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Modern Art

MODERN STYLE

The first decades of the 20th century were a period of artistic upheaval, with modern art movements including Cubism, Surrealism, Futurism and Dadaism questioning centuries of traditional views of what art should be. Using abstraction, experimental forms and interdisciplinary techniques, painters, sculptors, photographers, printmakers and performance artists all pushed the boundaries of creative expression.

Major exhibitions, like the 1913 Armory Show in New York City — also known as the “International Exhibition of Modern Art,” in which works like the radically angular Nude Descending a Staircase by Marcel Duchamp caused a sensation — challenged the perspective of viewers and critics and heralded the arrival of modern art in the United States. But the movement’s revolutionary spirit took shape in the 19th century.

The Industrial Revolution, which ushered in new technology and cultural conditions across the world, transformed art from something mostly commissioned by the wealthy or the church to work that responded to personal experiences. The Impressionist style emerged in 1860s France with artists like Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne and Edgar Degas quickly painting works that captured moments of light and urban life. Around the same time in England, the Pre-Raphaelites, like Edward Burne-Jones and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, borrowed from late medieval and early Renaissance art to imbue their art with symbolism and modern ideas of beauty.

Emerging from this disruption of the artistic status quo, modern art went further in rejecting conventions and embracing innovation. The bold legacy of leading modern artists Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dalí, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Marc Chagall, Piet Mondrian and many others continues to inform visual culture today.

Find a collection of modern paintings, sculptures, prints and other fine art on 1stDibs.

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Style: Modern
Au Repos
Au Repos

Au Repos

By Graciela Rodo Boulanger

Located in San Francisco, CA

This artwork titled "Au Repos (At Rest)" 1983 is an original color lithograph on paper by noted Bolivian artist Graciela Rodo Boulanger, b.1935. It is hand signed and numbered 157/20...

Category

Late 20th Century Modern Art

Materials

Lithograph

Untitled, Nude
Untitled, Nude

Untitled, Nude

By June Felter

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist: June Felter (1919-2019) Title: Untitled Year: 1964 Medium: Watercolor Sight size: 20 x 14.25 inches. Framed size: 29.25 x 23 inches Signature: Si...

Category

1960s Modern Art

Materials

Watercolor

'Woman in Blue', Danish Royal Academy, Brooklyn Museum, Kolding
'Woman in Blue', Danish Royal Academy, Brooklyn Museum, Kolding

'Woman in Blue', Danish Royal Academy, Brooklyn Museum, Kolding

Located in Santa Cruz, CA

Initialed lower left, 'A.S.' for Anton Schroder (Danish, 1893-1965) and dated 1953. A substantial, modernist oil painting of a young woman, shown seated and gazing to her left with ...

Category

1950s Modern Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Peter Max Flower Blossom Lady Original Painting
Peter Max Flower Blossom Lady Original Painting

Peter Max Flower Blossom Lady Original Painting

By Peter Max

Located in San Francisco, CA

Peter Max was born in 1937. He is a very well listed and well collected American artist. He has been very prolific in his career, but nevertheless, he is highly sought after and collected, especially recently. This wonderful original acrylic on canvas was most likely painted in the late 1990s or early 2000. It is a favorite subject matter of his the blossoming lady or lady with blossoms. This painting is so vibrant exploding with colors. It measures 10 1/2 inches wide by 10 1/2 inches high. The frame measures 18“ x 18“. He has had Auction results over $70,000 but sells for much more privately and in galleries Once again, this is an original Peter Max acrylic...

Category

20th Century Modern Art

Materials

Acrylic

Tide Pools 41 - Contemporary Shiny Resin Minimalist Abstract Artwork on Wood
Tide Pools 41 - Contemporary Shiny Resin Minimalist Abstract Artwork on Wood

Tide Pools 41 - Contemporary Shiny Resin Minimalist Abstract Artwork on Wood

By Ricky Hunt

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Ricky Hunt’s mixed media minimalist wall art is influenced by his tumultuous past that led to a paradigm shift in creativity and life. He covers the wood panel with layers of acrylic...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Art

Materials

Resin, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Wood Panel

Cinq Boules et Deux Serpents, Alexander Calder
Cinq Boules et Deux Serpents, Alexander Calder

Cinq Boules et Deux Serpents, Alexander Calder

By Alexander Calder

Located in Fairfield, CT

Artist: Alexander Calder (1898-1976) Title: Cinq Boules et Deux Serpents Year: 1965 Medium: Lithograph in colors on wove paper Edition: 90, plus proofs Size: 20.5 x 28.75 inches Cond...

