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Abstract Art

ABSTRACT STYLE

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.

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Style: Abstract
Flowers #10 large contemporary acrylic painting on canvas
Flowers #10 large contemporary acrylic painting on canvas

Flowers #10 large contemporary acrylic painting on canvas

Located in Los Angeles, CA

“Flowers #10” is a large-scale acrylic painting by contemporary Ukrainian artist Liza Zhdanova, created in 2024. This work belongs to her acclaimed “Flowers” series, where she explor...

Category

2010s Abstract Art

Materials

Acrylic

Untitled
Untitled

Untitled

By Geoff Rees

Located in Vancouver, CA

Geoff Rees (1930-2018) Untitled, 1990s Acrylic on canvas. Unstretched. 72 x 86 inches. Description Geoff Rees was a significant figure in West Coast modernist painting, known for h...

Category

1990s Abstract Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

THALASSO 6 - Abstract Figurative Green Painting on Canvas, Marine Biomorphic
THALASSO 6 - Abstract Figurative Green Painting on Canvas, Marine Biomorphic

THALASSO 6 - Abstract Figurative Green Painting on Canvas, Marine Biomorphic

By Chloe York

Located in Signal Mountain, TN

"Thalasso 6" is part of an on-going series of paintings by Chloe York centered around marine biology. Chloe’s work is flat and linear and always begins with a human head and shoulder...

Category

2010s Abstract Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic, Watercolor

Spring Run XVI

Spring Run XVI

By Helen Frankenthaler

Located in New York, NY

Vivid color monotype by American Abstract Expressionist artist Helen Frankenthaler, signed by the artist in pencil, lower right. Printed and published in collaboration with Tyler Graphics...

Category

Late 20th Century Abstract Art

Materials

Monotype

"Untitled. Diptych"
"Untitled. Diptych"

"Untitled. Diptych"

Located in Edinburgh, GB

This work is a continuation of the series "Grasses", but I expressed my creative search with an experiment and tried a new colors for me - gray and purple . This colors for me is the...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Under the Moonlight
Under the Moonlight

Under the Moonlight

Located in Zofingen, AG

On the painting, the Goddess eembraces the lamb. Her appearance reveals an underlying bond between the divine, the human, and the natural, suggesting that these realms arise from a c...

Category

2010s Abstract Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Banana skin yellow pill (minimaliste grid round painting on wood dopamine)
Banana skin yellow pill (minimaliste grid round painting on wood dopamine)

Banana skin yellow pill (minimaliste grid round painting on wood dopamine)

By Melisa Taylor Metzger

Located in Quebec, Quebec

"Banana skin yellow pill" is one of the 30 small tondo paintings on wood comprising the Dopamine mosaic. This 30-piece ensemble was created between January and April 2024 by the arti...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Art

Materials

Spray Paint

Whispers in the Wilderness- original abstract expressive painting - modern art
Whispers in the Wilderness- original abstract expressive painting - modern art

Whispers in the Wilderness- original abstract expressive painting - modern art

By Lori Mirabelli

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...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Art

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media

Alexander's Inspiration (Abstract Sculpture)
Alexander's Inspiration (Abstract Sculpture)

Alexander's Inspiration (Abstract Sculpture)

Located in London, GB

Aluminum sheet, metal wire and acrylic - mobile "Limited edition of 8 1/8 Available on request — 3 week turnaround " Amaury Maillet is a self-taught artist who explored art in Pro...

Category

2010s Abstract Art

Materials

Metal

La Gournaise l   / Oil on Linen
La Gournaise l   / Oil on Linen

La Gournaise l / Oil on Linen

By Frédéric Choisel

Located in Burlingame, CA

La Gournaise l is a warm elegant golden cloud at sunset. Evocative, modern and unique. French American Frédéric Choisel, has had multiple solo and group exhibitions in New York, Par...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Art

Materials

Linen, Oil

Ed Moses artist, limited edition lithograph, "Untitled 7"
Ed Moses artist, limited edition lithograph, "Untitled 7"

Ed Moses artist, limited edition lithograph, "Untitled 7"

Located in Chesterfield, MI

Abstract limited edition lithograph by artist Ed Moses. Excellent piece for art collectors or NEW art collectors. It is hand signed by the artist. Note: It will require a slight...

Category

20th Century Abstract Art

Materials

Lithograph

Monet's Pond at Giverny, Oil Painting
Monet's Pond at Giverny, Oil Painting

Monet's Pond at Giverny, Oil Painting

By Onelio Marrero

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Reflections on the water in Monet's pond at Giverny. Onelio spent some time there taking in the splendor of the setting. "Each view of the place was a paintin...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Art

Materials

Oil

Cobalt Confetti, Abstract Painting
Cobalt Confetti, Abstract Painting

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...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Art

Materials

Acrylic

Md Tokon - The Evening We Met 2, Painting 2016

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...

Category

2010s Abstract Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic Polymer, Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

Portrait of a Woman
Portrait of a Woman

Portrait of a Woman

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Neo-Expressionist painting depicts a young woman in luminous light. Encaustic on canvas, 14 x 17 inches. Unsigned. Minor paint loss along edge.

