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Modern Paintings

MODERN STYLE

The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw sweeping social change and major scientific advances — both of which contributed to a new aesthetic: modernism. Rejecting the rigidity of Victorian artistic conventions, modernists sought a new means of expression. References to the natural world and ornate classical embellishments gave way to the sleek simplicity of the Machine Age. Architect Philip Johnson characterized the hallmarks of modernism as “machine-like simplicity, smoothness or surface [and] avoidance of ornament.”

Early practitioners of modernist design include the De Stijl (“The Style”) group, founded in the Netherlands in 1917, and the Bauhaus School, founded two years later in Germany.

Followers of both groups produced sleek, spare designs — many of which became icons of daily life in the 20th century. The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics. While Bauhaus principals Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created furniture from mass-produced, chrome-plated steel, American visionaries like Charles and Ray Eames worked in materials as novel as molded plywood and fiberglass. Today, Breuer’s Wassily chair, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chaircrafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich — and the Eames lounge chair are emblems of progressive design and vintage originals are prized cornerstones of collections.

It’s difficult to overstate the influence that modernism continues to wield over designers and architects — and equally difficult to overstate how revolutionary it was when it first appeared a century ago. But because modernist furniture designs are so simple, they can blend in seamlessly with just about any type of décor. Don’t overlook them.

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Style: Modern
Color:  Green
Bob Matheny Acrylic Painting on Hardwood
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Acrylic painting on hardwood by San Diego artist, Bob Matheny. The painting featuring eyeballs throws a nod to the Great Gatsby and Dr. T.J. Eckleberg as displayed on the back of the painting. The piece showcases vibrant neon colors of green orange and blue. The San Diego conceptual artist and educator helped define the San Diego art scene in the 1960s and ’70s alongside other artist such as Richard Allen Morris...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Paint

Dom Dominic Mingolla Enamel on Copper Painting Girl with Dog in Field 12 x 9
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Dom Dominic Mingolla Enamel on Copper Painting Girl with Dog in Field 12 x 9. Item features enamel on copper painting, artist signature to botto...
Category

Late 20th Century Modern Paintings

Materials

Copper, Enamel

Den Moshe Signed Enamel on Copper Small Painting Yellow Countryside Art
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Den Moshe signed enamel on copper small painting yellow countryside 7 x 8 Art. Item features enamel on copper painting, artist signature to bottom right corner, beautiful subject and...
Category

Late 20th Century Modern Paintings

Materials

Copper, Enamel

Modern Italian Painting with Abstract "Landscape"
By Alberto Boschi
Located in Alessandria, Piemonte
Modern abstract imaginery landscape Italian painting with fresh solar colors - O/ 4823 -
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas

"Big Trunk, Yellow and Green, " Early Painting by Stuart Shils, 1986
By Stuart Shils
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Painted before he was widely known and exhibited, this oil by Stuart Shils is vibrant with verdant green and brilliant yellow tones -- a Fine example of modern American Impressionism...
Category

