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.
Painting with linen, beeswax and natural pigments, yellow turmeric and brown
Located in Carballo, ES
The painting measures 77 x 39 cm and is an old linen sack filled with polyurethane foam. The pigments include beeswax, oxide vinegar, yellow turmeric, and natural graphite. The work...
Canvas, Wax, Graphite, Pigment
Sculpted white folds. 3D texture
Located in Zofingen, AG
The artwork is crafted on a wooden circular canvas, enhancing its organic and natural appeal. The folds, created from durable mesh and coated with plaster, add depth and texture to t...
Mixed Media
Persian Morning II (Abstract expressionist mid-century Indiana artist painting)
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Mary Ann Robertson (1923-1911). Persian Morning II, 1964. Oil and paper on canvas. 25 x 36 1/2 inches. overall frame size 37 1/2 x 26 inches. notes: Nashville, IN woman artist....
Oil, Handmade Paper
$7,730
Feeling on Top of the World & Journey Together, diptych, abstract, contemporary
Located in Deddington, GB
Feeling on Top of the World is an expressionistic painting by abstract artist Diane Whalley. Created over a number of weeks allowing time for layering, show through and mark making. ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$796Sale Price|20% Off
Ellsworth Kelly, Lotus, from Derriere le Miroir, 1982
Located in Southampton, NY
This exquisite lithograph by Ellsworth Kelly (1923–2015), titled Lotus, originates from the historic 1982 folio Derriere le Miroir, No. 250, Hommage a Aime et Marguerite Maeght (Trib...
Lithograph
Azurite Gossamer-original modern abstract oil painting- contemporary Art artwork
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Gold Leaf
$1,757
Original Triptych-Sunlit Series-British Awarded Artist-Gold Leaf, Oil on canvas
Located in London, GB
This stunning Original Set of 3 paintings by Shizico Yi on Canvas includes: Sunlit-Primary Blue Sunlit-Primary Red Sunlit-Purple with Red these are a part of Shizico Yi's Sunlit proj...
Gold Leaf
Whispers of Willingness
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work echoes the theme of a quiet inner decision — that moment when a willingness to open up to the light is born from within. White blossoms appear as a language of softness tha...
Canvas, Acrylic
Growing Up by Murray Duncan Abstract Geometric Mix Media On Canvas
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Growing Up, 2025 by Murray Duncan Mixed media on canvas 60 × 60 inches Growing Up is a large-scale abstract work that explores quiet transformation, spatial awareness, and the subt...
Glaze, Carbon Pencil
Nick Thomm - Loom (HYDRA) Standard
Located in FITZROY, VIC
Nick Thomm 'LOOM' (Hydra) 69cm x 92cm (27"×36″) Limited Edition of 305. Archival Pigment Print on Hahnemühle 308gsm Fine Art Paper. Condition: NEW. Worldwide Shipping. Sold Unframed.
Archival Ink, Giclée, Archival Pigment
$956Sale Price|20% Off
Ellsworth Kelly, Yellow Shape, from Derriere le Miroir, 1958
Located in Southampton, NY
This exquisite lithograph by Ellsworth Kelly (1923–2015), titled Forme Jaune (Yellow Shape), originates from the historic 1958 folio Derriere le Miroir, No. 110. Published by Maeght ...
Lithograph
Red on Yellow - Abstract Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, 1970s, Large Scale
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This large-scale contemporary painting by Milly Ristvedt explores colour in abstract form. A masterful, award-winning colourist, Milly Ristvedt’s elegant abstract paintings hang on...
Canvas, Acrylic
"Forevermore 2" - Original Abstract Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Denver, CO
Forevermore 2 by Dorothy Fagan is a 2023 oil on canvas measuring 48 x 36 inches, with a framed size of 49.50 x 37.50 x 2 inches. Professionally framed and ready to hang, this vibrant...
Canvas, Oil
$16,000
"I Dream in Flowers", Vibrant Colorful Heavily Textured Mixed Media Abstract
Located in Carmel, CA
Sveta Hessler (Russian, born 1973) "I Dream in Flowers" 2025 Oil and mixed media on stretched canvas The artist signed the back of the painting. “I Dream in Flowers” is a heavily te...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Stretcher Bars, Oil
Large Figural Abstract Late 1960s Painting, Mexican American Artist
By Miguel Conde
Located in Beachwood, OH
Miguel Condé (Mexican/American, b. 1939) Untitled, 1968 Oil on canvas Signed and dated verso 55.25 x 44 inches Miguel Condé is a Mexican figurative painter, draughtsman, and print m...
Oil
#234, 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
Cuerpos Magnéticos #10. Wall sculpture
Located in Miami Beach, FL
From the series Cuerpos Magnéticos (Magetic Bodies) Cuerpos Magnéticos was born searching for the relationship between nature and our bodies, attraction and rejection. We see rocks,...
