William Samuel Schwartz
Early 20th Century Surrealist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-20th Century American Modern Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Paper, Charcoal
William S. SchwartzChicago Modernist Line Drawing Reclining Nude WPA Artist. Exhibited Work, c. 1930
Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Paintings
Gouache
Early 20th Century Modern Figurative Prints
Paper, Woodcut
People Also Browsed
1930s American Impressionist Figurative Prints
Woodcut
Vintage 1960s Paintings
Paint
Vintage 1940s American Folk Art Paintings
Wood, Paint
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Collectible Jewelry
Brass
Early 20th Century American American Craftsman Cabinets
Oak
1930s American Modern Figurative Prints
Lithograph
1940s Abstract Abstract Prints
Lithograph
Vintage 1940s American Paintings
Wood, Masonite, Paint
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Collectible Jewelry
Brass
1930s American Impressionist Figurative Prints
Woodcut
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Collectible Jewelry
Brass, Copper
1950s American Modern Figurative Prints
Lithograph
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Collectible Jewelry
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century American Modern Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Collectible Jewelry
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern North and South American Rugs
Wool
Recent Sales
Mid-20th Century American Modern Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Paper, Charcoal
William S. SchwartzChicago Modernist Line Drawing Reclining Nude WPA Artist. Exhibited Work, c. 1930
Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Paintings
Gouache
Early 20th Century Modern Figurative Prints
Paper, Woodcut
1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Paper, Watercolor, Gouache
1930s Realist Animal Prints
Drypoint
1930s Modern Animal Drawings and Watercolors
Pen
Early 20th Century Modern Figurative Prints
Paper, Woodcut
Early 20th Century Modern Figurative Prints
Paper, Woodcut
A Close Look at modern Art
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.
Read More
The 21 Most Popular Mid-Century Modern Chairs
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
Why Is Italy Such a Hotbed of Cool Design?
Patrizio Chiarparini of Brooklyn’s Duplex gallery sheds light on the lasting legacy of Italy’s postwar furniture boom.
Eileen Gray’s Famed Cliffside Villa in the South of France Is Returned to Its Modernist Glory
After years of diligent restoration, E-1027, the designer-cum-architect’s marriage of romance and modernism, is finally complete.
12 Calming Spaces Inspired by Japanese Design
From cherry-blossom-adorned walls paired with glamorous lighting to wood-paneled ceilings above checkerboard-patterned chairs, these 12 spaces seamlessly blend Eastern and Western aesthetics.
Eileen Gray’s Deco Designs Launched Modernism. That Was Just the Beginning
Decades after her death, appreciation for the legendary designer and architect's work continues to flourish.
Harvey Probber Was the Godfather of Modern Modular Seating
The forward-thinking designer is finally getting his due.
20 Artfully Crafted Mirrors to Frame Your Reflection
In "Object Permanence 4," on view at the 1stdibs Gallery, Emma Holland Denvir and Leah Ring have brought together pieces that range from polished to playful.
Roberto Burle Marx’s Bold Brazilian Landscape Design Comes to New York
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.