Skip to main content

John Piper Abstract Paintings

British, 1903-1992
Born in Epsom, John Egerton Christmas Piper studied at Richmond School of Art and the Royal College of Art from 1926-8. In the mid 1930a, after a visit to Paris, he turned to abstraction. He became a member of the London Group in 1933 and the ‘Seven and Five’ group in 1934-5. During this period he became friends with Oliver Simon of the Curwen Press and his interest in lithography and print making grew. During the Second World War, Piper was appointed as an official war artist recording the effects of the blitz on Britain’s buildings. After the war, he became a Trustee of the Tate and National Galleries and in 1959 he became a member of the Royal Fine Art Commission. Piper is best known for his extensive studies of British architecture and landscape in oil, watercolour and print, and for his photography, stained glass, ceramics, fabric design, murals, stage sets and costume design. His work is held in many Museums and Galleries.
1
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
1
1
1
19
690
642
558
336
1
1
Artist: John Piper
Cheltenham (Fantasia/Panorama), Pen and Ink Painting by John Piper, 1939 circa
Cheltenham (Fantasia/Panorama), Pen and Ink Painting by John Piper, 1939 circa

Cheltenham (Fantasia/Panorama), Pen and Ink Painting by John Piper, 1939 circa

By John Piper

Located in Kingsclere, GB

Cheltenham (Fantasia/Panorama), Pen and Ink Painting by John Piper, 1939 circa Additional information: Medium: Pen and ink 19 x 26.5 cm 7 1/2 x 10 3/8 in Inscribed extensively The upper image closely resembles a 1940 painting, Cheltenham Fantasia, which was sold to a Mr Anderson at the Leicester Galleries in March of that year. The lower image is a study for Piper's 1940 Curwen Press auto-lithograph 'Cheltenham', produced while he was also working on illustrations for the Shell and BP Shilling Guide to Gloucestershire (1939; not used in the project). Betjeman, then head of the project, also used the image to illustrate his article "Book Illustration Can Colour a Whole Town or City" in 'Signature' in 1940. The Cheltenham design is covered and reproduced in Hugh Fowler-Wright's book on Piper. John Piper was a painter of architecture, landscape and abstract compositions, a designer for the theatre and of stained-glass windows, and a writer on the arts. Piper was born in 1903 in Epsom, Surrey, the son of a solicitor. Throughout his childhood, he regularly visited Italy, and by 1924 he had published a book of poems and his own illustrations. He worked in his father's office in Westminster until 1928 when he began studying at the Richmond and Kingston Schools of Art. This was followed by two years study at the Royal College of Art. In 1927 he exhibited with David Birch at the Arlington gallery, and in 1931 with Clarice Moffat, P. F. Millard, and his first wife Eileen Holding...

Category

20th Century John Piper Abstract Paintings

Materials

Ink

Related Items
Ink & Watercolor Abstract - Locks
Ink & Watercolor Abstract - Locks

Ink & Watercolor Abstract - Locks

Located in Houston, TX

Engaging abstract ink and watercolor painting of metal locks against a black background, 1980s. Original artwork on paper displayed on a white mat with a ...

Category

1970s John Piper Abstract Paintings

Materials

Paper, Ink, Watercolor

Explosive Abstract
Explosive Abstract

Explosive Abstract, 2013

$396

H 16 in W 20 in D 0.1 in

Explosive Abstract

Located in Houston, TX

Brightly colored Italian abstract, 2013. Acrylic and ink painting, signed and dated lower left. Original artwork on paper displayed on a white mat with a gold border. Archival plas...

Category

2010s John Piper Abstract Paintings

Materials

Ink, Acrylic

Abstract
Abstract

Abstract, Circa 1970

$320

H 11 in W 14 in D 0.1 in

Abstract

Located in Houston, TX

Vibrant abstract painting signed Nylon lower left, circa 1970. Original artwork on paper displayed on a white mat with a gold border. Mat fits a standard-size frame. Archival p...

Category

1970s John Piper Abstract Paintings

Materials

Ink, Acrylic, Tissue Paper

Flame Abstract
Flame Abstract

Imelda TeranFlame Abstract, 1995

$400

H 20 in W 16 in D 0.1 in

Flame Abstract

By Imelda Teran

Located in Houston, TX

Lively abstract watercolor and ink painting reminiscent of fire by artist Imelda Terán, 1995. Signed lower left. Original artwork on paper displayed on a white mat with a gold bord...

Category

1990s John Piper Abstract Paintings

Materials

Ink, Watercolor

Ratty
Ratty

Ryan LeitnerRatty, 2025

$1,400

H 14.5 in W 12 in

Ratty

By Ryan Leitner

Located in New Orleans, LA

Ryan Leitner says of his work… My artwork resists fixed definitions in form, medium, and identity. By collaging object making, studio photography, painting, and digital media, I cre...

