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.
$2,072Sale Price|20% Off
Weightless Presence, seafoam green, pink, soft, serene, atmospheric
Located in Cumming, GA
This original abstract painting evokes a sense of ethereal calm, where soft whites and pale aqua tones drift together like whispers of clouds across the sky. The delicate layers and ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$200Sale Price|20% Off
Signed 1995 Abstract Lithograph by Eduardo Chillida, 26.75x18.75\"
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Collage by Eduardo Chillida is a limited edition lithograph, expertly printed on Stonehenge Super White mat finish paper and published by ARTE in Paris in 1995. This print features a...
Lithograph
Ventrilocuo, Contemporary Art, Abstract Painting, 21st Century
Located in Mexico City, MX
Contemporary Art, Abstract Painting Acrylic on canvas / Framed Black wood 50 x 75 cm Signed About the artist Enrique Pichardo (Mexico City, 1973) graduated from Escuela Nacional d...
Canvas, Acrylic
$38,000
Print of Frank Stella Wall Relief Sculpture, Hand Signed, Dated by Artist Framed
By Frank Stella
Located in New York, NY
Frank Stella (after) Untitled, for the Very Special Arts Gallery (Hand Signed by Frank Stella), 1992 Photo lithograph and offset litho on thin board (hand signed by Frank Stella) Fra...
Lithograph, Offset
F (Cherry II) Monotype Print, Abstract Style, 21st Century, Signed
Located in Bristol, GB
Monotype Unique Signed, numbered, dated and titled on the back Artwork in excellent condition. Some minor imperfections visible only on the reverse
Monotype
$1,200Sale Price|40% Off
Street After Rain (Santiago de Chile) Dominican Artist
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Alberto Ulloa Burgos (1 January 1950 – 1 October 2011). Street After Rain (Santiago de Chile), 1970. Oil on masonite panel measuring 20 x 24 inches; 26 x 30 inches framed. Signed and dated lower right. Original frame with export label stamp. Alberto Ulloa Burgos was a painter, sculptor, and poet from Altamira, Dominican Republic. He was a student of the distinguished Latin American painter Jaime Colson...
Masonite, Oil
Vintage American Modernist Abstract Expressionist Framed MCM Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage American modernist abstract oil painting. Oil on board. Signed. Framed. Provenance from a Sag Harbor, NY collection. Measuring: 15 by 19 inches overall. Handsomely framed in...
Oil
$1,293Sale Price|35% Off
Hydrangea - Soft abstract floral painting in gray and pink
Located in Silverthorne, CO
"Hydrangea" is a beautiful soft abstract floral painting and a lyrical ode to spring. It is made with ample paint and texture, in a beautiful palette of chromatic grays, violet, rose...
Oil
Mémoire Obscure - Large Abstract Oil Painting, Signed, 2026, French
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Artist Presentation Sophie Dumont is a French contemporary painter whose work explores abstraction through memory, architecture, and the silent presence of objects. Working primaril...
Canvas, Oil
$3,700
Mnemonic Rhythm (Bright, Multicolored Textile Inspired Abstract Wall Sculpture)
By Susan Stover
Located in Hudson, NY
Mnemonic Rhythm (Bright, Multicolored Textile Inspired Abstract Wall Sculpture), made by Susan Stover in 2025 wood, oil paint, varnish, waxed linen thread 30 x 30 inches Lightweight,...
Thread, Wood, Oil, Acrylic, Cardboard
$11,500
Golden Moments - Large Original Abstract Expressionism Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The paintings of Bruce Rubenstein seamlessly marry sophistication with affordability. His original art merges the creative attitudes of the two distinct art hot spots of New York and...
Canvas, Charcoal, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$358
Modern Abstract Expressionist woman's portrait acrylic on paper " True self"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary abstract expressionist portrait of a woman was created by French artist Natalya Mougenot. Bold, vivid, and emotionally charged, the piece—titled "True Self"—explore...
