Abstract Still-life Paintings
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.
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Sandstone
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Paint, Oil Pastel, Cotton Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Abstract Still-life Paintings
Paper, Oil
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1960s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil, Canvas
20th Century Abstract Still-life Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
1980s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil, Fiberboard
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Watercolor, Monoprint, Monotype, Photogram
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
A bouquet mesmerizes with its display of vibrant colors and shapes. It hints at the beauty of nature without being too literal, allowing the viewer to interpret...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Paper, Acrylic, Watercolor
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Paint, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
An explosion of bright colors evokes a lively garden. The fluorescent pink and bright yellow colors bring a touch of modernity and dynamism, perfectly balanced...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
The artwork evokes a vibrant garden full of spring colors, capturing the renewed energy of nature. Splashes of turquoise, yellow, and red suggest wildflowers in...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Splash and drips of paint represent nature in this abstract floral landscape. It features neutral colors of taupe, white, and yellow, with pops of red. The artw...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Acrylic
1960s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Judy Mackey says she asked her patrons to help her title this impressionist painting of orange tulips, and she loved the sug...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
A small white flower contrasts against a calming purple background, exuding a whimsical charm. It emits an ethereal beauty, with the petals appearing to glow so...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
A lone white flower blossoms against a soothing purple background. Its simple depiction captures its ethereal beauty. This painting is part of a series of four....
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
20th Century Abstract Still-life Paintings
Paper, Oil
Artist Comments
A joyful bouquet exudes vibrancy and energy, maintaining an elegant composition against a neutral background. It represents a harmonious blend of femininity and...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
The artwork presents an impressionistic and abstract rendering of a stunning bouquet. The neutral yet energetic color combination, painted with soft edges, evok...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Against a soft purple-gray background, a small white flower displays its delicate charm. Its presence whispers of joy and brightness. This piece is part of a se...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Scrapes of white paint hint at the form of a flower with a yellow core. Accents of purple and green add bursts of color to the composition. This artwork is part...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
A floral bouquet bursts with vibrant purple, yellow, and green hues, creating a refreshing contrast. The neutral background imbues the painting with serenity an...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
1950s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1950s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Birch, Oil, Wood Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil