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.
$3,416
Correspondances, Modern Abstract painting, Geometric, Original Oil on Canvas
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Sophie Dumont is a contemporary French painter recognized for her layered oil paintings, where structure and material create refined, architectural compositions collected internatio...
Oil
Going: Abstract Mixed Media on Wood Panel, Framed, 91.4x76.2 cm
Located in BARCELONA, ES
Stephen identifies the delicate texture and beauty of the natural oxidation process. Oftentimes a found object initiates his work: By incorporating an object directly, imprinting, or...
Mixed Media, Wood, Wood Panel
Equilibre Oblique 2/10 - monumental, geometric abstract, steel outdoor sculpture
Located in Bloomfield, ON
As a young artist, Philippe Pallafray was inspired by sculpture masters and years later his dynamic contemporary sculptures are collected in both Canada and the United States. The Qu...
Stainless Steel
$1,450Sale Price|50% Off
Whirl Wind (Abstract, Expressive, Fun, Colorful, Warm, 50% OFF - MUST GO NOW)
Located in Kansas City, MO
Katherine Bello Whirl Wind Mixed Media on Canvas 2025 Size: 24 x 48 inches (60.96 x 121.92cm) Signed and titled by hand COA provided *on stretcher frame, ready to hang. -----------...
Wood, Oil, Stretcher Bars
Three Square Composition, 1978 Signed Limited Edition Screen Print
By Larry Zox
Located in Rochester Hills, MI
Larry Zox (1937-2006) Three Square Composition, 1978 Print, Silkscreen, on Arches archival paper - 1978 52 " x 25 " inches Signed in pencil and marked VIII/LV Unframed. Larry Zox i...
Screen
Searching, Abstract Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Bright orange adds warmth against the cool blue and green tones. Artist Maya Henaff uses multiple layers of heavy-body acrylic paints to create this abstract co...
Acrylic
Original-Dahlias with Cat -British Awarded Artist-gold leaf and oil on canvas
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
In her 'Prayers,' series, Shizico incorporates Dahlias, which bloom in the late summer, bringing vibrancy to the garden into the winter's chilly months. The innocence of a cat serves...
Copper, Gold Leaf
Gaia 59 - Clouds Sky Birds Murmuration Black and White Landscape Photograph
Located in Brighton, GB
Gaia 59 by Jaume Llorens Bach Gaia 59 is a 18cm x 24cm Black-and-White print on Premio Kozo 180gsm White Paper by Awagami Factory This size in a Limited Edition of 10 + 2 Artist's ...
Photographic Paper, Black and White, Digital
Commit, contemporary, horizontal art, Larry Poons, red, textured painting
By Lloyd Tabing
Located in Jönköping, SE
This painting is part of my newest collection titled Sovereign Solitude which marks a deliberate, structural shift in my studio practice. Following an intensive 18-month immersion in...
Linen, Acrylic
Blue Oil Flowers, Original Painting, Abstract art blue painting with green
Located in Deddington, GB
This is a dense, multi-textured oil painting inspired by the flowers around my studio - roses, hibiscus and purple geraniums. It can allow the viewer to look deep into the painting a...
Canvas, Acrylic
#21, Abstract, Photography, Painting, Expressionism
Located in München, BY
Unique piece More sizes and an Essay from Lyle Rexer about this series on request. Joachim Schmeisser’s work rescues photography from the centuries-old straightjacket of realism to...
Pigment
$4,099
Le Tromboniste, Contemporary Geometric Abstract Oil Painting by Sophie Dumont
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Sophie Dumont is a French contemporary painter born in Paris in 1964. She lives and works in Normandy, where she has developed a distinctive practice characterized by layered surface...
Oil
$1,150
Space Talk - Original Textural Layered Figurative Abstract Shapes Colorful Art
By Jonas Fisch
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Swedish artist Jonas Fisch’s imagery is vibrantly buzzing with colorful commentary on society - past and present - morphed into figures, words, and shapes. His heavily layered canvas...
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$7,700
As Night Falls - Abstract Atmospheric Moody Landscape Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Mark Acetelli’s oil and mixed media paintings awaken the viewer’s sense of exploration and adventure; they demand a new discovery. His artworks exhibit a chemistry of complexity and ...
Canvas, Oil
$5,500
Brass Section Jamming at Minton's 1979 Signed Lithograph by Romare Bearden
Located in Rochester Hills, MI
Artist: Romare Bearden Title Brass Section Jamming at Minton's from the Jazz Suite Year: 1979 Print - Lithograph on Arches Archival Paper Paper Size 27.75'' x 33.5'' Edition: Signed...
