Skip to main content

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 The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics.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.

to
684
1,397
893
1,558
527
398
Height
to
Width
to
2,922
2,483
709
674
418
335
236
155
108
103
76
69
59
58
57
42
41
27
1
6
1,551
925
49
385
844
7
12
19
25
52
171
207
128
157
1,096
1,044
797
547
480
1,076
1,045
871
385
248
2,483
2,435
2,462
36
31
27
26
21
Style: Modern
Water World Abstract Photograph
Located in Queens, NY
Contemporary abstract photograph of light reflecting on water reverse printed on glass in a white box frame titled "Water World" (by DEANN ARCE).      
Category

20th Century American Modern Paintings

Materials

Glass

Gabe Silverman 1980s Geometric Abstract Op Art Painting
Located in Miami, FL
Gabe Silverman 1980s geometric abstract op art painting. Offered for sale is an original Op Art painting recently discovered in a time capsule from t...
Category

1980s American Vintage Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Paint

Pair Of Cubism Paintings, 20th Century, France
Located in Lisbon, PT
Pair of modern cubist french paintings, signed: - A Robert Bluteau (1914–1985) painting, a modernist still life painter, signed "Bluteau" and dated "1955", the painting features fis...
Category

20th Century French Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Paper

Contemporary Michal Zoborrowski Abstract Figural Painting of a Couple Dancing
Located in Queens, NY
Contemporary figural oil painting of a man in a black suit dancing with a lady wearing a blue and floral shawl in a black and gilt trim frame titled "Couple Dancing" (by MICHAL ZOBOR...
Category

20th Century American Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas

French Vintage Framed Oil on Panel Coastal Scene
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
Lovely pastel colors from turquoise to pink and lavender animate this vintage French oil painting of coastal wetlands. The fiery glow of the setting sun burns though the hazy cloud c...
Category

20th Century French Modern Paintings

Materials

Paint

Modern Signed Painting French Riviera Landscape
By William Langley
Located in Roma, IT
Very rare painting oil on canvas by the artist William Langley Title “View of Menton Cap Martin” It depicts a beautiful view of the French Riviera, in particular Cap Martin-Menton O...
Category

Early 20th Century French Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood

Lyle Braden Abstract Painting, 1980s
Located in Raleigh, NC
An incredible original oil on canvas. This piece realized in the early 80s and shows wonderful contrast and movement. A study of light and color with a unique composition. Piece is m...
Category

1980s American Vintage Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Paint

1980 Harley Francis Abstract Nudes Painting, Signed and Dated
Located in Miami, FL
1980 Harley Francis Abstract Nudes Painting, Signed and Dated. Offered for sale is an abstract acrylic painting by Harley Frances (1940-2017). The subjects are Francis' abstract male nude...
Category

Late 20th Century American Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic, Wood, Paint

Williams Carmona Surrealist Oil Painting on Canvas, Cuban/ Puerto Rican Artist
Located in Miami, FL
Williams Carmona Surrealist Oil Painting on Canvas, Cuban/ Puerto Rican Artist Offered for sale is a figurative oil on canvas by Cuban born artist ...
Category

Late 20th Century Puerto Rican Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas

Untitled ‘Intellectual’ by Hans Speidel
Located in New York, NY
Oil on canvas, painting by Hans Speidel (1895-1976): Germany, Signed. Speidel, opposed the Hitlerian racial laws, and was a proponent of the German mo...
Category

Mid-20th Century German Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas

“Di Stelle Cadenti” Italian Mid-Century Painting
Located in Austin, TX
Mixed media on canvas from mid-century Italy. This piece is signed by the artist, attributed to Danilo Pacchiotti’s entourage. It is titled “Di Stelle Cadenti”; translating to “Of Sh...
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Paint

Abstract Oil Painting by William Stebbins
By William Stebbins
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Oil painting on canvas by Chicago artist, William Stebbins. The painting features bright blues and purple tones alongside warm yellow and orange tones. Signed by the artist. Dimensi...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Paint

Italian Modern Colored Abstract Painting from an Milanese House-Studio, 1970s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern red, brown, green, light blue, orange, black and white abstract painting from an milanese house-studio, 1970s Beautiful and simple, medium size abstract painting from ...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Paintings