Acrylic, Paper
HERNANDEZ PIJUAN geometric composition.original engraving abstract painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
geometric composition.original engraving abstract painting. VIRTUAL FRAMED Pijuan, Joan (Barcelona, 1931-2005). Joan Hernández Pijuan formed between Barcelona and Paris. It has the ...
Engraving
Homage to the Square - P2, F14, I2 - Geometric Screenprint by Josef Albers
By Josef Albers
Located in Long Island City, NY
"Homage to the Square - Portfolio 2, Folder 14, Image 2" from the portfolio “Formulation: Articulation” created by Josef Albers in 1972. This monumental series consists of 127 origin...
Screen
Abstract Geometric Painting by Dave Braden
Located in San Francisco, CA
No two shapes are alike. Yet they work together as a harmonious whole. Painter David Braden has described his vision overall in abstract terms. Inspired by individuality, he especial...
Canvas, Acrylic
"The Denizens of Delight - Fun with Matisse", Abstract, Mixed Media Painting
By Peter Knapp
Located in Franklin, MA
Peter Knapp’s “The Denizens of Delight – Fun with Matisse” is a 27.375 x 38.25 x 1 inch mixed media abstract painting on panel in blue, purple, orange, and green acrylic, ink, and co...
Archival Ink, Acrylic, Panel, Color Pencil
The Hush of Winter, Abstract Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A quiet, enveloping atmosphere emerges. The abstract scene evokes the stillness of winter days when hushed sound and landscape rest within a veil of calm. Subtl...
Oil
$4,785
Dialogue of Forms — Contemporary Geometric Abstract Oil Painting, Sophie Dumont
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
French contemporary artist Sophie Dumont presents in Dialogue of Forms a refined geometric abstraction structured through a delicate balance of curved forms, architectural lines, and...
Oil
Big Sur Views - Abstract Landscape Ocean Blue Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With a contemporary perspective on landscape painting and inspired by paintings created by old masters, German artist Katharina Husslein paints in a representational manner to captur...
Canvas, Oil
$2,046Sale Price|20% Off
Huge French Contemporary Modernist Abstract Oil Painting Multi Colors
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Composition signed by Jacqueline VERDET (French, 1931-2023) oil painting on canvas, unframed canvas: 45 x 35 inches condition: the work is in overall very sound and good con...
Canvas, Oil
Pablo Picasso Abstract Etching, Unsigned, Series 156
Located in Washington, DC
Artist: Pablo Picasso (posthumously) Title: Femme au Fauteuil et Homme Accoude Medium: Etching Portfolio: Series 156 Date: 1978 Edition: 1/50 Stamped signature Frame Size: 19 1/8" x ...
Etching
Forgotten melody 150x200cm, Extra Large Abstract Violet Painting Interior Design
Located in Zofingen, AG
This extra-large artwork is made with acrylic on canvas. UV protection varnish. Inspired by the Very Peri color and abstract elements with fantasy lettering. The artwork and the com...
Canvas, Acrylic, Permanent Marker
Colored Abstract, Books, Oil on canvas, Expressionism, Geometric
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
In this work (Inner Arrangement), Sophie Dumont continues her exploration of the stylized library as a mental and architectural space rather than a literal representation. The compos...
Oil
154 Squares V.2 - Modern Colorful Abstract Geometric Acrylic Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Brandon Neher is a California artist whose original paintings embody a profound exploration of space, structure, and balance, infused with a touch of modern minimalism. Drawing inspi...
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Wood
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
$418
Expressive impressionist floral acrylic painting on paper "Spring's flowers"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary abstract expressive Impressionist floral painting was created by French artist Natalya Mougenot, whose signature style brings emotion and energy to every brushstrok...
Acrylic, Paper
$52,000
Immigrant V3 - female, figurative, bronze, stainless steel outdoor sculpture
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This figurative outdoor sculpture in female form is forged in bronze and stainless steel. Galina Stetco used her own body as a model for the mould of this compelling and poignant l...