Lithograph
Contemporary Neo-Expressionist Fauvist influence still-life art "Blooming aura"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
Contemporary Neo-Expressionist floral still life with Fauvist chromatic influence, expressive mixed-media painting on heavyweight professional acid-free paper (50 × 65 cm / 19.7 × 25...
Paper, Acrylic
$660
Pleasant Memories . Contemporary Floral Abstract Painting , Soft Tones, Framed
Located in Oslo, NO
In Pleasant Memories, the artist explores a quiet inner emotional state shaped by my personal feelings and by observing nature. The painting conveys warmth, love, tenderness, and a s...
Canvas, Acrylic
$100Sale Price|20% Off
Abstract Painting on Canvas by Serg Graff "Funny Octopuses", COA
By Serg Graff
Located in Palm Coast, FL
This is a unique original acrylic painting on canvas in a lively fantasy abstract style by Serg Graff, titled “Funny Octopuses.” The painting bursts with color and movement, depicti...
Acrylic
$2,178
Fragments of Light - Large Impasto Abstract Painting, Textured Blue Pink Canvas
Located in Zofingen, AG
Experience the captivating interplay of light, color, and texture with this original abstract painting. "Fragments of Light" is a visual metaphor for the artist’s vision of life — po...
Acrylic
Powerful Vagina Oil Painting, Abstract Expressionism, 50x50 cm
By Nerea Caos
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Title: The Powerful Vagina Artist: Nerea Caos (Nerea Sánchez Castro) Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 50 x 50 cm (19.7 x 19.7 in) Format: Unframed Year: 2025 Signature: Signed on th...
Canvas, Oil
Oil on canvas “Abstract Composition”, Yves Frangeul, 1964 France
Located in Valladolid, ES
Amazing oil on canvas with an abstract and avant-garde theme, by the French painter Yves Frangeul, dated 1964. The work presents a non-figurative scene, seemingly a superimposition o...
Canvas
Blush of Spring II - Impressionistic Painting on Linen Canvas, floral art
Located in Zofingen, AG
Blush of Spring II captures a quiet moment of early bloom. Delicate pink buds and soft white petals emerge along slender branches, floating gently across a pale green background. The...
Canvas, Linen, Acrylic
Hard-edge Abstract Geometric Painting
By John Haag
Located in San Francisco, CA
This original 2005 abstract painting titled "Two Oranges and a Green (Variation on a Theme)" is an elegant, structured mid-career artwork by the San Francisco-based artist John Haag....
Canvas, Acrylic
$4,555
"umbrella girl series"Gold Edition No.20, Abstract, 21st Century, Acrylic, Clay
By Roger König
Located in Dessau-Rosslau, Sachsen Anhalt
A delicate female silhouette beneath an umbrella, highlighted with gold, emerges from a richly textured wine-red background. Historical surface techniques, subtle traces of patina an...
Clay, Acrylic
$2,847
There is a language in the space between - K.Husslein flower Still life
Located in DE
'There is a language in the space between our breaths a quiet pull, stronger than gravity stronger than doubt' This is a beautiful oil painting of an array of flowers in a vase in f...
Canvas, Oil
Creation Myth Ceramic Vase Sculpture, Abstract Expressionist
By Alex Hodge 1
Located in Miami Beach, FL
This vessel was built using the traditional and ancient methods of coil building. Through this meditative process, ancestral connections are drawn. The composition wraps around the f...
Porcelain, Paint
Warm Touch
By Oksana Reva
Located in Zofingen, AG
“Warm Touch” A peaceful wave unfolds across the canvas — not forceful, not fierce, but gently wrapping the space in tenderness. Its shifting shades of blue flow softly, like the brea...
Canvas, Oil
Path of Memories
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work explores memory as a path shaped not only by events, but also by people, encounters, and inner transformation. It speaks about how, when we look back, we begin to see a com...
Canvas, Acrylic
Mécanique Céleste Rouille V2 - (Celestial Mechanics Rust) - Outdoor Sculpture
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary outdoor architectural sculpture is forged from steel. Philippe Pallafray’s visually compelling monumental sculptures are widely collected around the world. The ide...
Steel, Stainless Steel
Roy Lichtenstein - 1987 Modern painting with Clef poster, Hand Signed, inscribed
Located in New York, NY
Offset lithograph poster Signed exhibiton poster for the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Hand signed, dated '88 and inscribed 'To Osc...