Epoxy Resin
$2,400
Shady Spot, Guatemala - Cool Tone Abstract 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
$2,000
Do The Twist - Original Soft Gestural Texture Abstract 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
Belles de nuit 1969 Signed Limited Edition Etching Abstract Nude
Located in Rochester Hills, MI
Artist Name: Barbara Kwasniewska Title: Belles de nuit - ladies of the Night Year: 1969 Medium Type: etching Size-Width Size-Height: 22.5'' x 30" inches Signed Edition Size: Signe...
Etching
$1,500
Interaction of Color: Homage to the Square, Abstract Screenprint by Josef Albers
By Josef Albers
Located in Long Island City, NY
This "Homage to the Square" print was created by Albers for the occasion of an exhibition at Grippi Gallery in Manhattan in 1973. It is in an excellent white contemporary frame. Art...
Screen
"Ambient Resonance" - Organic hand-built ceramic bowl sculpture
Located in East Quogue, NY
"Ambient Resonance" Hand-coiled and pinched wide ceramic sculpture vessel by Jessamyn Go. Iron Speckled Brown Stoneware, White Crawl Glaze, White Glaze Interior Size: 11.5 x 11.5 x...
Ceramic, Stoneware, Glaze
Belle Golinko Vintage American Female Modernist Abstract Expressionist Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage American abstract oil painting. Oil on canvas. Signed. Framed. Measuring: 31 by 43 inches overall, and 24 by 36 painting alone. Signed. Nicely framed. Excellent condition, ...
Oil, Canvas
$309
Abstract impressionist floral acrylic painting on paper "Morning's rose bloom"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary expressive impressionist floral piece with a touch of abstract and art brut, Morning’s Rose Bloom, was created by French artist Natalya Mougenot in her Lyon studio ...
Paper, Acrylic
Surrealist Magical Exotic Birds in Tree Painting
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Exotic Magical Birds Perched on Tree Limbs, ca. 1950. Oil on canvas, 14 x 18 inches. Unsigned, artist unknown.
Oil
Large Multicolor Relief Wall Sculpture Abstract Mosaic in Clay on Framed Panel
Located in FISTERRA, ES
"Chewing Gum" is a bold and vibrant wall sculpture that captures the sensory joy and visual rhythm of childhood memories through a meticulously crafted arrangement of hand-sculpted c...
Clay, Canvas, Spray Paint
$1,795
The Sea is Calling My Soul - Original Luminous Blue Textural Abstract 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
Abstract Relief Painting in Vibrant Blue by José María de Aurora Contemporary
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
"Das modell"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
The task was to write in a semi-abstract style about one’s impressions and observations of a nude model.
Canvas, Oil
$662
Hand-Painted Canvas Proof#2-Purple Misty Alliums-British Awarded Artist-Last One
Located in London, GB
This Artist’s Proof is approximately 90% hand-painted with original oil paint and gesso by Shizico Yi, applied directly onto a premium Giclée canvas made from her original oil painti...
Gesso, Canvas, Oil, Acrylic, Giclée
$3,467
Echo of Lanscape, Abstract , oil, Contemporary, multicolor, french art, modern
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Unframed: 60 × 60 cm (23.6 × 23.6 in) Framed: 67 × 67 cm (26.4 × 26.4 in) Frame available in black or natural wood In Echo of Landscape, Sophie Dumont explores the landscape not as ...
Oil
$7,800
Matter and Antimatter - Italian Abstract Art, Gestural Abstraction, Blue, Yellow
Located in New York, NY
Materia et Antimateria by Ruggero Vanni is an exceptional example of abstract expressionism meeting sculptural sensibilities. This unique mixed-media painting blends pigments and tex...
Canvas, Oil
Yellowstone - Colorful Abstract National Park Landscape on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Maria C Bernhardsson's original artworks are influenced by the architecture and geometry of houses. Born in Sweden, Bernhardsson travels the world photographing and sketching houses ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Las Mascaras XIV. From Las Mascaras (The masks) Series
Located in Miami Beach, FL
This series draws inspiration from Hatillo’s Fiesta de los Santos Inocentes, translating the festival’s vibrant movement and collective energy into a refined abstract vocabulary. Thr...
Paper, Oil Crayon, Pastel
$29,500
"Seduction Series" O2JH , Abstract, Figurative 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. König combines modern painting with acrylic with old techniques and in this way, h...
Clay, Acrylic
Dance of the Hummingbirds
Located in Zofingen, AG
“Dance of the Hummingbirds” invites the viewer into a luminous world of movement, balance, and quiet magic. Two vibrant hummingbirds gracefully hover around blooming fuchsia flowers,...
Canvas, Acrylic
original lithograph
By Joan Miró
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: original lithograph. Catalogue reference: Mourlot 508. Printed in 1967 for the art revue Derriere le Miroir (issue number 164-165 -- L'Oiseau Solaire, L'Oiseau Lunaire, Etinc...
Lithograph
"Last Light" (2025) Abstract Figurative Oil and Mixed Media Painting on Canvas
By John McCaw
Located in Denver, CO
John McCaw's (US based) "Still Life" is an abstract oil painting in greens, grey, black and yellow. John McCaw (b. 1967), the eldest son of American expressionist Dan McCaw and bro...
