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.
$3,500
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
#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
$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
$1,969
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
Disciples and Sages #1 - Abstract Acrylic on Canvas, 2010+, New
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary mixed media composition was influenced by cubism. Inspired by the rich history of her Pakistani heritage, Shireen Kamran creates dynamic and enigmatic compositio...
Canvas, Acrylic
$680Sale Price|20% Off
"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
Fallen Angel - Dramatic abstract angel painting
Located in Silverthorne, CO
There is so much I could write about this one. A painting dedicated to the soul of me before cancer, who believed in a benevolent universe, who saw signs and followed them, who someh...
Linen, Oil
Golden Glow. Abstract expressionist, interior painting, large, gold
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
Untitled Abstract Expressionist action painting
By James Brooks
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Beautiful abstract expressionist painting Influenced by James Brooks and the New York School of Abstract Expressionism. Oil on cotton canvas, ca. 1980. Measuring 46 x 66 inches of ...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
$576Sale Price|25% Off
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
$398Sale Price|25% Off
Contemporary vivid expressive figurative dog's portrait on paper "Little rouge"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Little Rouge” is a contemporary acrylic dog painting by French artist Natalya Mougenot, created on heavyweight Italian paper as part of her expressive series dedicated to dogs. Wit...
Paper, Acrylic
#64, 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
#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
$620Sale Price|25% Off
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
$301Sale Price|20% Off
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
Axe Intérieur, Large Abstract Oil Painting, Signed, 2026, Textured
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Inner Axis (Axe intérieur) is a masterful work by contemporary French artist Sophie Dumont, exploring the delicate tension between architectural structure and painterly freedom. True...
Oil
$398Sale Price|25% Off
Contemporary impressionist nature landscape painting "Tranquil Provence"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“Tranquil Provence” is a luminous landscape by French artist Natalya Mougenot, inspired by her travels in the south of France, a region renowned for its sweeping coastal views, cypre...
Paper, Acrylic
Tender Memories. Medium size absract painting, coral, lilac, blue, floral
Located in Oslo, NO
This abstract painting is created through layered application of paint, with a strong focus on texture and surface. Soft, muted tones interact with warmer coral and smoky lilac hues,...
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
Marée d'emeraude, Abstract Lanscape, oil, Expressionism, Contemporary art
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Marée d’Émeraude (Emerald Tide) 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. Sophie Dumont Oil on canvas Presented in a natural wood floa...
Oil
$3,521
Strates de lecture - Modern Abstract painting, Geometric, Original Oil on Canvas
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Sophie Dumont — Strates de lecture Oil on canvas – 23.62 x 23.62 in (60 x 60 cm) Framed: 26.37 x 26.37 in (67 x 67 cm) – Choice of black or natural wood floater frame Year: 2026 – Si...
Oil
Where Silence Rests
Located in Zofingen, AG
Oil on linen Belgian canvas. This minimalist seascape explores stillness as a spatial and perceptual experience. The horizon dissolves into a unified field where water and atmospher...
Canvas, Oil
Open Configuration – Contemporary Abstract Oil on Linen
Located in Zofingen, AG
Open Configuration This work explores structure as an evolving process rather than a fixed form. Geometric suggestions and color fields come together in an open configuration, where...
Canvas, Oil
TBG Origins: You Bring Me Joy - Large Meditative Abstract Painting on Canvas
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
Confluence des formes - 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
$3,400
Fruity Ramen Alchemy: ARRIVAL - Meditative Abstract Blue Tone Painting on Canvas
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
“Rest”
Located in Zofingen, AG
The painting “Rest” from the series “From Simple to…” creates a sense of calm, recovery, and inner completeness. The minimalist image of the animal and the pastel, natural color pale...