Lithograph, Offset
A Moment Together by Gaetan de Seguin Figurative contemporary Painting
Located in DE
Contemporary figurative painting with lots of details and movement. Beautiful statement piece for any art collection. Combining a lot of different colors in any interiors and settin...
Canvas, Acrylic
"I Want To Believe", Abstract Expressionist, Figurative, Red, Oil Painting
By Sorin Bica
Located in Franklin, MA
Sorin Bica's "I Want To Believe" is a 69 x 58 inch abstract expressionist oil painting on canvas, representing stylized human figures in vivid red, orange and black tones, with bold ...
Canvas, Oil
$15,000
"Pond With Lotus Flowers" Monet's Water Garden in Giverny Painting on Canvas
By Eric Alfaro
Located in New York, NY
From Monet's sanctuary in Giverny, we are transported effortlessly through bold brushwork and impasto paint. Alfaro diligently layers the canvas with acrylic paint creating a truly b...
Canvas, Acrylic
L'equilibre des voix, Contemporary Large Abstract Oil Painting, 42x42 in
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
L’Équilibre des Voix Sophie Dumont L’Équilibre des Voix, 2026 Oil on canvas 100 x 100 cm (39.4 x 39.4 in) Framed: 107 x 107 cm (42.1 x 42.1 in) Signed by the artist Black or natural...
Canvas, Oil
$1,089Sale Price|20% Off
The Vanguard Series Nr. XXVII: A Collection of Postwar European Abstractions
Located in London, GB
"The Vanguard Series Nr. XXVII: A Collection of Postwar European Abstractions", oil on board, by unknown artist (circa 1950s–70s). A compelling body of work emerging from the forgott...
Oil, Board
$1,480Sale Price|20% Off
Sidera (Honeymoon) -21st Century, Contemporary, Abstract Expression, Flower 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
Above the Clouds - Abstract Atmospheric Cool Tone Landscape Oil Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Mark Acetelli’s oil and mixed media paintings awaken the viewer’s sense of exploration and adventure; they demand a new discovery. His artworks exhibit a chemistry of complexity and ...
Canvas, Oil
"Yasaq" Abstract Painting, 2026, Gold Leaf on Canvas
Located in Delaware , OH
Title: Yasaq This gold leaf piece is a striking statement work that seamlessly complements a wide range of interior styles. The reflective gold elements interact beautifully with nat...
Gold Leaf
$3,400
Fruity Ramen Alchemy: ARRIVAL - Meditative Abstract Blue Tone Painting on Canvas
By Jason DeMeo
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Abstract minimalist artist Jason DeMeo presents a collection of artworks designed to engage viewers in a meditative experience, drawing them closer to the enduring ideals of truth, b...
Gold Leaf
The Beginning
By Oksana Reva
Located in Zofingen, AG
“The Beginning” Oil on linen, multilayer technique This work captures the moment when form is born out of silence. Translucent layers of oil, laid one upon another like breaths of t...
Canvas, Oil
$700
Calm Blue Waters no1 original abstract painting on fine art paper 79w x 56 h cm
Located in COOMERA, QLD
Immerse yourself in the tranquil beauty of "Calm Blue Waters no1," a captivating abstract painting on paper. This original artwork, rendered in acrylics on fine art paper, showcases ...
Paper, Acrylic
Garden Party Mixed Media Sculpture, Abstract Steel and Fabric, 2010-
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Kristina Fjellman, a Minnesota-based visual artist and performer, seamlessly blends sculpture and performance art in her captivating work. With exhib...
Steel, Wire
$4,783
The Arches of Time, Large Abstract Geometric, Contemporary, Modern oil on canvas
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
In The Arches of Time, French contemporary painter Sophie Dumont explores the idea of architectural memory through a refined geometric language shaped by layered oil paint and subtle...
Oil
$637Sale Price|25% Off
COLORFUL RAINBOW RAIN III (Limited Edition Print of Only 30)
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
**HOLIDAY SEASON SALE UNTIL JANUARY 5TH - UP TO 60% OFF - PLEASE ASK** ***TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT*** **IMPORTANT** This is a limited edition prin...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas
$4,000
Combahee Night - Abstract Black Sculptural Original Three-Dimensional Wall Art
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Atticus Adams' organically composed modern metal sculptures embody the transformative power of art, illustrating the creation of beauty, meaning, and emotional impact from industrial...
