tyson, British painter, printmaker and...
Screen
Rockpool
Located in London, GB
Living in rural Kent, I am inspired by seasonal changes and the alterations in light, colour and texture of the local landscape. The scenery and atmosphere of Dungeness and the surro...
Mixed Media
$1,232
Midnight Jasmine-Original Oil with Gold Leaf-British Awarded Artist-Expression
Located in London, GB
This painting is a part of the Summer Bloom Series. Night Bloom Jasmine, commonly known as Lady of the Night, has the sweetest scent and attracts moths and bats in the wild, though i...
Gold Leaf
$3,614
River Of Time. Horizontal, large format, fish, red, semi-abstract, design
Located in Oslo, NO
The fish, which is swimming slowly and smoothly in the waters of the river, represents the passage of time. The fish in the foreground is the "Here-And-Now", while the fish in the up...
Acrylic
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
$796Sale Price|20% Off
Antique American Signed Interior Modernist Abstract San Fran Museum Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique American modernist signed interior oil painting. Oil on board. Signed. Framed. Image size, 9L x 10H. Provenance from the San Francisco Museum of Art.
Canvas, Oil
$2,037
Architecture du Savoir, Abstract Library Oil Painting on Linen, 2025, Signed
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Medium: Oil on linen canvas Canvas size: 50 x 50 cm (19.68 x 19.68 in) Framed size: 57 x 57 cm (22.44 x 22.44 in) Frame: American box frame (collector's choice of black or natural wo...
Oil
Mixed Media Painting titled “Chasing Picasso” 36 x 48
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
BORN JULY 31, 1979 IN NEW JERSEY, USA CURRENTLY LIVES AND WORKS IN WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA BIO: As an artist based in the vibrant community of West Palm Beach, my work is an explor...
Oil, Acrylic
Black Angel Oil on Canvas Painting, Abstract Expressionism, 2010-
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Nerea Caos (1993) - Black angel - Oil on canvas Canvas size 60X50 cm. Frameless. Nerea Sánchez Castro, born in Ferrol, Galicia in 1993, an art student sin...
Canvas, Oil
Black Rabbit. 2023
Located in Zofingen, AG
The painting depicts a stylized silhouette of a rabbit sitting on its hind legs. The work is created with acrylic on canvas and has a strong decorative and graphic character. The bac...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,065
avp_1206 Red Colorful Textured Original Contemporary Abstract Painting on Paper
By Alex Voinea
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The colorful abstract artworks of Romanian artist Alex Voinea are inspired by experiments with paint poured over vibrating surfaces, such as speakers at full volume. Alex Voinea coll...
Paper, Acrylic
$12,049
Joan Mirò(1893–1983 )-El legarto de las plumas de oro (Le lèzard aux plumes d'or
By Joan Miró
Located in Varese, IT
Color lithograph on Japanese paper, edited in 1971 Limited edition of 10 copies on Japanese paper Hand signed by Joan Miró in pencil in the lower right margin , and numbered in roman...
Lithograph
$484
Mid Century French Abstract Expressionist Black Ink Gestural Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: Mid Century French Abstract Expressionist Black Ink Gestural Painting Medium: Black ink/ gouache painting on paper, unframed French, circa 1950's Size: 25.75 inches x 19.75 (h...
Paper, Ink, Gouache
$1,795
Waves of Freedom - Abstract Gold Tone Textural Floral Acrylic Canvas Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Drawing inspiration from an immersive and impressionistic interpretation of nature, Canadian artist Vé Boisvert paints textural original artworks that capture the fleeting effects of...
Canvas, Acrylic
#261 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
$876Sale Price|20% Off
Untitled, Georg Karl Pfahler
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Georg Karl Pfahler (1926-2002) Title: Untitled Year: 1993 Edition: 75/100, plus proofs Medium: Silkscreen on wove paper Size: 26 x 27 inches Condition: Good Inscription: Sign...
Screen
Untitled - Bold & Vibrant Abstract Expressionist Oil Painting, 1954
Located in Palm Desert, CA
“Untitled” is a vibrant, abstract oil on canvas painting in bold, bright colors by American Abstract Expressionist painter, Ray Parker. The artwork is signed upper right, "Parker 54"...
