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.
City Joy - Original Abstract Color Drenched Figurative Textured Impasto Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ekaterina Ermilkina’s original, abstract fine art paintings are created using a skillful combination of applying and removing oil paint with a palette knife on canvas. Her inspiratio...
Canvas, Oil
$1,200
Botanical Interval, original botanical painting, pink, green, Abstract
Located in Cumming, GA
Botanical Interval – Original Contemporary Abstract Botanical Painting, 24 x 24 inches Botanical Interval captures a quiet, atmospheric moment where softened botanical forms emerge ...
Canvas, Acrylic
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
"Untitled" Jackson Pollock Style Abstract Expressionist Painting on Board Framed
Located in New York, NY
This painting is a vibrant abstract expressionist work in the style of Jackson Pollock, characterized by energetic, chaotic splatters, drips, and interwoven lines of paint. With bold...
Mixed Media, Board
$3,591
Articulation Point, Modern Abstract painting, Geometric, Original Oil on Canvas
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Oil on canvas, 60 x 60 cm (23.6 x 23.6 in) Framed: 67 x 67 cm (26.4 x 26.4 in) Signed lower right Framed in a black or natural wood floater frame (your choice) Certificate of authen...
Oil
$1,250
Don't Let Them Burst Your Bubble: Amber 1 XL - Abstract Glass Sculpture
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary amber glass tabletop sculpture is by Cheryl Wilson Smith. Cheryl Wilson Smith is known for her uniquely beautiful glass work—its form, colour and texture are often...
Metal
$18,000
Louise Bourgeois - Horseshoe (with accompanying horseshoe), signed & inscribed
Located in New York, NY
Engraving by Louise Bourgeois, 2002, hand signed, numbered and inscribed to her longtime printer Judith Solodkin of Solo Impressions, accompanied by an actual horseshoe gifted by the...
Metal
$4,110
Floating - Large Color Drenched Impasto Mixed Media Textural 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
Robot Circleish - Large Scale Abstract Expressive Mixed Media Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The paintings of Bruce Rubenstein seamlessly marry sophistication with affordability. His expressive abstract landscape artwork 'Robot Circleish' features whimsical details and vibra...
Canvas, Charcoal, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Abstract Mid Century Impressionistic Textured Oil Painting on Canvas Framed
Located in New York, NY
David Walmsley is a contemporary British artist known for his mixed media collages, abstract paintings, etchings, and prints that often explore themes of life's cycles and journeys. ...
Canvas, Oil
$10,000
Anish Kapoor - Flow (Pink), Abstract Color etching from the UK, Signed/N, Framed
By Anish Kapoor
Located in New York, NY
Color etching on wove paper Pencil signed and numbered 19/39 on the verso This work has been elegantly framed in a museum quality handmade wood frame by the prestigious fine art fram...
Etching
0316. Abstract Painting on Canvas
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
Untitled Oversize print 40x40 inches Limited Edition
Located in London, GB
Untitled after Paul Klee, 1879 – 1940 Original work : Klee, Paul; Swiss artist; 1879–1940. Untitled. Drawing, 1914. Watercolour on paper mounted on cardboard, 15.6 × 15.6 cm. Inv. ...
Archival Pigment
Where it is quiet, No.1
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work emerged from an inner need to pause and enter a space where tension no longer exists. In a world where silence has become rare and fragile, painting becomes a way to briefl...
Canvas, Mixed Media
$4,203Sale Price|30% Off
Water flowers abstract painting
Located in London, London
Decor floral, vintage flowers Abstract painting on canvas, blue, extra-large, XXL, large oil on canvas painting, abstract expressionism. Abstract art, water flowers, exotic flower...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Golden Country: Abstract Impressionist Landscape
Located in Atlanta, GA
Georgia based artist Niyati Jiwani creates works that aim to fuse abstraction and themes of nature utilizing color, gesture, and light. Born in India, Niyati grew up with a flair an...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
The Vanguard Series Nr. XXIV: A Collection of Postwar European Abstractions
Located in London, GB
"The Vanguard Series Nr. XXIV: A Collection of Postwar European Abstractions", oil on board, by 'R.G.' (circa 1950s–70s). A compelling body of work emerging from the forgotten studio...
Board, Oil
$1,833Sale Price|25% Off
Fallen Angel Painting, Abstract Oil on Linen, Signed, 120x60 cm
Located in Silverthorne, CO
A dramatic expressionist painting dedicated to the soul of me before cancer, who believed in a benevolent universe, who saw signs and followed them, who somehow thought she would liv...
Linen, Oil
$2,882
Joy of togetherness 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 setting...
Canvas, Acrylic
Axe de convergence, Abstract Geometric, oil on canvas, Contemporary
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Size unframed: 50 x 50 cm (15.75 x 15.75 in) Size framed 57 x 57 cm or 22.44 x 22.44 in. Choose the color of frame black or wood. A certificate comes the painting the painting is re...