Metal, Wire
Marine Spectrum, Mixed Media Seascape, Art Brut Style on Paper, Light Tones
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, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Watercolor
$973
"Provence bloom" Abstract expressive floral nature landscape painting on paper
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Provence Bloom "— Contemporary Vivid Abstract Floral Painting on paper, 2026 "Provence Bloom" is an original contemporary abstract floral painting from 2026, an expressive colouris...
Paper, Acrylic
$7,150
Before The Wire (Green, Blue, & White Abstract Expressionist Oil Painting)
Located in Hudson, NY
Before The Wire Green, 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
$2,175
"Provence serenity" Contemporary impressionist french nature acrylic painting
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Provence Serenity" — Original Contemporary Acrylic Landscape Painting “Provence Serenity” is an original contemporary acrylic landscape painting on stretched cotton canvas by Frenc...
Canvas, Acrylic
Sphere Definition 16 Abstract Artwork Original Painting Ready to Hang
Located in Granada Hills, CA
Artist: Vahe Yeremyan Title: Sphere Definition 16 Medium: Acrylic on Canvas Year: 2025 Style: Abstract Art Dimensions: 34.5" x 68.5" x 2" inch (88 x 174 x 5cm) Presentation: Framed,...
Canvas, Oil
Wooded Canal, Original Painting, Abstract art
Located in Deddington, GB
An oil and acrylic painting on paper of a canal scene. Painted without any reference other than my memory, this is of a patch of canal called ‘The Cleaves’. It lies between Lower Hey...
Paper, Oil, Acrylic
$558
Hand painted Artist Proof-Magnolias-Weaver Series-British Awarded Artist #2 of 3
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This stunning Artist's Proof is an one-off, oil hand-painted and gilded by the artist , signed at front and on the back label too; each proof is 80% hand painted and gold gilded by S...
Gold Leaf
Helen Frankenthaler poster, Hand signed twice & inscribed by Helen Frankenthaler
Located in New York, NY
Helen Frankenthaler (after) Frankenthaler: The Darker Palette (autographed and inscribed), 1998 Offset Lithograph poster 42 × 35 in hand signed "Frankenthaler" lower left; inscribed ...
Lithograph, Offset
$272Sale Price|33% Off
Havannah Purple, Abstract Gouache on Paper, Framed, Circa 1966
Located in Bournemouth, Dorset
George Dannatt (1915-2009) Havannah Purple 1966 Gouache on paper Image: 17.2 x 23.5 cm Frame: 31.1 x 37.1 cm Provenance: The George and Ann Dannatt Estate, The George Dannatt Tru...
Gouache
$1,600
Interwoven I, 2026 — Original Abstract Mixed Media on Paper, Murray Duncan
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Interwoven I, 2026 - mix media on paper, 32" x 44", signed Interwoven Forms is an original mixed-media work on paper by Canadian artist Murray Duncan. Layered gestural forms and fin...
Glaze, Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Pencil
$329Sale Price|20% Off
On Two Tables Silkscreen Print, Abstract Geometric, Circa 2011, APs
Located in Bournemouth, Dorset
ROBINSON , Geoffrey (b.1945) On Two Tables c.2011 Silkscreen Print 47.0 × 57.0 cm 18 1/2 × 22 2/5 in 2 APs Geoffrey Robinson trained at Bournemouth College of Art in the 1960’...
Screen
$89,972
Silence I’m making noise by J. Guarneri, Monumental Stainless Steel Sculpture
Located in Paris, FR
Silence I’m making noise (Silence je fais du bruit, 2021) by Julien Guarneri Stainless steel sculpture, 315 × 430 × 106 cm / 124 × 169.3 × 41.7 in. For Julien Guarneri, creating monu...
Stainless Steel
The Other Side of Here. Large Abstract Painting, Blue and Earth Tones
Located in Oslo, NO
Tatiana said following about this artwork. "In this work, I explore the idea that a familiar place can suddenly feel different. The composition developed freely, through layers of c...
Canvas, Acrylic
$260
Original Abstract Painting Serg Graff "The Primordial World" Surreal Fantasy Art
By Serg Graff
Located in Palm Coast, FL
"The Primordial World" is an original acrylic painting by contemporary American-based artist Serg Graff, whose imaginative visual language transforms abstract forms into extraordinar...
Acrylic
"Pond Life" Colorful Japanese Koi Fish & Water Lily Oil Painting on Canvas
By Eric Alfaro
Located in New York, NY
An impressionistic portrayal of Japanese Koi fish jubilantly depicted with movement and enthusiasm. In a burst of motion, the fish joyfully swim in the clear light blue waters, as th...
Canvas, Oil