Canvas, Oil
$803
Hand painted Proof-Summer Bloom in the Night-British Awarded Artist-Goldleaf Oil
Located in London, GB
This is a large hand painted Artist's Proof, (oil and gold leaf on Giclee), it's the only one proof of this image, 90 % of the proof is hand painted by the artist, Shizico Yi; its o...
Gold Leaf
$1,480Sale Price|20% Off
Sidera (Differentiation) -21st Century, Contemporary, Abstract Expression, Love
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Sidera reflects that kind of radiant intimacy, the soul's longing to chart constellations in another person, to navigate the galaxies of their experiences, and to leave behind light,...
Canvas, Ink, Acrylic
$2,800
Hip, Hip, Hooray! (Memphis Style Multicolored 3D Wooden Wall Sculpture, Square)
Located in Hudson, NY
"Hip, Hip, Hooray!", hand-carved wooden wall sculpture by Hudson Valley artist, Stephen Walling, made in 2019 24 x 24 x 2.5 inches Carved wood and acrylic paint on panel Signed, ver...
Wood, Dye, Acrylic, Wood Panel
Large Mid-Century Abstract Oil Painting By E. Costello
Located in San Francisco, CA
Mid Modern Abstract Oil Painting By E. Costello Large and impressive abstract oil painting created with oils on Masonite. This painting can hang vertical, or horizontal. Dimension...
Oil
Documentation of Altered Memories, Abstract Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A soft golden glow radiates from an abstract, serene landscape. At its center, a window-like square reveals a classical horizon where earth, water, and sky meet...
Acrylic
$550
Abstract Blossom Bouquet in Pastel Tones, Organic Shapes, Calm Tones Large Forms
Located in Barcelona, ES
"Blossom Bouquet in Pastel Tones" is an abstract painting by Spanish artist Natalia Roman. It is a beautiful series of organic large forms combined with subtle tones and unique shape...
Acrylic, Archival Paper
$2,700
FS 1 12- Soft pastel color orange, pink, beige 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
Morning Dew - Original Calm Soft Tone Abstract Blue Landscape Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles artist Amber Goldhammer paints dramatic abstract compositions in acrylic on canvas featuring energetic brushstrokes. Goldhammer uses her contemporary paintings to express...
Canvas, Latex, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Indian with Pipe
Located in New York, NY
This exceptional oil on canvas by master Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein is an exceptional and unique example of his early pre-pop work. It is signed by the artist, upper right. After m...
Canvas, Oil
Untitled Abstract Stone Lithograph, 1950s, Unsigned, 13.25x19.25
By Jerry Opper
Located in Arp, TX
From the estate of Jerry and Ruth Opper Untitled 1950s Stone Lithograph on paper 13 1/4"x19 1/4" unframed Unsigned This piece is unsigned and came from a collection of Jerry and Rut...
Stone
Circles Abstract Painting, Gouache & Ink, Mid-20th Century, Signed
Located in Chesterfield, MI
Gouache & Ink abstracts from the Mid-20th Century are unique. This is by Dutch artist Andrus Theodore Vossen born in the Netherlands in 1893 and he died in 1963. It is pencil signed ...
Ink, Gouache
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
Lithograph Optical Pop Art Attrib. Victor Vasarely
Located in Napoli, IT
Lithograph Optical Pop Art Attrib. Victor Vasarely, 1970s with frame
Paper, Lithograph
$596Sale Price|25% Off
Antique American Abstract Expressionist Signed Large Landscape Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique American modernist abstract oil painting. Oil on canvas, circa 1950. Signed. Image size 46L x 36H. Framing is available!
Canvas, Oil
$455
Devil's Bit Scabious - 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
$635
Caribbean Sea - Original Textured Blue Tone Abstract Landscape Artwork Framed
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
$1,800
Artist and Model Howard Hodgkin abstracted orange and black watercolor gouache
Located in New York, NY
Large black and marigold orange abstract interior scene of a bust in front of a window with fingerprints and painterly brushstrokes. Rich color and texture ideal for hanging in minim...
Watercolor, Gouache, Etching
#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
Md Tokon - The Evening We Met 2, Painting 2016
By Md Tokon
Located in Stamford, CT
Collection: Beyond The Horizon Acrylic on canvas Md Tokon's style has reflected the art of American Abstract Expressionists. Md Tokon spent his early years in Jhenidah and Dhaka. Th...