Category

2010s John Piper Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Paper, Ink, Wax, Oil, Acrylic

Tread Along
Tread Along

Ryan LeitnerTread Along, 2025

$1,400

H 14.5 in W 12 in

Tread Along

By Ryan Leitner

Located in New Orleans, LA

Ryan Leitner says of his work… My artwork resists fixed definitions in form, medium, and identity. By collaging object making, studio photography, painting, and digital media, I cre...

Category

2010s John Piper Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Paper, Ink, Wax, Oil, Acrylic

Imagine

Marna ShopoffImagine, 2022

$17,000

H 72 in W 64 in D 2 in

Imagine

By Marna Shopoff

Located in New Orleans, LA

MARNA SHOPOFF is an Indianapolis-based visual artist with an emphasis on abstract painting and intuitive drawing. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and Master of Fine Ar...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary John Piper Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Ink, Oil

"Study for Event Horizon, " Archival Ink on Paper, 2020
"Study for Event Horizon, " Archival Ink on Paper, 2020

"Study for Event Horizon, " Archival Ink on Paper, 2020

By Jan Pieter Fokkens

Located in Chicago, IL

The colorful paintings of Jan Pieter Fokkens transport us to distant worlds beyond our comprehension. Within seemingly infinite networks of lines, dots, and crosses, he decodes the r...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Geometric John Piper Abstract Paintings

Materials

Archival Ink, Photographic Paper

"NGC-3201, " Pigment Ink on Paper
"NGC-3201, " Pigment Ink on Paper

"NGC-3201, " Pigment Ink on Paper

By Jan Pieter Fokkens

Located in Chicago, IL

Chicago-based artist Jan Pieter Fokkens uses his work as a means of processing the incomprehensible. Navigating the relationship between algorithmic abstraction and the tangible qualities of pattern and color, Fokkens meditates on how reality is mediated by digital image. Entitled "NGC-3201," this vibrant drawing offers a representation of the globular cluster NGC-3201. Using an image taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Geometric John Piper Abstract Paintings

Materials

Archival Ink, Photographic Paper

"River and Pond Kite, " Mixed Media Kite
"River and Pond Kite, " Mixed Media Kite

"River and Pond Kite, " Mixed Media Kite

By Michael Thompson

Located in Chicago, IL

Chicago-based artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites crafted from split bamboo frames covered with stretched muslin and a collage of vintage Asian ephemera—including fragments ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract John Piper Abstract Paintings

Materials

Muslin, Wood, Ink, Watercolor, Rice Paper

It's Just a Groove In Me
It's Just a Groove In Me

It's Just a Groove In Me

By Ryan Leitner

Located in New Orleans, LA

Ryan Leitner says of his work… My artwork resists fixed definitions in form, medium, and identity. By collaging object making, studio photography, painting, and digital media, I cre...

Category

2010s John Piper Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Paper, Ink, Wax, Oil, Acrylic

Liquid Smoke
Liquid Smoke

Ryan LeitnerLiquid Smoke, 2025

$3,800

H 24 in W 33 in

Liquid Smoke

By Ryan Leitner

Located in New Orleans, LA

Ryan Leitner says of his work… My artwork resists fixed definitions in form, medium, and identity. By collaging object making, studio photography, painting, and digital media, I cre...

Category

2010s John Piper Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Paper, Ink, Wax, Oil, Acrylic

John Piper abstract paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic John Piper abstract paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by John Piper in gouache, ink, paint and more. Not every interior allows for large John Piper abstract paintings, so small editions measuring 4 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Minty Ramsey, Christo Sharpe, and Trevor Waugh. John Piper abstract paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,630 and tops out at $1,630, while the average work can sell for $1,630.

Questions About John Piper Abstract Paintings

  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 24, 2024
    How much John Piper paintings are worth varies based on their size, historical significance, condition and other factors. In 2013, his 1935 piece Painting sold for £482,500 at an auction in London. Piper is best known for his extensive studies of British architecture and landscape in oil, watercolor and print, and his photography, stained glass, ceramics, fabric design, murals, stage sets and costume design. His work is held in the collections of many major museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Tate in London. If you are the owner of a Piper, a certified appraiser or experienced art dealer can assist you with the valuation process. On 1stDibs, shop a range of John Piper art.
  • 1stDibs ExpertAugust 20, 2024
    How much a John Piper painting is worth depends on its condition, history and other factors. In November 2013, his 1935 work Abstract Painting sold for more than $617,000, setting an auction record for the British artist. Piper is best known for his extensive studies of British architecture and landscapes in oil, watercolor and prints. In the mid-1930s, after a visit to Paris, he turned to abstraction, and his record-setting work reflects this shift in his style. If you own a Piper painting, a certified appraiser or knowledgeable art dealer can give you an estimate of its value. On 1stDibs, explore a selection of John Piper art.