Category

1960s Modern Art

Materials

Lithograph

"Metropolitan Abstraction" Signed Mid Century Cubist Architectural Abstraction
"Metropolitan Abstraction" Signed Mid Century Cubist Architectural Abstraction

"Metropolitan Abstraction" Signed Mid Century Cubist Architectural Abstraction

Located in Buffalo, NY

Antique American abstract cubist street scene oil painting. Oil on board. Framed. Signed. Measuring: 31 by 42 inches overall, and 25 by 36 painting alone. In excellent original con...

Category

1940s Modern Art

Materials

Oil, Board

Sculptures (M. 950), Framed Modern Lithograph by Joan Miro
Sculptures (M. 950), Framed Modern Lithograph by Joan Miro

Sculptures (M. 950), Framed Modern Lithograph by Joan Miro

By Joan Miró

Located in Long Island City, NY

An original Joan Miro lithograph on BFK Rives with signature in the plate (printing). Printed and published by Arte Adrien Maeght, Paris. Nicely framed. Artist: Joan Miro, Spanish...

Category

1970s Modern Art

Materials

Lithograph

Ben Avram, Israeli Bezalel School Old City Jerusalem Israel Landscape Painting
Ben Avram, Israeli Bezalel School Old City Jerusalem Israel Landscape Painting

Ben Avram, Israeli Bezalel School Old City Jerusalem Israel Landscape Painting

By Edward Ben Avram

Located in Surfside, FL

Edward Ben Avram Hand signed lower right Jerusalem Israeli Old City walls landscape cityscape. Home of the Har Habayit, The Western Wall, Temple mount. Size includes frame 23 X 28, paper is 14 X 20 inches Edward Ben Avram (born 1941) is an Indian - Israeli artist who was born in Bombay, India and immigrated to Israel as a teenager. He graduated from the Bezalel School of Art and Design in 1965 and continues to call Jerusalem his home. Most of Ben Avraham oil painting and watercolors portrays Israeli cities, particularly the old city of Jerusalem with its architecture and orientalist domes and arches, religious festivals, and Bible stories. He paints in creamy sensual tones incorporating symbols such as doves, a menorah, and Shabbat candles. With his penchant for filigreed designs and bright colors, Edouard Ben Avram betrays some influences of his Indian boyhood. But the subjects that he paints so gracefully with a touch of Oriental lyricism are scenes of Jerusalem, his home for over 20 years. Exhibitions 1964 Group exhibitions in the United States and Canada 1977 Safrai Gallery, Jerusalem (a prestigious gallery that shows Abel Pann, Mordecai Ardon, Samuel Bak, Abraham Binder...

Category

1980s Modern Art

Materials

Paper, Gouache

Untitled
Untitled

Untitled

By Fernando Canovas

Located in Miami Beach, FL

Constantly moving between the two- and three-dimensional worlds, Canova's painting reveals a profound preoccupation with space and time, themes that remain central to his work despit...

Category

1990s Modern Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

“Reclining Nude, c. 1930” American Modernist Female Drawing Lady African Mask
“Reclining Nude, c. 1930” American Modernist Female Drawing Lady African Mask

“Reclining Nude, c. 1930” American Modernist Female Drawing Lady African Mask

By Louise Nevelson

Located in Yardley, PA

“Reclining Nude, c. 1930” by Louise Nevelson (1899-1988) This wonderful original ink drawing highlights Nevelson’s interest in the early 20th century avant-garde. Inspired by Picass...

Category

Early 20th Century Modern Art

Materials

Paper, Pencil, Graphite

Green Hill Landscape Study of 1960's British Modernist Painting
Green Hill Landscape Study of 1960's British Modernist Painting

Green Hill Landscape Study of 1960's British Modernist Painting

By Irina Hale

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

1960's British Modernist Drawing by Irina Hale (British 1932-2022) watercolour painting on artist paper, unframed overall size: 7 x 5 inches provenance: private collection, Cotswolds...

Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Art

Materials

Watercolor

Mary Magdalene - Oil on Canvas by Italian School 19th cent.
Mary Magdalene - Oil on Canvas by Italian School 19th cent.

Mary Magdalene - Oil on Canvas by Italian School 19th cent.