Late 20th Century American Modern Paintings

Materials

Paper

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1920s Oil on Canvas Dog Painting
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1920s Oil on Canvas Dog Painting
1920s Oil on Canvas Dog Painting
H 22 in W 19 in D 1 in
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Located in Roma, IT
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Previously Available Items
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1970's Early Summer in Central Park Pastoral Oil Painting
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Abstract Acrylic on Canvas by Texas Artist Karl Lubbering
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Modernist Figural Painting, Signed G.Zafero, 1987
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A modernist geometric abstract painting on canvas. Green tones. Signed George Zafero-ST George 6-87.
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John O'Hara, Tar 31, Encaustic Painting
Located in SAINT LOUIS, MO
In Tar series. Art dimensions: 36 x 48 H inches Framed dimensions: 37.5 x 49.5 inches. Beautiful, custom maple float frame with black interior. Forsyth is proud to be the exclusive gallery of John O'Hara (American, b. 1963). O'Hara is a self-taught artist from St. Louis and is known for his large-scale abstract works. His medium of choice is encaustic, a mixture of pigments and beeswax and he allows the material to dictate color, line and texture. His works often feature natural and organic forms and incorporate both figural and abstract elements. O'Hara began his art career in 2018 and collectors and designers quickly took notice. His work is included in both public and private collections around the world. Michael Kors selected O'Hara's Tar series paintings for his Milan, Paris, and New York showrooms and his flagship store in London designed by Pamela Meech. O'Hara's Brands on Yellow is hanging in the lounge of Maison de Luz, the new luxury hotel by Atelier Ace and designed by AD100 design firm Studio Shamshiri...
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John O'Hara, Tar 31, Encaustic Painting
John O'Hara, Tar 31, Encaustic Painting
H 49.5 in W 37.5 in D 3 in
John O'Hara, Tar, 30, Encaustic Painting
Located in SAINT LOUIS, MO
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John Dawson Exceptionally Large Surreal Signed Oil Painting the Shady Lady, 1994
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Op Art Hard-Edge Painting, 20th Century
By June Harwood
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A nice modernist painting with hard-edge lines and wonderful optical color balance. It's illegible signed on the bottom corner. Nonetheless, it's a great decorative piece.
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Op Art Hard-Edge Painting, 20th Century
Op Art Hard-Edge Painting, 20th Century
H 24.5 in W 24.5 in D 2 in
Modern Surrealist Chinese Artist Zhu Zhechi Oil on Canvas Nude Female Painting
Located in Roslyn, NY
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Large Original Work by Brian Yoshimi Isobe
By Brian Yoshimi Isobe
Located in Dallas, TX
This is a stunning piece by Brian Yoshimi Isobe. Oil on linen grass field. Framed dimensions are 63" x 63", image size is 60" x 60".
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Rupert Muldoon Green River II, Contemporary Egg Tempera Painting
By Rupert Muldoon
Located in London, GB
Rupert Muldoon. Egg tempera on gesso panel. Framed and glazed non-re active. Rupert Muldoon: "Green River II was painted whilst standing underneath an old plane tree, with its branches dipping into the water and the light came from behind. It was quite hard to see where the leaves in the light, and the lights on the water began and ended. So I wanted to create more of an abstract painting that captured this." Rupert Muldoon traces the ephemeral qualities of the River Avon, a few minutes walk from his home and studio at Trafalgar Park. Working along the same stretch of river as Turner and Constable before him, Muldoon’s observations of the riverbank are taken at closer quarters: he is attracted by the danker more marginal places than his illustrious predecessors. Having trained and worked as a landscape architect and gardener for over a decade, Muldoon has a profound affinity with the landscape and with plants. His observations are at once precise and evocative, and his aim to create an impression - almost like a colour field painting - is entirely absorbing. Muldoon paints in egg tempera, one of the only artists in Britain to use this ancient medium, which allows him to layer translucent glazes upon one another to mesmerising effect. He says: “I paint reflections which mirror the bank, but the river bank itself is a very complicated thing; there are trees, poplars, bits of foliage that dip into the stream, its all moving and trembling, there are birds flitting around… the sound of the water. As I see that image when I’m sitting there, I want to relay all of that onto a board. The way I have found to do it is not to give anything in the painting in much focus. I want it all...
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"Edge of Town #10" Abstract Painting by Listed Artist Rick Orr
Located in Palm Springs, CA
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Modern paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Modern paintings for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage paintings created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include wall decorations, folk art, more furniture and collectibles and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with fabric, canvas and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern paintings made in a specific country, there are North America, Europe, and United States pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original paintings, popular names associated with this style include Richard A. Hirsch, Harry Hilson, Cecilia Setterdahl, and Peter Keil. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for paintings differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $25 and tops out at $166,872 while the average work can sell for $2,187.

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