Widely considered the grandfather of Op art, the French-Hungarian painter Victor Vasarely (1906–97) created eye-popping geometric abstractions that play with the viewer’s perception of depth, perspective and motion. A classic example is the 1937 Zebra, which consists of undulating black and white stripes that suggest the form of the titular animal through optical trickery. The work is often credited as the earliest Op art painting.
Such illusions were more than pleasing tricks for Vasarely, who insisted that “pure form and pure color can signify the world.” He wanted to “democratize” art by producing works in large editions at reasonable prices that were understandable across national and cultural boundaries. In the 1960s, he developed an alphabet plastique, or fine art alphabet, consisting of elementary visual building blocks that could be used in endless combinations to create original compositions. By employing this universal visual vocabulary and stripping away topical references, he sought to create what he called a “Planetary Folklore.”
Embodying Vasarely’s singular belief that art should serve a social function, accessible to all, these innovations may perhaps be his greatest contribution to 20th-century art.
Find a collection of Victor Vasarely prints, paintings, sculptures and other art on 1stDibs.
Victor Vasarely Kinetics 5
By Victor Vasarely
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Victor Vasarely Kinetics 5 double screen print on rhodoid and cardboard editions of the griffon neuchatel (switzerland) 1st edition . 1973 white wood fra...
Paper
Topaze noir négatif
By Victor Vasarely
Located in PARIS, FR
Matt acrylic-painted wood relief Éditions Denise Rene Paris Edition n° 37/50, Signed. Presented at the exhibition “Vasarely - Le partage des Formes”, in 2019 at the Centre Pompidou. ...
Wood, Acrylic
Victor Vasarely artork: Untitled
By Victor Vasarely
Located in Miami, FL
Victor Vasarely Untitled, ca. 1970 Black and gold adhesive on PVC 20 x 20 in Provenance: Rudolf Budja Galerie. Private Collection. Martini Studio D´Arte, Brescia Italy. December 16,...
PVC, Adhesive
$34,309Sale Price|20% Off
Malyva Collage by Victor Vasarely, Mixed Media on Cardboard, 1956
By Victor Vasarely
Located in CANNES, FR
Victor VASARELY ( 1906 -1997 ) " MALYVA " collage de papiers de couleurs collés sur carton . 1956 . Signé et Daté 1956 . " UNIQUE WORK " 67 X 51 cm Framed vintage : 75 x 55 cm fa...
Archival Paper
$6,000
H 48 in W 48 in D 4 in
Promised Land, Contemporary Textile Art, Contemporary Art, 21st Century
By Marco Querin
Located in Mexico City, MX
From the series Observing Multiculturalism - Despite having already settled in his promised land, anxiety still rules all his thoughts, 2019 Contemporary Textile Artwork Minimalist, neutral colors Raw Mexican wool...
Textile, Wool, PVC
$1,950
H 36 in W 36 in D 3 in
Sophisticated, Original Op Art Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, 36x36 inches
By Stan Slutsky
Located in Aventura, FL
Original painting on canvas. Hand signed on front; signed and titled on verso by the artist. Canvas is stretched. Artwork is in excellent condition. Certificate of Authenticity in...
Canvas, Acrylic
$3,400
H 10 in Dm 10 in
White Path - 3D small contemporary abstract round mural sculpture
Located in New York, NY
Erin Vincent is a Toronto based-artist whose work draws on a variety of repetitive and labor intensive processes and materials. Things and common objects have always fascinated Vinc...
Acrylic, Wood Panel, Archival Paper
Untitled Mod Op Art 1967 Painting on Silk
By Henry Pearson
Located in Surfside, FL
Label from Obelisk Gallery verso. Henry C. Pearson (October 8, 1914 – December 3, 2006) was an American abstract and modernist painter. Pearson was born in Kinston, North Carolina, ...
Silk, Paper, Mixed Media
$3,600
H 12 in Dm 12 in
Lapis - 3D small contemporary blue abstract round mural sculpture
Located in New York, NY
Erin Vincent is a Toronto based-artist whose work draws on a variety of repetitive and labor intensive processes and materials. Things and common objects have always fascinated Vinc...
Acrylic, Wood Panel, Archival Paper
$3,200
H 17.5 in W 24 in D 6 in
"Milan Lounge" Miniature Wall-Mounted Storefront cby Drew Leshko
By Drew Leshko
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This piece titled "Milan Lounge" is original artwork made from paper, basswood, plaster, acrylic, enamel, watercolor, wire, pvc, pins, pastel, inkjet prints by Drew Leshko. This piec...
Metal, Enamel, Wire
$26,208
H 1.97 in W 20.87 in D 20.87 in
Alberto Biasi Signed Dated and Titled Contemporary Abstract Italian Artwork
By Alberto Biasi
Located in Roma, IT
A marvellous and extremely rare work by one of the most important artists of contemporary kinetic art, Alberto Biasi (Padua, 1937). This work bears the artist's own handwritten inscr...