Oil
$1,201
Liberty
Located in Zofingen, AG
Liberty is an oil abstract painting and minimalist abstract landscape shaped by the quiet meeting of a sky-blue horizon and warm ochre earth tones, creating a subtle dialogue between...
Canvas, Oil
$10,150
Mid-Hudson Inscape - Large Abstract Landscape Mixed Media Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The paintings of Bruce Rubenstein seamlessly marry sophistication with affordability. His expressive abstract landscape artwork 'Mid-Hudson Inscape' features whimsical details and vi...
Enamel
Omnipotence, Abstract Oil Painting on Canvas, Signed, 80x120 cm
Located in Bogotá, Bogotá
A painting on canvas depicting a head integrated into a landscape constructed from planes of color. The composition is organized through distinct areas that define a landscape struct...
Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$3,500
In The Loop - Large Scale Color Drenched Impasto Textural 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
Dream Escape 2 - Earthy Tones Abstract Textural Acrylic Painting on Canvas
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
Monument in the Fertile Country Oversize print 40x30 inches Limited Edition
Located in London, GB
Monument im Fruchtland (Monument in the Fertile Country) 1929. after Paul Klee, 1879 – 1940 Original work : Pastel, 47.5 × 34.8cm. Bern, Zentrum Paul Klee. (Photograph via Archiv...
Archival Pigment
$4,110
A Punch of Color - Large Scale Impasto Mixed Media Textural 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
#253, 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
$655
The Under Glow - Color Drenched Impasto Textural Thick Paint 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, Glitter, Acrylic
$1,260
Don't Let Them Burst your Bubble: Turquoise 41425 - Sculpture, Abstract
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary wall sculpture features turquoise coloured glass bubbles. Each work is individually hand-formed in glass, so slight variations in colour, shape, and texture from t...
Glass, Mixed Media
"Echoes if Silence"
Located in Zofingen, AG
This is an abstract landscape exploring the subtle tension between presence and absence, where color dissolves into atmosphere and form becomes memory. Layers of muted brown, beige, ...
Canvas, Oil
La Materialidad del Tiempo: Abstract Geometric Triptych in Oil Crayon
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Juan Carlos Amador grounds his recent work in two essential elements: cellulose and time. Using reclaimed wooden moldings from the 1980s and ’90s-originally designed for framing artw...
Paper, Oil Crayon
$1,921
“Tulips of Love" Large-format Fauvist /Matisse inspired still life painting
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“Tulips of Love” — Large-format contemporary Fauvist-inspired, Matisse-influenced floral still life created in a modern expressive / metamodern figurative style, executed in acrylic ...
Paper, Acrylic
#204, 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
$24,022
DAMIEN HIRST - THE CURRENCY. Original work The Currency Project. Dots. Colors
By Damien Hirst
Located in Madrid, Madrid
DAMIEN HIRST - THE CURRENCY: 6274. NOBODY SHOULD HEAR IT Date of creation: 2016 Medium: Enamel paint on handmade paper Edition: 5.149 unique works on paper Size: 21.5 x 30 cm Conditi...
Enamel
$5,800
Infinity Bliss - Bue Tone Abstract Atmospheric 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
$1,441
Cadence des livres, Abstract Library, oil paint, Expressionism, Contemporary art
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Cadence des Livres Oil on canvas, 2026 Unframed: 40 x 40 cm (15.7 x 15.7 in) Framed: 47 x 47 cm (18.5 x 18.5 in) Floater frame available in black or natural wood Signed lower right ...
Oil
$850
"Many For The Empath" (abstract, flora, fauna, roses, oil painting, green, pink)
Located in Paris, IDF
MANY FOR THE EMPATH 2026 Paris, France This complex and layered floral painting of an abundant, overflowing bouquet presents an energetic and mesmerizing subject. This original mixe...
Oil Crayon, Dye, Cotton Canvas, Ink, Oil, Acrylic
$1,999
Gorges du Verdon Huge Abstract Bold Colours French Mid 20th Century Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Gorge du Verdon (Provence) signed by Gilbert Pelissier (French born 1924) oil painting on canvas, unframed canvas size: 36 x 29 inches inscribed verso condition: overall very good, a...
Oil
$8,200
Return to Presence - Moody Abstract Atmospheric 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
sense of pink
Located in London, London
The Designer Choice: Large Horizontal Abstract Expressionist Canvas – Warm Terracotta & Rose Statement Art The Emotional Choice: “Ember Glow” – Original Extra Large Mixed Media...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$8,840
Geometrie du silence, Geometric Abstract Composition, Earth Tones, Architectural
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Géométrie du Silence Oil on canvas, 2026 Dimensions Unframed: 97 x 130 cm (38.2 x 51.2 in) Framed: 104 x 137 cm (40.9 x 53.9 in) Floater frame in natural wood or black (collector's c...