Acrylic
Bridge - Abstract Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, 1969, Colorful Ribbons
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This large contemporary abstract painting by Milly Ristvedt is one of her colourful ribbons series. In the late 1960s, Canadian artist Milly Ristvedt had fallen in love with using r...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,230
Modernist Curves on Mauve, Organic Forms Diptych in Cold Tones, Yellow Accent
Located in Barcelona, ES
This abstract diptych features flowing, organic forms layered in blues, soft neutrals, and warm yellow accents. The composition balances movement and structure, with interlocking sha...
Paper, Oil
$1,800Sale Price|25% Off
Coral Reef, Abstract Mixed Media Painting, Acrylic & Sand, 24x18in, 2025
By a.muse
Located in New york, NY
In the 24 x 18in abstract painting Coral Reef, 2025 a. muse uses acrylic, oil pastel, gouache, sand, and diamond dust to render colorful biomorphic forms from the sea. Warm, cool, an...
Rag Paper, Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Gouache
$3,659
Original-Constable’s Clouds, Van Gogh’s Blue-Brit Awarded Artist-oil-gold leaf
Located in London, GB
Constable’s Clouds, Van Gogh’s Blue is Shizico Yi’s latest series—an exploration of landscape reimagined through memory and material experimentation and emotional resonance. In this ...
Gold Leaf
$1,415Sale Price|20% Off
Original-Jardin d'Hiver-British Awarded Artist-Impasto, oil, goldleaf on Dahlias
Located in London, GB
Jardin d'Hiver Series is Shizico Yi's latest collection, created in her winter studio while savouring for the summer left behind. Reflecting on the vibrant days spent painting en pl...
Gold Leaf
$1,760Sale Price|20% Off
Absolute Wealth - Large Contemporary Abstract Maximalism Painting, Ready to Hang
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Absolute Wealth Large Painting Absolute Wealth - Contemporary Abstract Colorful Maximalism Bold Invest Another soulful artwork by Karnish. Symbols and forms unfold in this me...
Gesso, Canvas, Acrylic, Wood, Charcoal, Spray Paint, Color Pencil, Stret...
$55,000
Mobius H6 Mirror Polished Stainless Steel - abstract, contemporary, sculpture
By Jeremy Guy
Located in Bloomfield, ON
Jeremy Guy’s distinctive abstract sculptures grace the grounds of many public places the world over. This is a favorite form—elegant, and bodacious, the curves of Mobius are based on...
Stainless Steel
$1,480Sale Price|20% Off
Solace (Companionship) -21st Century Contemporary Abstract Expression, Love, Dog
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
There’s a silence that speaks when words can’t; the kind of silence that feels like a hand resting gently on your heart. Solace was born from that quiet. I painted this after a long...
Canvas, Ink, Acrylic
Abstract I by Yann Guillon - vertical bronze sculpture, black patina
By Yann Guillon
Located in Paris, FR
Abstract I (Abstraite I) is an abstract sculpture by French contemporary artist Yann Guillon, made of bronze and finished with a black patina. Limited edition of 8 + 4 artist's proof...
Bronze
Colored circles, abstraction
Located in Zofingen, AG
The painting shows an abstract composition of interwoven colorful forms set against a dark background. The background is painted in deep burgundy tones. Broad, semi-transparent brus...
Canvas, Acrylic
$18,000
Sonia Gechtoff - Portico, painting on masonite, Signed, Ex- Andre Zarre, Framed
Located in New York, NY
Sonia Gechtoff Untitled portico, from the estate of gallerist Andre Zarre, 1977 Acrylic and graphite on masonite Signed and dated '77 in graphite on the front Unique Provenance: Acqu...
Masonite, Acrylic, Graphite
$2,800
Sarah Morris - November 2021, lithograph, with artist signed numbered COA 14/100
By Sarah Morris
Located in New York, NY
Sarah Morris November 2021, 2021 Lithograph on wove paper Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity - hand signed by Sarah Morris (the artist) as well as the head of ICA Editions...