Wood, PVC
$88,000
H 41.5 in W 41.5 in D 2 in
Richard Anuszkiewicz Metallic Water 1960s Op Art painting Art Institute Chicago
By Richard Anuszkiewicz
Located in New York, NY
Richard Anuszkiewicz Metallic Water, 1964 Painting with Liquitex on canvas. (1964 Art Institute of Chicago Exhibition and J.L. Hudson Gallery) Signed boldly and dated 1964 on the ver...
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Canvas
$3,200
H 14.5 in W 7.25 in D 5.5 in
Contemporary Ceramic Sculpture, Mixed Media, Stoneware, Pigmented PVC Surface
By Maxwell Mustardo
Located in St. Louis, MO
Contemporary Ceramic Sculpture, Mixed Media, Stoneware, Pigmented PVC Surface Maxwell Mustardo is a ceramic artist whose highly textured forms are the result of meticulous research ...
Stoneware, Plastic, PVC
$13,104
H 29.14 in W 21.66 in D 2.76 in
1974 Italy Abstract Wall Sculpture Kinetic by Estuardo Maldonado
By Estuardo Maldonado
Located in Brescia, IT
This white color PVC artwork in fact is full of colors that capture the light: under every carved lines are visible the presence of jellow color and blue color. In the 1966 Estuard...
PVC
$142,957
H 37.41 in W 37.41 in D 0.6 in
Atmosphère Chromoplastique N.246 - Acrylic on Wood by L. Tomasello -
Located in Roma, IT
This great work is a part of the Collection ‘Atmosphères chromoplastiques’ which was realized by Tomasello in the mid-1970s, during his stay in Paris and at the very center of the OP...
Wood, Acrylic
Acid-Wave
By Omar Rayo
Located in New York, NY
Striking 3-dimensional acrylic and wood on canvas sculpture by renowned Colombian painter an sculptor, Omar Rayo. Signed, titled, inscribed "New Yo...
Canvas, Wood, Acrylic
Salgo negatif
By Victor Vasarely
Located in PARIS, FR
Éditions Denise René edition no. II/X, Signed. Presented at the exhibition “Vasarely - Le partage des Formes”, in 2019 at the Centre Pompidou. p.224 of the catalog Relief in wood pa...
Wood, Acrylic
Victor Vasarely Kinetics 3
By Victor Vasarely
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Victor Vasarely Kinetics 3 double screen print on rhodoid and cardboard editions of the griffon neuchatel (switzerland) 1st edition . 1973 white wood frame perfect condition very nic...
Paper
Victor Vasarely Kinetics 1
By Victor Vasarely
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Victor Vasarely Kinetics 1 double screen print on rhodoid and cardboard editions of the griffon neuchatel (switzerland) 1st edition . 1973 white wood frame perfect condition very nic...
Paper
Victor Vasarely Kinetics 2
By Victor Vasarely
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Victor Vasarely Kinetics 3 double screen print on rhodoid and cardboard editions of the griffon neuchatel (switzerland) 1st edition . 1973 white wood frame perfect condition very nic...
Paper
Victor Vasarely Kinetics 4
By Victor Vasarely
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Victor Vasarely Kinetics 4 double screen print on rhodoid and cardboard editions of the griffon neuchatel (switzerland) 1st edition . 1973 white wood frame perfect condition very nic...
Paper
Victor Vasarely Kinetics A
By Victor Vasarely
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Victor Vasarely Kinetics A From serie : Kinetics A/ B/ C/ D double screen print on rhodoid and cardboard editions of the griffon neuchatel (switzerland) 1st edition . 1973 white woo...
Paper
Victor Vasarely Kinetics A
By Victor Vasarely
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Victor Vasarely Kinetics A From serie : Kinetics A/ B/ C/ D double screen print on rhodoid and cardboard editions of the griffon neuchatel (switzerland) 1st edition . 1973 white woo...
Paper
Victor Vasarely Kinetics B
By Victor Vasarely
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Victor Vasarely Kinetics B From serie : Kinetics A/ B/ C/ D double screen print on rhodoid and cardboard editions of the griffon neuchatel (switzerland) 1st edition . 1973 white woo...
Paper
Victor Vasarely Kinetics 5
By Victor Vasarely
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Victor Vasarely Kinetics 5 double screen print on rhodoid and cardboard editions of the griffon neuchatel (switzerland) 1st edition . 1973 white wood frame perfect condition very nic...
Paper
Victor Vasarely Kinetics 3
By Victor Vasarely
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Victor Vasarely Kinetics 3 double screen print on rhodoid and cardboard editions of the griffon neuchatel (switzerland) 1st edition . 1973 white wood frame perfect condition very nic...
Paper
Victor Vasarely Kinetics 4
By Victor Vasarely
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Victor Vasarely Kinetics 4 double screen print on rhodoid and cardboard editions of the griffon neuchatel (switzerland) 1st edition . 1973 white wood frame perfect condition very nic...
Paper
Victor Vasarely Kinetics 2
By Victor Vasarely
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Victor Vasarely Kinetics 3 double screen print on rhodoid and cardboard editions of the griffon neuchatel (switzerland) 1st edition . 1973 white wood frame perfect condition very nic...
Paper