Located in Roma, IT

Oil on canvas. cm 60.5 x 2 x 50 Nice Oil painting (Italian School of XIX century) with a rapid sign and intense colors backgrpound. Some color cracking on left margin and top edge, ...

Category

18th Century Modern Art

Materials

Oil

Hidden Portraits XXII, Acrylic on Board, Modern, Framed, 1980s
Hidden Portraits XXII, Acrylic on Board, Modern, Framed, 1980s

Hidden Portraits XXII, Acrylic on Board, Modern, Framed, 1980s

Located in London, GB

'Hidden Portraits XXII', acrylic on artist's board, Florentine School (circa 1980s-90s). This gallery has acquired a number of paintings through an intermediary of an ageing art prof...

Category

1980s Modern Art

Materials

Acrylic, Board

Antique American Modernist Orchid Flower Still Life Framed Luminous Oil Painting
Antique American Modernist Orchid Flower Still Life Framed Luminous Oil Painting

Antique American Modernist Orchid Flower Still Life Framed Luminous Oil Painting

Located in Buffalo, NY

Antique American modernist still life oil painting. Oil on canvas, lain to board. Framed. Measuring: 29 by 23 inches overall, and 24 by 18 painting alone. Excellent condition, read...

Category

1920s Modern Art

Materials

Oil

Vintage American Modernist Surreal Figural Nude Portrait Large Framed Painting
Vintage American Modernist Surreal Figural Nude Portrait Large Framed Painting

Vintage American Modernist Surreal Figural Nude Portrait Large Framed Painting

Located in Buffalo, NY

Antique American modernist nude portrait oil painting. Oil on board. Framed. In excellent original condition. Handsomely framed in a modern molding. Excellent condition, ready to ...

Category

1950s Modern Art

Materials

Oil, Board

The Ditch

The Ditch

By Virginia True

Located in Los Angeles, CA

The Ditch, 1934, oil on board, signed and dated lower right, 18 x 24 inches, label verso has title, artist’s name, Colorado and New York addresses, and original price Virginia True ...

Category

1930s Modern Art

Materials

Oil, Board

Peace Menorah
Peace Menorah

Peace Menorah

By (after) Salvador Dali

Located in Missouri, MO

Salvador Dalí (Spanish, 1904–1989) "Peace Menorah" (Menorat Hashalom) 1980 Bronze with dark patina on stepped Jerusalem Stone base Approximately 20"H x 11.5"W x 5.5"D overall Inscri...

Category

1980s Modern Art

Materials

Bronze

Lunch at La Pigna, 1980 - Limited Edition Estate Stamped Color C-Type Print
Lunch at La Pigna, 1980 - Limited Edition Estate Stamped Color C-Type Print

Lunch at La Pigna, 1980 - Limited Edition Estate Stamped Color C-Type Print

By Slim Aarons

Located in Brighton, GB

Lunch at La Pigna, 1980 by Slim Aarons 16 x 20" print. Limited Edition Estate Stamped Print. Edition of 150. Printed Later. Lunch at Pigna, August 1980 by Slim Aarons is a Limited ...

Category

20th Century Modern Art

Materials

Photographic Paper, C Print, Color, Digital

Three Figures - Drawing - 20th Century
Three Figures - Drawing - 20th Century

Three Figures - Drawing - 20th Century

Located in Roma, IT

Three figures is a modern artwork realized by Artist of 20th century Mixed colored drawing on paper. Hand signed on the lower margin. Includes frame.

Category

20th Century Modern Art

Materials

Paper

Goofy (Walt Disney Productions Cartoon Animator)
Goofy (Walt Disney Productions Cartoon Animator)

Goofy (Walt Disney Productions Cartoon Animator)