Materials

Glass, Paper

Oil Painting on Canvas by Yang Qian
Located in Atlanta, GA
Title: Hiding in The Jungle Artist: Yang Qian (Chinese; B. 1959) Medium: Oil on canvas Years: purchased circa 1990 A Palm Beach, FL collection An early work by Yang Qian during his sojourn in Florida, USA. The series delved into art history with reinterpretation and overlaying symbolism. The painting is set in a moody tropical jungle at night and is a clear reinterpretation and a dialogue between Henri Rousseau's The Dream and Paul Gauguin's La Femme du Roi. Although the two French artists were contemporaries, they may have not intersected in their personal lives. Pioneering and ground-breaking for their time, their work were celebrated posthumously and served as inspiration for later artists. For a similar painting Odalisque Now (c.1990) see lot 135 of Sotheby's Contemporary Art Asia sale...
Category

Late 20th Century Chinese Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Paint

James Strombotne painting "Two Women" Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Camden, ME
James S. Strombotne is an American painter and renowned contemporary artist. He was born in 1934 in Watertown, South Dakota, but was raised and educated in Southern California, rece...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Painting "the Lady with a Hat", 20th Century
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Painting "The Lady with a Hat", 20th century. Large painting by Luez "The Lady with a Hat", 20th century, unframed. Measures: H: 109 cm, W: 68 cm, D:...
Category

Late 20th Century European Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas

Mid-Century Abstract Painting, Mabel Swan
Located in Brooklyn, NY
1970's abstract oil painting on canvas, signed Mabel Swan. Please confirm item location (NY or NJ) with dealer.
Category

1970s American Vintage Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas

Oil on Canvas by James Coignard
Located in Long Island City, NY
"Petite Annotation" by James Coignard ( 1925- 2008) . France. Oil on canvas. Signed, Framed.
Category

1990s French Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas

Peter Keil Abstract Painting on Board
Located in Bradenton, FL
Peter Keil abstract painting on board, unframed. Signed on front by artist, along with ‘'Berlin '75’. Bright orange, green, blue and pink colors. On back signed by artist, "Downtown Miami, A real good guy...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Paintings

Materials

Paint

Mid 20th Century Vintage Boho Original Surrealist Figural Oil on Canvas
Located in west palm beach, FL
This mesmerizing vintage boho surrealist figural oil on canvas is a bold expression of imaginative artistry. The painting features a dynamic composition of abstracted figures and vib...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Paint

Italian modern Geometrical and abstract painting on paper, 1990s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern Geometrical and abstract painting on paper, 1990s Rectangular painting on paper. The geometric subject of the artwork has a squared pattern: inside it has both dotted ...
Category

1990s Italian Modern Paintings

Materials

Wood, Paper

Visionnaire Peacock by Michele Astolfi
By Visionnaire, Michele Astolfi
Located in Bologna, IT
Painted glass and Swarovski crystal. Polished stainless steel frame.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Paintings

Materials

Crystal, Stainless Steel

Modern Expressionist Abstract Painting Signed Mullin
Located in Clarksboro, NJ
This listing is for a Modern Expressionist Abstract Painting. Featuring a vintage wood frame, original expressionist style abstract art with a mixture of colors, and a wire on the ba...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Paintings

Materials

Paint

Wall Street Oil Painting "A Bullish Fourth" by Malcolm Schacter, New York
Located in Lambertville, NJ
A vibrant oil painting of Wall Street NYC showing St. Marks church in the background. The cityscape is decorated for the Fourth of July, depicting the early part of the 20th century, circa 1905. The artist captured the time period from actual photos that time and masterfully created a illustration not far from what would have been. The painting is full of proudly displayed American flags. Malcolm...
Category

Early 2000s American Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood

Richard Hirsch Encaustic Painting of Nothing Series, circa 2010 - 2012
Located in New York, NY
Contemporary American ceramic artist Richard Hirsch's encaustic "Paintings of Nothing Series" #14, #16, #22 and #23 are made of ceramic raw materials, dry pigment and wax. Hirsch app...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Paintings

