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Op Art

OP ART STYLE

The Op art movement emerged in the 1960s, mirroring the counterculture of the time in its embrace of visual trickery, graphic shapes and bright colors.

Spreading across Europe and the Americas, the style — whose name is short for “optical art” — influenced advertising, fashion and interior design before fading in the early ’70s.

Op art remained significant, however, for artists and scientists interested in the nature of perception. And today, it’s seeing a resurgence of interest from collectors and interior designers.

Op artists played with the principles of perception, manipulating line, shape, patterns and color to create the illusion of depth and movement. They drew on and evolved methods developed by past movements, from Impressionism to Abstract Expressionism, to produce intense visual experiences.

All the Op artists shared a focus on the gap between what is and what we perceive. Each, however, had a distinct approach to the issue and a unique visual style.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of Op art that includes works by Josef Albers, Bridget Riley, Jesús Rafael Soto and more.

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Style: Op Art
Jim Bird, Untitled, from Ediciones Poligrafa, 1979
Jim Bird, Untitled, from Ediciones Poligrafa, 1979

Jim Bird, Untitled, from Ediciones Poligrafa, 1979

By Jim Bird

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph by Jim Bird (1937–2010), titled Untitled (Untitled), from the album Ediciones Poligrafa, Barcelona - Redfern Gallery, London, originates from the 1979 editi...

Category

1970s Op Art

Materials

Lithograph

Untitled Mod Op Art 1967 Painting on Silk
Untitled Mod Op Art 1967 Painting on Silk

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, ...

Category

1960s Op Art

Materials

Silk, Paper, Mixed Media

Jewel coloured vibrant op art abstract geometric painting French 1960s
Jewel coloured vibrant op art abstract geometric painting French 1960s

Jewel coloured vibrant op art abstract geometric painting French 1960s

Located in Norwich, GB

A fabulous example of 1960s geometric/op art, displaying all the fun, playfulness and vibrancy of the style. Op art, short for optical art, is a style of visual art that uses optical illusions. Typically, they give the viewer the impression of movement, hidden images and vibrating patterns. Its roots can be traced back to Cubism, Futurism, Constructivism and Dada. The maker of this stunning piece is Tony Gonnet (1909-2004) an artist close to those who shaped modern art and its history. Working in Casablanca in 1940 he met André Breton and Saint-Exupéry, who were both on their way to America. Unable to obtain a visa for himself, Gonnet returned to Paris in January of 1942. Living on Rue de Seine, he became one of the figures of Saint-Germain-des-Prés and numbered amongst his many friends Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Jean Genet – who prefaced his first Parisian exhibition in 1952 – as well as Albert Camus, Simone Signoret, Boris Vian, Jacques and Pierre Prévert and many others. In 1941, in the ennui of Casablanca, Tony Gonnet had started to draw, and then paint, in a Surrealist style. In 1946 he abandoned figurative surrealism in favour of abstraction, making sole use from then on of geometric forms and shaded tones, in his own unique style. His works aim to achieve harmony of shapes and colours, and thus to bring joy. Tony Gonnet loved life, and said that each of his works was an offering made to it. With solo shows in major Paris galleries...

Category

1960s Op Art

Materials

Oil, Board

Untitled 25, Abstract Op Art Screenprint by David Roth
Untitled 25, Abstract Op Art Screenprint by David Roth

Untitled 25, Abstract Op Art Screenprint by David Roth

By David Roth

Located in Long Island City, NY

This screenprint was created by American artist David Roth. Roth's images are proportioned according to a strict mathematical formula - the pictures are composed according to horizon...

Category

1970s Op Art

Materials

Screen

Original Op Art Abstract Color Screenprint "Planetary Folklore" Signed #2/250
Original Op Art Abstract Color Screenprint "Planetary Folklore" Signed #2/250

Original Op Art Abstract Color Screenprint "Planetary Folklore" Signed #2/250

By Victor Vasarely

Located in Portland, OR

A Op Art abstract color screenprint, "Planetary Folklore" 1968, by Victor Vasarely (1906-1997). This very striking work by Vasarely is comprised of various colorful geometric shapes, the work is signed lower right "Vasarely" and numbered lower left "2/250. This is an early and crisp impression in excellent condition and housed under glass in a gilt & silvered hardwood frame. This very eye-catching work by one of the 20th century's leading Op artists is ready to hang on your wall. 14" x 14.50" at sight without frame Numered 2/250 A Franco-Hungarian painter, Victor Vasarely (1906-1997) first studied medicine before turning to art. In Budapest, he frequented artists from the Hungarian Bauhaus...

Category

1960s Op Art

Materials

Lithograph, Handmade Paper, Color, Screen

Line Study For Angles and Curves, Duo of Art Deco Shapes, Pastel Palette Rouge
Line Study For Angles and Curves, Duo of Art Deco Shapes, Pastel Palette Rouge

Line Study For Angles and Curves, Duo of Art Deco Shapes, Pastel Palette Rouge

By Natalia Roman

Located in Barcelona, ES

These series of paintings by Natalia Roman gather their inspiration from geometric, minimalist shapes and paintings from the beginning of Modernism, with a special emphasis on Art Deco shapes of the 30's, 40's and 50's. The subtle but chic color combinations will combine beautifully with both vintage and modern furniture without overtaking spaces that are carefully crafted by designers. Natalia Roman was born in 1984 in Girona, Spain. She has exhibited in galleries across Europe and her colorful, abstract paintings are part of private collections all over the world. Details: Title: Line Study...