Category

Early 2000s Abstract Art

Materials

Encaustic

Dreamtime: Portrait Abstract Contemporary Butterfly Soft Warm Freedom Invest
Dreamtime: Portrait Abstract Contemporary Butterfly Soft Warm Freedom Invest

Dreamtime: Portrait Abstract Contemporary Butterfly Soft Warm Freedom Invest

By Karnish Art

Located in Pretoria, Gauteng

Title: Dreamtime Dreamtime Portrait Abstract Contemporary Butterfly Soft Warm Freedom Portraits through the eyes of Karnish. "DREAMTIME Follow her to a world of play and abundan...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Art

Materials

Gesso, Canvas, Acrylic, Pastel, Wood, Stretcher Bars

Postcard from Paradise II, St Tropez, Abstract Painting on Paper, 24x18in
Postcard from Paradise II, St Tropez, Abstract Painting on Paper, 24x18in

Postcard from Paradise II, St Tropez, Abstract Painting on Paper, 24x18in

By a.muse

Located in New york, NY

Postcard from Paradise II, St Tropez by a.muse is 24 x 18in abstract painting with multi-colored “dots,” expressive lines, and organic shapes that translate light, energy and joy of...

Category

2010s Abstract Art

Materials

Oil Pastel, Pastel, Rag Paper

Turquoise turtle in gold
Turquoise turtle in gold

Turquoise turtle in gold

Located in Zofingen, AG

The painting is created in a mixed media technique using gold leaf. The central image of the composition is a sea turtle — a symbol of harmony, wisdom, and tranquility. The turtle’s...

Category

2010s Abstract Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic, Mixed Media

Revere Beach, MA
Revere Beach, MA

Paul CaponigroRevere Beach, MA, 1958

$3,600Sale Price|20% Off

Revere Beach, MA

By Paul Caponigro

Located in Pacific Grove, CA

This large silver gelatin photograph with untrimmed margins is signed and titled in pencil in the margin under the image. Likely printed in the 1990s.

Category

1950s Abstract Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Coastal Equilibrium
Coastal Equilibrium

Coastal Equilibrium

By Katarina Joys

Located in London, London

SPECIAL SPRING FLASH SALE: 25% OFF this weekend only to celebrate our 2026 Collection launch. Ships safely rolled in a gallery tube. All the custom charges are included in the final...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Art

Materials

Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

The Dancing Satyr - bright, colorful, gestural, abstract, acrylic on canvas
The Dancing Satyr - bright, colorful, gestural, abstract, acrylic on canvas

The Dancing Satyr - bright, colorful, gestural, abstract, acrylic on canvas

Located in Bloomfield, ON

Fluid lines of colour appear to dance across the canvas in this colourful abstract painting –a collaboration between Canadian visual artist Richard Tosczak and an Italian artist, Angela Letizia Renzi. Inspired by an Italian sculpture of a mythological creature—the Satyr (a figure caught between human and animal worlds) found by a fisherman in 1998, this expressive piece is rendered in yellow, orange, green, pink, orange and white. “The philosophical artistic formation of one and the literary humanistic of the other, are intertwined in a common vocabulary, a visual language of colour, gesture and form.” Tosczak and Renzi Richard Tosczak was born in Belgium. He studied philosophy and sculpture at the University of Alberta. At that time, Tosczak began working in steel and was influenced by a number of his professors who appreciated the work of a British abstract sculptor, Sir Anthony Caro considered one of the greatest sculptors of his generation. Further studies were pursued in France with another internationally acclaimed classic sculptor, Martine Vaugel...

Category

2010s Abstract Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Albert Bridge Sunset - original modern realism cityscape artwork
Albert Bridge Sunset - original modern realism cityscape artwork

Albert Bridge Sunset - original modern realism cityscape artwork

Located in London, Chelsea

We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. "Albert Bridge Sunset" by Sarah Fosse is a bold and vibrant acrylic on board that ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Jean Dubuffet - Le Hochet - Original Screenprint
Jean Dubuffet - Le Hochet - Original Screenprint

Jean Dubuffet - Le Hochet - Original Screenprint

By Jean Dubuffet

Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH

Jean Dubuffet Banque de L'Hourloupe Original Card with a title card Original edition of 350 numbered sets with 30 hors commerce Dimensions: 25 x 16 cm Screen printed by Kelpra Studios, London Editions Alecto, London 1967 Jean Dubuffet (1901 - 1985) Jean Dubuffet was born on July 31, 1901, in Le Havre, France. He attended art classes in his youth and in 1918 moved to Paris to study at the Académie Julian, which he left after six months. During this time, Dubuffet met Raoul Dufy, Max Jacob, Fernand Léger, and Suzanne Valadon and became fascinated with Hans Prinzhorn's book on psychopathic art. He traveled to Italy in 1923 and South America in 1924. Then Dubuffet gave up painting for about ten years, working as an industrial draftsman and later in the family wine business. He committed himself to becoming an artist in 1942. Dubuffet's first solo exhibition was held at the Galerie René Drouin, Paris, in 1944; the Pierre Matisse Gallery gave him his first solo show in New York in 1947. During the 1940s, the artist associated with André Breton, Georges Limbour, Jean Paulhan, and Charles Ratton...

Category

1960s Abstract Art

Materials

Screen

Abstract art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Abstract art available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add art created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, purple, orange, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Sumit Mehndiratta, Giorgio Lo Fermo, Francisco Nicolás, and Dadodu . Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Synthetic Resin Paint and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Abstract art, so small editions measuring 0.02 inches across are also available.