Materials

Clay, Organic Material

Warren Fischer Figurative Abstract Watercolor Painting with Mixed Media Collage
Located in Miami, FL
Warren Fischer Figurative Abstract watercolor painting with Mixed Media Collage Offered for sale is an abstract painting by Warren Fischer incorporating watercolor and mixed media...
Category

1990s American Modern Paintings

Materials

Paste, Paint, Paper

1990s Untitled Abstract Painting on Paper by Cole
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Abstract figurative mixed media on paper signed by Cole Measurements: Framed 29" × 37" Unframed 21" × 29" Material: Mixed media on paper.
Category

1990s American Modern Paintings

Materials

Paper, Acrylic, Paint

"Black on White on Black on White" Oil on Canvas by David Segel
Located in Pasadena, CA
"Black on White on Black on White" is the name given by Segel for this composition. The subject is open to interpretation though some viewers could thin...
Category

1970s American Vintage Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas

Lev Mezhberg, Homage to Cezanne, Oil on Canvas Painting, 2005
Located in New York, NY
Signed and dated in the bottom right corner “LEV MEZHBERG ‘05” Dimensions Height: 50 inches (125cm) Width: 93 inches (232.5cm) Lev Leonidovich Mezhberg (Ukrainian/American, 1930-2007) was born and spent most of his life in the cosmopolitan city of Odessa, whose streets and suburbs are found in many of his works. In 1958, he graduated from Odessa College of Fine Art with highest honours. Mezhberg's work has been exhibited at museums and galleries throughout the Soviet Union, the USA and Europe and is owned by such collectors as leonard Bernstein, Vladimir Horowitz, Natalia Makarova...
Category

Early 2000s American Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas

Richard Hirsch Encaustic Painting of Nothing #52, 2017
Located in New York, NY
Contemporary American ceramic artist Richard Hirsch's encaustic Painting of Nothing #52 is made of ceramic raw materials, dry pigment and wax. This piece is part of his ongoing Painting of Nothing Series. Hirsch applies the waxy mix with a brush onto redwood plywood backed structures with two-inch wood strips all around and used various torches to layer, flux, bubble and blend. "Waxy and very tactile, they are probably the work Mark Rothko would have done had he spent most of his life in clay. Hirsch’s paintings have the nuance, subtle texture, and color shifts that become evident in blown-up photographs of his ceramic objects as well as a similar presence." Signed and dated en verso by the artist. This painting ship directly from the artist’s studio in Rochester, NY. (Literature: "With Fire: Richard Hirsch, A Life Between Chance and Design", Scott Meyer (Author), RIT Cary Graphic Arts Press 2012 - "The Paintings" pgs. 102 - 105) Richard Hirsch brief bio: In the field of contemporary ceramic, Rick Hirsch has earned an international reputation. He has achieved this recognition by engaging in numerous diversified professional activities. Through efforts in university teaching, exhibits, writing, lecturing and researching he has risen to worldwide prominence. In 1975, Hirsch co-authored a book entitled Raku, published by Watson-Guptill. This was the first comprehensive text to address the new innovations developing in the west that were transforming traditional Japanese Raku. Also, in the same year, Hirsch became a founding faculty member of The Program in Artistry at Boston University. Currently, Hirsch is a Professor Emeritus at The School for American Crafts which is a part of Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY. His university teaching career now spans well over four decades. Repeatedly, Hirsch has participated in several milestone exhibitions and publications. Significant shows include; The Evolution of American Art in Craft Media Since 1945; Echoes: Historical References in Contemporary Ceramics; American Ceramics Now; Raku: Origins, Impact and Contemporary Expression; and Convergences: The Presence of the Past in Contemporary American Ceramics...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Paintings

Materials

Clay, Organic Material

Richard Mirando Seen Graffiti Art Painting of Wonder Woman Post No Bills
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
Richard Mirando Seen Graffiti Art Painting of Wonder Woman Post No Bills
Category

2010s American Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas

Richard Hirsch Encaustic Painting of Nothing #79, 2021
Located in New York, NY
Contemporary American ceramic artist Richard Hirsch's encaustic Painting of Nothing #79 is made of ceramic raw materials, dry pigment and wax. This piece is part of his ongoing Paint...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Paintings