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Dick Ruhl (American, 1926-1991) Original Gouache Painting of Goofy, one of three images created specifically for Disney Interview portfolio, Los Angeles 1943. (see reference in bio below). Image measuring 12 x 18 inches. Signed & dated 1943 lower right. Framed measurement: 19 x 25 inches. Dick Ruhl was the grandson of German immigrants who settled in Nebraska as farmers brought to the US by the federal government to raise food for a growing population after the Civil War. On his mother’s side, his family dates back to Nathan Hale. Her father was in the Union Army and given a small farm by the government near Guthrie, Oklahoma. Dick’s parents, John and Lucille, were married in Chandler in 1902, and his dad got a job with the Frisco Railroad. Since the main yard and a hub were in Sapulpa, they moved here, initially settling at Elm and Lee street, but later they bought five acres at 1300 Cleveland and built a simple home with a water well, outdoor toilet, and coal oil lamps. Dick is a Sapulpa native who left his hometown at 16 to become an animator during the “golden age” of Disney Studios. Photo courtesy of Sapulpa Historical Society. Dick finally came along in 1926 and was born in the Sapulpa City Hospital at Division and Cleveland Streets. According to Dick, his doctor, William Polk Longmire—a famous Sapulpan in his own right—named Dick after himself on his birth certificate, listing Dick’s name as “Polk Knox Ruhl.” It wasn’t until 1937 that it was discovered and changed to James Richard Ruhl. Dick was doing farm chores at 5 years old, mostly feeding the animals and milking the cow. Every evening, he delivered milk to his last customer, a cousin named “Nellie,” whom Dick says was a bootlegger. Dick recalls one evening as he put Nellie’s milk in her icebox, a handsome gentleman named Charlie took him up on his lap. “He was wearing a gun, which impressed me,” Dick said, adding that Charlie gave him a shiny half dollar as a gift. “Each evening I rushed to Nellie’s, hoping to meet Charlie again, until one evening, she told me he would never be back.” Nellie showed Dick the evening Sapulpa Herald announcing that Charles “Pretty Boy” Floyd had been killed. Dick started school at 5 years old and said his teacher “loved and whipped me through first grade.” It must have done some good because he was able to skip the 2nd grade. In 3rd grade, his teacher, Miss Giles, had her students draw a house. “I don’t know why, but I drew my house in perfect perspective,” Dick said. “She bragged about my talent and it was then I decided to become a great artist.” Dick turned a small chicken house at his parents’ farm into his first studio and gallery. “My clients were ducks, chickens, and an occasional pig,” he said. As the country fell into the Great Depression, Dick said “it didn’t mean anything to me. We raised our food and Dad eked out a small wage on the railroad. Mom made our clothes from feed sacks purchased at Lee Nevin’s Feed Store, and we had credit at Bodkin’s Grocery, House’s Grocery, and Katz Department Store.” It was in High School that Dick began to really pursue his creative talents again. “The WPA sponsored an art class at the library in the basement,” he said. “My algebra teacher let me attend the art class instead of algebra.” Dick said his art teacher was Henry Simpson—a retired Western artist from Ft. Worth— and another teacher named Mrs. Casteel, whom Dick said “gave me the greatest advice I have ever learned: ‘Don’t think you’re all that good! You’ll meet artists who are better than you, but don’t get discouraged, keep doing your thing.’” Disney comes calling Dick was working at the Criterion Theatre in Sapulpa when Disney released “Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs...

Category

1940s Modern Art

Materials

Chalk, Gouache

Set of 2 Bright Landscape Studies of 1960's British Modernist Drawings
Set of 2 Bright Landscape Studies of 1960's British Modernist Drawings

Set of 2 Bright Landscape Studies of 1960's British Modernist Drawings

By Irina Hale

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Set of Two Paired Studies 1960's British Modernist Drawing by Irina Hale (British 1932-2022) oil crayon drawings on light brown artist paper stuck on A4 artist paper, unframed overal...

Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Art

Materials

Oil Crayon

French Gouache Study of Hopi Kachina Mask and Taos Pueblo Textile
French Gouache Study of Hopi Kachina Mask and Taos Pueblo Textile

French Gouache Study of Hopi Kachina Mask and Taos Pueblo Textile

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Title: French Gouache Study of Hopi Kachina Mask and Taos Pueblo Textile by Emile GALLOIS (1882-1965, French) Signed: Yes Medium: Original gouache painting on thick unframed paper, ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Art

Materials

Gouache

An Officer, Grande Armée, Hussars, Circa 1815
An Officer, Grande Armée, Hussars, Circa 1815

An Officer, Grande Armée, Hussars, Circa 1815

Located in Stoke, Hampshire

John Leslie Berry (1920–2009) An Officer, Grande Armée, Hussars, Circa 1815 Oil on canvas Signed lower left Canvas size - 14 x 10 in Framed size - 18 1/2 x 14 1/2 in ohn Leslie Ber...

Category

20th Century Modern Art

Materials

Oil

Modern art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Modern 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, red, orange, purple and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Kevin Westenberg, Stuart Möller, Destro, and Christel Haag. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Paper and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Modern art, so small editions measuring 0.4 inches across are also available. Prices for art made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $33 and tops out at $390,000, while the average work sells for $1,912.