Bronze
Autumn impressions
Located in Zofingen, AG
Autumn impressions. In this piece, I poured my passion for vibrant color and movement into every brushstroke. The rich reds and purples evoke the fiery heart of autumn, while the su...
Canvas, Oil
Large Vintage American Modernist Framed Abstract Expressionist Signed Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Large vintage American modernist oil painting. Oil on canvas. Signed. Framed. Provenance from a Sag Harbor, NY collection. Handsomely framed. Excellent condition, ready to hang and ...
Oil, Canvas
$1,186Sale Price|20% Off
Textural Seascape Mixed-Media Wall Sculpture in Modeling Clay and Acrylic Blue
By Vera Vizzi
Located in FISTERRA, ES
Mixed-media wall sculpture in modeling clay and acrylic on wood, a textural seascape in intense blue tones where layered bas-relief waves open a perceptual passage across a circular ...
Enamel
$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
$3,947
Contemporary Minimalist Yellow 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
Just Like Blue Sapphire 01 - Mellow Abstract Painting
By Usha Shukla
Located in Boston, MA
Just Like Blue Sapphire 01 16.0 × 20.0 × 1.5, 2.0 lbs Oil Paint Hand signed by the artist Artist's Commentary: "Over the years I’ve become a keen observer of wave patterns. On th...
Oil
"Evidence " ( contemporary semi& abstract nature landscape)
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
In this semi-abstract expressive artwork named "Evidence" I experience the world of nature through various colors such as purple, green, blue, red. While painting, I sought to capt...
Acrylic, Paper
Abstract Oilpainting on canvas for sale - unique by Frank Vaders
Located in Winterswijk, NL
This painting by Frank Vaders is a unique piece from the 1990s, made in oil on canvas with the dimensions 251 × 200 cm. It is in good condition but with 2 paint abrasion within the i...
Canvas, Oil
$14,400Sale Price|20% Off
Two Untitled Compositions
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Fumio Otani (Japanese, 1929-1995). Untitled and Untitled, ca, 1965. Cast and polished steel. Smaller composition measures 14.75 x 7.75 x 1.5 inches. Larger composition measures 16...
Steel
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
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
Forever Hope - Abstract Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, Framed, 1980s
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This modern abstract is a Harold Feist 'spoke' painting. Early in his career, Canadian artist Harold Feist was mentored by the famed New York Art critic, Clement Greenberg and the f...
Canvas, Acrylic
Test Color - Colorful Impasto Textural Thick Paint Framed Abstract Painting
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, Glitter, Board
Large Vintage American Modernist Abstract Naturescape Lake View Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage American modernist abstract oil painting. Oil on canvas. Framed. Measuring: 26 by 30 inches overall, and 22 by 25 painting alone.. In excellent original condition. Handsomel...
Canvas, Oil
$14,355
Constructed Memory-Abstract oil painting, stylized bookshelf with warm tones
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Sophie Dumont (b. 1964, Paris) French contemporary painter Sophie Dumont has developed a distinctive body of work over the past two decades, exploring the intersection of memory, str...
Oil
Still Life 10 - Original Abstract Still Life Oil Pastel on Colored Paper, Signed
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Valerie Etitinwo's unique approach to abstract figurative painting celebrates the unconventional beauty found in imperfection and awkwardness. The Nigerian-Swiss artist uses bold col...
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Paper, Oil
$2,310
Awakening Dreams - Abstract Luminous Earth Tone Textural Floral Acrylic Artwork
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
$700
Abstract Painting (Limited edition print; authorized promotional reproduction)
Located in New York, NY
Gerhard Richter Untitled Abstract Picture, 2002 Offset lithographic reproduction on GardaMatt Art 250 GSM paper with full margins (Artist Authorized) Not signed, edition of 3433 12 1...