Category

2010s Op Art

Materials

Acrylic, Paper, Oil Crayon

16 Green Circles from the Eight Variants series, 1970
16 Green Circles from the Eight Variants series, 1970

16 Green Circles from the Eight Variants series, 1970

By Julian Stanczak

Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL

16 Green Circles from the Eight Variants series, 1970 This work is number 51 from the edition of 165 printed by Hans Mayer, Krefeld, Germany. screenprint 28"x28" Julian Stanczak American/Polish, 1928-2017. explores the visual, psychological, and emotional resonance of color in his Op art paintings, through which he aims to induce a “color meltdown,” as he describes: “I want to fuse many colorants and their gradations into a single color experience.” Influenced by Josef Albers and Russian...

Category

1970s Op Art

Materials

Screen

Centered Rings
Centered Rings

Centered Rings

By Julian Stanczak

Located in Fairlawn, OH

Centered Rings Screen print, 1971 Signed and numbered in pencil From: Twelve Progressions Commissioned by Martha Jackson Graphics Printer: Domberger, Stuttgart, Germany Their drystam...

Category

1970s Op Art

Materials

Screen

Fiesta
Fiesta

Fiesta

By Roy Ahlgren

Located in San Francisco, CA

This artwork titled "Fiesta" 1982 is a color serigraph on Wove paper by noted American artist Roy Ahlgren, 1927-2011 It is hand signed, titled, dated and numbered 66/130 in pencil by...

Category

Mid-20th Century Op Art

Materials

Screen

Enterieur (Outside)
Enterieur (Outside)

Enterieur (Outside)

By Jurgen Peters

Located in Fairlawn, OH

Enterieur (Outside) Screen print, 1973 Signed lower right in pencil (see photo) Edition: A.P., annotated lower left corner Published by Edition Ltd., Indianapolis Image size: 21 3/4 ...

Category

1970s Op Art

Materials

Screen

Warm Gradient Lights Diptych, Ethereal Glow Limited Edition Giclée, Abstract Art
Warm Gradient Lights Diptych, Ethereal Glow Limited Edition Giclée, Abstract Art

Warm Gradient Lights Diptych, Ethereal Glow Limited Edition Giclée, Abstract Art

By Ryan Rivadeneyra

Located in Barcelona, ES

Warm Gradient Lights is a vibrant Giclée print that explores the emotional resonance of color through soft, seamless transitions of pink, peach, lavender, and coral tones. This abstr...

Category

2010s Op Art

Materials

Photographic Paper, C Print, Giclée, Archival Pigment

Yaacov Agam, Composition in Motion, from XXe siecle, 1980
Yaacov Agam, Composition in Motion, from XXe siecle, 1980

Yaacov Agam, Composition in Motion, from XXe siecle, 1980

By Yaacov Agam

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph by Yaacov Agam (born 1928), titled Composition en mouvement (Composition in Motion), from the album Homage to Agam, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Exhibition ...

Category

1980s Op Art

Materials

Lithograph

Wifredo Lam, The Horse Woman, from XXe siecle, 1979
Wifredo Lam, The Horse Woman, from XXe siecle, 1979

Wifredo Lam, The Horse Woman, from XXe siecle, 1979

By Wifredo Lam

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph by Wifredo Lam (1902–1982), titled La Femme Cheval (The Horse Woman), from the album XXe siecle, Numero special, Wifredo Lam, Nouvelle serie, XLIe Annee, No...

Category

1970s Op Art

Materials

Lithograph

Majus II
Majus II

Victor VasarelyMajus II, 1974

$20,000Sale Price|20% Off

Majus II

By Victor Vasarely

Located in Palo Alto, CA

Victor Vasarely Majus II, 1974 is a screenprint on polyester on metal that is hand-signed by Victor Vasarely (Hungary, 1906 – France, 1997) in pen and ink the lower right margin and...

Category

1970s Op Art

Materials

Metal

Exit, Original Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Op Art, 2010s, Unframed
Exit, Original Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Op Art, 2010s, Unframed

Exit, Original Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Op Art, 2010s, Unframed

Located in AMSTERDAM, NL

Step into the mesmerizing world of EXIT, the original acrylic painting on canvas meticulously crafted and shaped by the divine proportions of the golden rectangle. Inspired by the Re...

Category

2010s Op Art

Materials

Acrylic

Vertigo, Victor Vasarely

Vertigo, Victor Vasarely

By Victor Vasarely

Located in Fairfield, CT

Artist: Victor Vasarely (1908-1997) Title: Vertigo Year: 1982 Medium: Silkscreen on Arches paper Edition: 88/325, plus proofs Size: 26.75 x 22.75 inches Condition: Good Inscription: ...

Category

1980s Op Art

Materials

Screen

2 +3 = 4, 1981
2 +3 = 4, 1981

2 +3 = 4, 1981

By Yaacov Agam

Located in Palo Alto, CA

Yaacov Agam 2 +3 = 4, 1981 offers another excellent example of the artist’s ability to induce the illusion of movement through color and pattern. By combining a multicolor palette wi...

Category

1980s Op Art

Materials

Mixed Media

TER-UR
TER-UR

Victor VasarelyTER-UR

$1,770Sale Price|40% Off

TER-UR

By Victor Vasarely

Located in Aventura, FL

Serigraph on paper. Hand signed and numbered by the artist. Sheet size 39 x 30 inches. Image size 24.25 x 24.25 inches. Custom framed as pictured. From the edition of 250. Additio...

Category

Late 20th Century Op Art

Materials

Paper, Screen

Op Art art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Op art available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add art created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, purple, orange, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Victor Vasarely, Roy Ahlgren, Victor Debach, and Yaacov Agam. Frequently made by artists working with Screen Print, and Paint and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Op Art, so small editions measuring 2 inches across are also available. Prices for art made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $66 and tops out at $350,000, while the average work sells for $1,616.