Materials

Clay, Organic Material

Abstract #3 Mixed Medium Painting on Canvas by Luigi Cosentino
Located in Montreal, QC
Abstract mixed medium painting, signed: Luigi Cosentino, titled “Abstract #03” and dated 2017, backside of the canvas, canvas size 48" x 60" x 1.5" pro...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Paintings

Materials

Paint

"Landscape From An Airplane, " 2021 Abstract Painting by Kathi Robinson Frank
Located in New York, NY
"Landscape From An Airplane" 2021 is large framed abstract mixed media oil painting by Kathi Robinson Frank with pastel, graphite and oil stick in sunny shades of pale yellow, tan, r...
Category

2010s American Modern Paintings

Materials

Paint

John Mackay Original Abstract Oil Painting
Located in London, GB
A fantastic and striking original oil on board painting by the renowned artist John Mackay. This is signed and dated from 2012. It is a great size and b...
Category

2010s British Modern Paintings

Materials

Paint

American Multicolored Flame Abstract Painting
Located in Queens, NY
American modern abstract painting of multicolored flame like shapes on a dark background in a rust colored frame. (signed: John Del Guidice)
Category

20th Century American Modern Paintings

Materials

Paint

Bengtsson Original Abstract Painting from a Modernist Palm Springs Estate
Located in Palm Springs, CA
One of our favorite abtract paintings. This large amazing bright color graphic abstract came from a upscale Palm Springs estate. Gold, pink, turquoise, white colorations looks great with any modern decor. The piece was done by Bengstton in 1991. Original bleached white wood...
Category

1990s American Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas

Richard Hirsch Encaustic Painting of Nothing #5, 2010
Located in New York, NY
Contemporary American ceramic artist Richard Hirsch's encaustic Painting of Nothing #5 is made of ceramic raw materials, dry pigment and wax. This piece is part of his ongoing Painti...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Paintings

Materials

Clay, Organic Material

Abstract Acrylic on Wood Painting by Dutch Visual Artist Han Sterk
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Dutch visual artist Han Sterk, owner of gallery studio "Han Sterk," is an artist whose creative output consists of both paintings and sculptures, at times figurative but more often a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Modern Paintings

Materials

Wood, Paint

Richard Hirsch Encaustic Painting of Nothing #61, 2021
Located in New York, NY
Contemporary American ceramic artist Richard Hirsch's encaustic Painting of Nothing #61 is made of ceramic raw materials, dry pigment and wax. This piece is part of his ongoing Paint...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Paintings

Materials

Clay, Organic Material

Salvatore ARGENIO: Silk Painting "Bourbon Shield of the Two Sicilies " 21st Cent
Located in Madrid, ES
Salvatore ARGENIO: Silk Painting "Bourbon Shield of the Two Sicilies " Silk painting with heraldic motifs in painted wooden frames. Bourbon shield of the two...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Paintings

Materials

Silk

Gu Gan (Born 1942 Changsha, China) Ink on Rice Paper Titled "Tiger" Circa 1990
Located in San Francisco, CA
An ink of rice paper by the well-known Chinese calligrapher and artist Gu Gan. Born in 1942 in Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, Gu Gan attended art school in Beijing in the e...
Category

1990s Chinese Modern Paintings

Materials

Paper, Plexiglass, Hardwood

Abstract Painting Dios 2015 Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Boca Raton, FL
Abstract painting acrylic on canvas by Spanish artist Daniel Marin 2015 Dios.
Category

Early 2000s Spanish Modern Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

"Ultrablue Garden 03" by Patrick Burns
Located in Chicago, IL
"Concrete Gardens" is a body of work that translates Patrick Burns' deep love of the land and complicated past into richly textured, mixed-media paintings with reverberating, monochr...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Paintings

Materials

Concrete, Other

Vintage Tropical Beachscape Painting by John Kiraly
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Striking tropical acrylic painting on canvas of a beach with palm trees, flowers, sand and sky sprayed with sunlight and shade, executed in a bold modern technique. Signed John Kiral...
Category