Lithograph, Offset
Abstract Oil Painting by Mirko Baricchi – Contemporary Color Field 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
$1,800
Infanta IV: Figurative Cubist Abstract Graphite Drawing with Antique Frame
Located in Hudson, NY
Figurative abstract cubist style drawing inspired by the Infanta Margarita in an antique gold frame “Infanta IV” by Hudson Valley artist, David Dew Bruner, made in 2015 23 x 18 inch...
Paper, Graphite
Abstract expressionist woman's portrait acrylic on paper "Serenity of the woman"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary abstract expressionist woman’s portrait "Serenity of the Woman" was created by French artist Natalya Mougenot as part of her ongoing series dedicated to Women. Thro...
Paper, Acrylic
"Wavelet" Fine Art Mirror
Located in Westport, CT
This abstract fine art mirror by Alina B is made with dichroic film on mirror, and is framed in a champagne-toned frame. The film on the mirror allows for it, and the space it reflec...
Mirror, Film
$956Sale Price|20% Off
Ellsworth Kelly, Black and White, from Derriere le Miroir, 1958
Located in Southampton, NY
This exquisite lithograph by Ellsworth Kelly (1923–2015), titled Noir et blanc (Black and White), originates from the historic 1958 folio Derriere le Miroir, No. 110. Published by Ma...
Lithograph
Finding Balance v2, Abstract Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Terri Bell demonstrates abstract geometric figures in organized patterns. She balances distinct sections of circles and close linear work. “It organi...
Mixed Media
Joan Miró - MARAVILLAS CON VARIACIONES... Lithograph Contemporary Art Abstract
By Joan Miró
Located in Madrid, Madrid
Joan Miró - Maravillas con variaciones acrósticas en el jardín de Miró XVIII Date of creation: 1975 Medium: Lithograph on Gvarro paper Edition: 1500 Size: 49,5 x 35,5 cm Observations...
Lithograph
Vintage American Modernist Abstract Expressionist Framed Original Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage American modernist abstract expressionist oil painting. Oil on canvas. Framed. Provenance from a Sag Harbor, NY collection. Measuring: 25 by 19 inches overall. Handsomely fr...
Oil, Canvas
#232, 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
Agora Project No. 7
Located in Burlingame, CA
Mexican-American contemporary visual artist and celebrated architect Javier Arizmendi-Kalb created this abstract painting with bold brush stokes creat...
Oil, Panel
$7,177
Flowers abstract sky Blooming Ether Abstract Painting, Acrylic Oil on Canvas
Located in London, London
All custom charges are included in the final price agreed. Red flowers, blue sky, space, stars, passion, pink, crimson, blossom, love. Abstract RED flowers expressionist extra larg...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
$8,804
Palimpseste- Large Black Abstract Library Painting – Oil on Canvas –Contemporary
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Title: Palimpsest Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 100 x 100 cm 39.37 x 39.37 in (canvas only), 107 x 107 cm 42.12 x 42.12 in framed Year: 2025 Framing: Black wooden floater frame ...
Canvas, Oil
$7,800
Delta (Abstract Expressionist Oil Painting on Canvas in Teal, Aqua Blue & Green)
By Jenny Nelson
Located in Hudson, NY
Square, abstract expressionist oil painting on canvas in aqua, teal, blue, and green against pale grey with accents of yellow, peach, and mauve 'Delta' by Jenny Nelson Oil on linen, ...
Canvas, Oil
Abstract 2288
Located in Zofingen, AG
There’s something ethereal, almost magical, about contemporary paintings. The incredible Expressionism bleeds through the canvas, transforming any room into an entirely new experienc...
Acrylic
$663Sale Price|20% Off
Cubist Composition Oil Painting on Card, Signed, Late 20th Century
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Cubist Composition by Armand Rottenberg (French 1903-2000) signed lower corner, oil painting on card, unframed painting: 13 x 10.75 inches Stunning original Cubist painting by the...
Oil