Canvas, Acrylic Polymer, Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Untitled 5 (Abstract painting)
By Jesús Perea
Located in London, GB
Untitled 5 (Abstract painting) Acrylic on canvas — Unframed. Fluctuating between illustration and expressionism, connecting the geometric and biomorphic worlds, Perea communicates t...
Acrylic, Canvas
Expression 10 by M.Y., Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Expression 10 by M.Y. I am constantly looking for different techniques, colors and materials to experiment with, and always strive to achieve sensual harmony in every composition. I ...
Acrylic
Come, swim with me (Abstract Painting)
By Greet Helsen
Located in London, GB
Color and luminosity define the work of Greet Helsen. Her paintings are best described as abstract landscapes, informed by her memories of personal encounters with nature. Working n...
Canvas, Acrylic
$10,603
ABSTRACT Mirko Baricchi Oil Gestural Landscapes Flora Earth Tones Mixed media
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Mirko Baricchi (born 1970) is an accomplished Italian painter who currently lives and works between Vicenza and La Spezia, regions located in Veneto and Liguria, Italy, respectively....
Cotton Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
$526
Hand Painted Edition-Sunset Song with Blue and Green-British Awarded Artist-No.2
Located in London, GB
Sunset Song with Blue and Green is part of Sunset Song Series, a major new body of work created by British awarded artist Shizico Yi for her solo exhibition Modern Ancient. Painted e...
Gesso, Oil, Acrylic, Archival Paper
$4,458
Contemporary Minimalist Green Earth Abstract Painting Canvas Tete Alurralde
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...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic, Pigment
Kumo 10 (Abstract Painting)
Located in London, GB
Image size is 19.5 x 19.5 cm matted to 50 x 50 x 0.1 cm (19.7 x 19.7 in) Janise Yntema’s practice is rooted in the mastery of wax-based media, ranging from traditional heated encau...
Resin, Paper, Wax, Pigment
Zen Circle of Togetherness No. 2
Located in Bozeman, MT
This is an unframed original painting on paper. Rocky Hawkins was born in 1950 in Seattle, Washington and grew up in small towns near the Cascades Mountains. His interest in the myst...
Mixed Media, Archival Paper
$1,380
Joyous Sea, Abstract Seascape, Horizontal Diptych, Paper, Turquoise Fish Pattern
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, Watercolor, Monoprint
Kumo 8 (Abstract Painting)
Located in London, GB
Image size is 19.5 x 19.5 cm matted to 50 x 50 x 0.1 cm (19.7 x 19.7 in) Janise Yntema’s practice is rooted in the mastery of wax-based media, ranging from traditional heated encau...
Resin, Paper, Wax, Pigment
Kumo 2 (Abstract Painting)
Located in London, GB
Image size is 19.5 x 19.5 cm matted to 50 x 50 x 0.1 cm (19.7 x 19.7 in) Janise Yntema’s practice is rooted in the mastery of wax-based media, ranging from traditional heated encau...
Resin, Paper, Wax, Pigment
Kumo 1 (Abstract Painting)
Located in London, GB
Image size is 19.5 x 19.5 cm matted to 50 x 50 x 0.1 cm (19.7 x 19.7 in) Janise Yntema’s practice is rooted in the mastery of wax-based media, ranging from traditional heated encau...
Resin, Paper, Wax, Pigment
Concetto Spaziale - Lithograph by Lucio Fontana - 1962
Located in Roma, IT
Concetto Spaziale is a contemporary artwork realized by Lucio Fontana. Aquatint etching on Fabriano paper. Edition of IV/XXV. The complete edition includes also 75 specimen number...
Paper, Lithograph
$730
Calm Water Blue Tones Diptych of Japanese Zen Pond Ripples, Feng Shui Cyanotype
By Kind of Cyan
Located in Barcelona, ES
This is an exclusive handprinted limited edition cyanotype. This diptych is titled "Japanese Zen Pond Ripples", and shows ripples of water from a calming pond. Details: + Title: Ja...
Emulsion, Monotype, Photographic Film, Watercolor, C Print, Lithograph, ...