Late 20th Century American Modern Paintings

Materials

Paint

Mark Eldred Irish Landscape View Killarney Lakes Kerry Ireland Oil on Card 1998
Located in Dublin, Ireland
This Oil on Card Painting by Mark Eldred is an 'Evening view towards the mountain and Lakes of Killarney', Co Kerry and is a beautiful and typical interpretation by Mark of one of Ir...
Category

20th Century Irish Modern Paintings

Materials

Giltwood

Copy of Abstract Expressionist Blue Painting
Located in Queens, NY
Copy of an Abstract Expressionist style painting showing strong blue brushstrokes on white ground Condition: Good; Wear consistent with age and use
Category

Late 20th Century American Modern Paintings

Materials

Paint

American Prismatic Abstract Painting
Located in Queens, NY
American modern abstract painting of grey prismatic shapes on a dark background in a black frame. (signed: John Del Guidice)
Category

20th Century American Modern Paintings

Materials

Paint

Maria Astadjov Modern Abstract Painting "The Warm Winds of Nowhere", 2020
Located in Montreal, QC
Modern abstract, mixed-media on aluminum painting; titled “The Warm Winds of Nowhere” by Maria Astadjov, a conceptual fine artist. Signed on front bottom right; measuring approximate...
Category

2010s Canadian Modern Paintings

Materials

Aluminum

Elena Bond Hand Embellished Giclee Art Titled "Storm on the Plaza"
Located in Miami, FL
A fine decorative piece of art by Elena Bond, titled "Storm on the Plaza", created 2009. Hand embellished giclee on canvas. Professionally framed, th...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Uzbek Modern Paintings

Materials

Chrome

Little Black and Purple Impressionist Style Watercolor by Andrea LaHue
By Andrea LaHue
Located in Pasadena, CA
Framed painting rendered in purple and grey gouache on a black background. Impressionist style brush strokes.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Paintings

Materials

Paint, Paper, Wood

Ivy Lysdal, Acrylic on Canvas, Abstract Modernist Painting, Dated 2007
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Ivy Lysdal, b 1937. Danish ceramist and painter. Acrylic on canvas. Abstract modernist painting. Colourful palette. Dated 2007 Signed. Canvas measures: 30 x 30 cm. Provenance...
Category

Early 2000s Danish Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas

K. Westerberg alias Knud Horup. Oil / canvas. Country landscape with figures
Located in Copenhagen, DK
K. Westerberg, also known as Knud Horup, listed Danish artist. Oil on canvas. Modernist style. Winter country landscape with figures. 1970s. Signed. In perfect condition. Dimensions...
Category

1970s Danish Vintage Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas

Maillot, French artist. Oil on board. Abstract composition. 1971
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Maillot, French artist. Oil on board. Abstract composition. Signed and dated 1971. In perfect condition. Dimensions: W 59.5 cm x H 59.0 cm. Overall dimensions: W 61.7 cm x H 61.2 cm.
Category

1970s French Vintage Modern Paintings

Materials

Other

Dominant Curve Biomorphic Abstract Modern Painting After Wassily Kandinsky 78"
Located in Dayton, OH
A large hand painted reproduction of Wassily Kandinsky's "Dominant Curve". The original Biomorphic abstraction was painted in 1936. The oil...
Category

Late 20th Century Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Paint

Don Blake 1980 Heron Painting Florida Coastal
Located in Boca Raton, FL
Large scale painting by Don Balke 1980 naturalist painter of Heron bird in tropical landscape. 36” by 50” framed gilded period frame under glass. Watercolor with gouache on paper. Hi...
Category

1980s American Vintage Modern Paintings

Materials

Paper

Framed 20th Century French Oil Painting on Canvas Board by Artist B. Kielwasser
Located in COLMAR, FR
A very colorful, early 20th century original oil painting on canvas board. Sourced in France, this modernist artwork is signed by the artist and colo...
Category

Early 20th Century French Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood

Signed Midcentury Still-life with Bottles & Fruit
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A midcentury modern still-life painting of assorted bottles and fruit on a fabric-draped table, signed by the artist Stanislav Kachalski. The various forms come to life in a rich pal...
Category

20th Century Russian Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Paint

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.

Recently Viewed

View All