Canvas, Oil
$840
Modern abstract Impressionist still life floral painting on paper "Roses Trio"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Roses Trio” is a vibrant contemporary floral still life by French artist Natalya Mougenot, whose intuitive, spontaneous brushwork transforms everyday blooms into a burst of emotiona...
Paper, Acrylic
The Assembled Whole. No 6
Located in Zofingen, AG
This painting from the The Assembled Whole series is created on canvas using a collage technique with various textured materials. The composition features soft pink, gray, and black ...
Canvas, Mixed Media
Portrait of a Woman in Black Dress
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Portrait of a Woman in Black, 1963. Stylistically influenced by Modigliani and Soutine. Signed "Woody" and dated lower right. Oil painting on canvas 34 x 18 in, 42 x 26 in (fram...
Burlap, Oil
$1,172
Vibrant Abstract with Bold Green Moody Colours French 20th Century Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Composition signed by Gilbert Pelissier (French born 1924) oil painting on canvas, unframed inscribed verso and dated 85' canvas size: 35 x 46 inches condition...
Oil
$3,591
Zone de rencontre - Modern Abstract painting, Geometric, Original Oil on Canvas
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
French contemporary painter Sophie Dumont is known for her abstracted library compositions and layered oil technique. Working from her studio in Normandy, she builds each canvas thr...
Oil
$2,100
Flowing Creativity - Large Abstract Romantic Textural Acrylic Painting on Canvas
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
$5,765
Triptych “Symphony of nature” X-Large size . Semi-abstract interior painting
Located in Oslo, NO
This triptych showcases a dramatic seascape that captures the raw energy of turbulent waves crashing against rugged rocks. The swirling, frothy waters are depicted with dynamic brush...
Canvas, Acrylic
Golden Glow. Abstract expressionist, Japandi, Wabi-Sabi, Shabby Chic
Located in Oslo, NO
"Golden Glow" is a painting filled with bright, warm light and abstract shapes that convey a sense of powerful energy and inner light. The painting depicts a bright sun piercing the...
Canvas, Acrylic
$780
Contemporary abstract expressionist woman's portrait on paper "Present moment"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“Present Moment” is a contemporary abstract portrait by French artist Natalya Mougenot, created as part of her ongoing series dedicated to women and their inner emotional landscapes....
Paper, Acrylic
$32Sale Price|20% Off
Ass
By Burton Gray
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Abstract print of a donkey
Other Medium
Echoes of the Flow
Located in Zofingen, AG
This piece from the *"Silhouettes"* series presents a bright abstract landscape where hints of a river, fields, and sky can be discerned. It continues the exploration of the connecti...
Acrylic, Archival Paper
#99, 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
Abstract Composition with Color Fields – Contemporary Oil Painting "Far Blue 2"
Located in Bogotá, Bogotá
"Distant Blue 2." Abstract Composition with Fields of Blue Color is an original oil painting on canvas by Colombian artist Luis Xiua, created in his Bogotá studio. The work explores ...
Acrylic, Oil, Cotton Canvas
$8,840
Eroded horizon- Large Abstract Painting – Landscape –Contemporary, French art
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
This original oil painting by Sophie Dumont, a French contemporary painter, reflects her distinctive approach to landscape through abstraction, structure, and material depth. Born i...
Canvas, Oil
Niki de Saint Phalle - I Rather Like You A Lot You Fool rare silkscreen signed/N
Located in New York, NY
Niki de Saint Phalle I Rather Like You A Lot You Fool, 1970 Silkscreen on wove paper Signed and numbered 74//75 in graphite pencil on the front Frame included: This work is elegantly...
Pencil, Graphite, Screen
$1,285
A Moment In Time - Color Drenched Impasto Mixed Media Textural 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, Glitter, Acrylic
Vintage Abstract Impressionist French Countryside Oil Painting by Jacques Birr
Located in AIGNAN, FR
Vintage mid-century abstract impressionist oil painting on board signed at the bottom, Jacques Birr 91. With expressive cloud swirls created by a large brush, the artist has given u...
Oil
$2,175
Golden Slumber - Moody Abstract Atmospheric 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
The Italian-American’s 2020 abstract painting “The Hoe” personifies his “art of not knowing.”
Beneath the inky blackness, the painter’s irrepressible energy electrifies this pair of intaglio prints.
The New York Botanical Garden, in the Bronx, has mounted a multifaceted show honoring the polymath modernist's legacy, including new work by contemporary landscape maker Raymond Jungles.
In his current show at New York's Lehmann Maupin gallery, the Puerto Rican–born talent reveals new paintings with a semiautobiographical aspect.