Canvas, Oil
Pastel Grid (Spice) - contemporary, minimalist, abstract, pastel on paper
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This colourful contemporary pastel on paper in grid form is by Milly Ristvedt. The classic grid pattern becomes more than a ‘container’ for colour in the hands of master colourist M...
Paper, Pastel
$241Sale Price|20% Off
Eclipsed in Time - black and white abstract portrait, limited edition of 20
By Ugne Pouwell
Located in London, GB
"Eclipsed in Time" suggests a moment of transition, obscurity, or transformation—much like an eclipse where something is temporarily veiled yet still present. The title reflects the ...
Giclée
0314. Abstract Painting on Canvas, Acrylic.
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The process of creating a painting leaves behind a series of elements that become the starting point for a new piece. A mark, a line, color and shape become elements of a new paintin...
Canvas, Acrylic
Bridge - Abstract Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, 1969, Colorful Ribbons
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This large contemporary abstract painting by Milly Ristvedt is one of her colourful ribbons series. In the late 1960s, Canadian artist Milly Ristvedt had fallen in love with using r...
Canvas, Acrylic
$538
Contemporary abstract expressionist human portrait on canvas "Identity within"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“Identity Within” – a metamodern reflection on inner truth, duality, and the human journey toward authentic selfhood “Identity Within” is a powerful and introspective portrait in wh...
Canvas, Acrylic
The Open Door 1979 Signed Limited Edition Lithograph
Located in Rochester Hills, MI
Artist: Romare Bearden Title: The Open Door Year: 1979 Print: Lithograph on Somerset Paper Paper size : 22'' x 30'' Edition: Signed in pencil and marked 4/175 Romare Bearden is r...
Lithograph
Cretan dream No.2 - Monochrome Water Abstraction, Limited Edition of 20
By Ugne Pouwell
Located in London, GB
Cretan dream No.2 is an abstract study of light moving across Aegean water, filaments of brightness threading through soft tonal depths. The piece sits between seascape and drawing: ...
Giclée
$775
Black And White - Impasto Inspired Textural Thick Acrylic Paint Abstract Artwork
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, Acrylic
Joan Miro original lithograph "Serie II: bleu et rouge"
By Joan Miró
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: original lithograph. Printed in Paris in 1961 at the Atelier Maeght for the "Miró 1959-1960" catalogue and published by the Pierre Matisse Gallery in an edition of 1200. Size...
Lithograph
$1,620
Sirene de Minuit - Original Luminous Blue Green Textural Abstract Flora 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
$8,728
Contemporary Minimal Abstract, Large-Scale Neutral Earth Tones Painting
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, Mixed Media, Pigment
PULSATION OF TIME
Located in Zofingen, AG
In Pulsation of Time, the artist turns to the technique of impulsive gesture, intertwining it with delicate, translucent glazing. The multilayered texture forms a space that seems to...
Canvas, Oil
$7,100
av_965 Colorful Original Contemporary Abstract Painting on Natural Linen Canvas
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...
Linen, Acrylic
Rêver Ensemble - Soft Green Abstract Floral Landscape 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
ABSTRACT 2565
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this piece, I poured vibrant emotion into layers of soft pastels, letting acrylics dance freely across the canvas. The swirling pinks, yellows, and blues express an uplifting ener...
Oil, Acrylic
THE MILKY WAY CIRCLE (Limited Edition of Only 30 Prints)
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
**STORE CLOSURE - UP TO 80% OFF - TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT** ***EVERYTHING MUST GO BY DECEMBER 31ST!*** >>The artist is moving to a new full time venture in 2026<< _________...
Canvas
The Divine Goddess - Warm Soft Jewel Tone Abstract Floral 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
$3,600
Cooler Heads Prevail - Large Abstract Expressionist Textural Painting in Blue
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles artist Marc Raphael's abstract expressionism paintings are influenced by New York's abstract expressionist movement. After encountering Jackson Pollock’s work for the fir...
Canvas, Acrylic, Latex
$536
Contemporary impressionist expressive floral painting paper "Roses in light"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This expressive and vibrant floral painting of roses, created by the contemporary French artist Natalya Mougenot, is a dynamic representation of nature’s energy. Born in Kazakhstan i...
Paper, Acrylic
One Off large-Hand-Painted Artist Proof-Summer Night-British Awarded Artist
Located in London, GB
This stunning Artist's Proof is an one-off, hand-painted by the artist Shizico , signed at front and on the back label too; the proof is 90% hand painted with original oil paint by S...
Gesso, Giclée, Archival Paper, Acrylic, Archival Ink
Helter Skelter - Large Contemporary Cubist Terracotta Orange Oil Painting Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles artist Harrison Gilman graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. In 2018 his artworks were exhibited at the We Rise Art Fair in Los Angeles alongside Shepard Fairey ...
Canvas, Oil
Julia Martins Miranda Large Abstract Oil Painting Warm Ochre Terracotta Tones
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