Lithograph, Offset
$23,638
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
$2,300
Atmospheric Balance - Contemporary Abstract Painting, Soft Blue and Neutral
Located in Cumming, GA
Atmospheric Balance original painting captures a luminous, tranquil moment inspired by light, air, and natural equilibrium. Soft layers of pale blue, warm ivory, and subtle neutral t...
Canvas, Acrylic
Cafe Bougainvillea, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A sunlit cafe courtyard framed by bougainvillea in full bloom comes alive with color and movement. Expressive brushwork and thick impasto in the foliage create ...
Oil
Silver Linings No. 5 - sculpture, ceramic
By Loren Kaplan
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary ceramic black bowl is by Loren Kaplan. A gifted ceramicist, Loren Kaplan’s strikingly elegant work is highly regarded by international collectors. Kaplan’s porcela...
Ceramic, Mixed Media
$5,500
Willem de Kooning - Lithograph for Spoleto Festival, Hand Signed/N, unframed
Located in New York, NY
This gorgeous, large vintage lithographic print, is a rare hand signed and numbered print from the limited edition of 150, the present work numbered 61/150. (There was, separately, a...
Lithograph
$2,127
Warm Evening. Semi-abstract floral painting, warm color, large, horizontal
Located in Oslo, NO
What we see here is not an ordinary floral landscape, but a state of time, that brief moment between day and night, when the air still retains warmth, but the light has already becom...
Canvas, Acrylic
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
$5,050
Cosmic Trigger V.2 - Large Contemporary Organic Shape Abstract Oil Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Harrison Gilman's large original artworks begin with a layer of fast-paced gestural abstraction followed by organic shapes and geometric structures. Some of his paintings remain in t...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
$544Sale Price|20% Off
Apotheosis of Twilight, Abstract Oil Painting on Canvas, 61x80 cm
Located in Bogotá, Bogotá
Painting on canvas constructed through overlapping layers of color. The composition is organized by chromatic fields that intersect and extend in different directions. The surface pr...
Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$840Sale Price|43% Off
Concrete Geometric Abstract Composition with Blue (~44% OFF LIST PRICE)
Located in Kansas City, MO
Gottfried Honegger Concrete Geometric Abstract Composition with Blue 3D-construction, Screenprint on Hahnemuhle Velvet 2015 Size: 20.9 × 21.1 on 24.2 × 23.8 inches Edition: E.A. of 5...
Archival Paper, Screen
$472Sale Price|20% Off
Sakura glamor // Blooming trees in spring / good vibes / flower oil painting /
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this artwork you can feel the vitality and mildness of spring. The blossoms emerge in dynamic strokes, merging impressionism with expressionism's spirit. This painting is ...
Canvas, Oil
Resurfacing Mix Media on Canvas, Abstract, 48x48, 2025
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Resurfacing, 2025 by Murray Duncan Mixed media on canvas 48 × 48 inches Resurfacing is a quietly assertive abstract work that explores repetition, erosion, and the persistence of...
Glaze, Acrylic, Pencil
Soft Summer - Large Contemporary Abstract Textured Cool Tone Landscape Art
By Lee Herring
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Lee Herring is a contemporary painter specializing in vibrant, textured, and abstract landscapes that convey fleeting moments. Herring's energetic artworks are inspired by everyday m...
Canvas, Varnish, Mixed Media, 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...
Oil, Board
#264 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
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 VII Date of creation: 1975 Medium: Lithograph on Gvarro paper Edition: 1500 Size: 49,5 x 71 cm Observations: Li...
Paper, Lithograph
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
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
$6,200
A Romantic Dance - Large Abstract Illuminous Textural Floral Acrylic Painting
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
Zephyr Monumental 2/7 Mirror Polished Stainless Steel - outdoor sculpture
By Jeremy Guy
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This sculpture is number 2 in an edition of 7 and can be purchased on a commission basis. Please allow 24 -30 weeks before shipping. It can also be created in smaller sizes, between ...
Stainless Steel
$555
Moody - Color Drenched Impasto Inspired 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, Acrylic
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.