The first decades of the 20th century were a period of artistic upheaval, with modern art movements including Cubism, Surrealism, Futurism and Dadaism questioning centuries of traditional views of what art should be. Using abstraction, experimental forms and interdisciplinary techniques, painters, sculptors, photographers, printmakers and performance artists all pushed the boundaries of creative expression.
Major exhibitions, like the 1913 Armory Show in New York City — also known as the “International Exhibition of Modern Art,” in which works like the radically angular Nude Descending a Staircase by Marcel Duchamp caused a sensation — challenged the perspective of viewers and critics and heralded the arrival of modern art in the United States. But the movement’s revolutionary spirit took shape in the 19th century.
The Industrial Revolution, which ushered in new technology and cultural conditions across the world, transformed art from something mostly commissioned by the wealthy or the church to work that responded to personal experiences. The Impressionist style emerged in 1860s France with artists like Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne and Edgar Degas quickly painting works that captured moments of light and urban life. Around the same time in England, the Pre-Raphaelites, like Edward Burne-Jones and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, borrowed from late medieval and early Renaissance art to imbue their art with symbolism and modern ideas of beauty.
Emerging from this disruption of the artistic status quo, modern art went further in rejecting conventions and embracing innovation. The bold legacy of leading modern artists Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dalí, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Marc Chagall, Piet Mondrian and many others continues to inform visual culture today.
Find a collection of modern paintings, sculptures, prints and other fine art on 1stDibs.
Always by My Side
By Julia Ruf
Located in Zofingen, AG
This emotionally rich painting portrays the quiet presence of a beloved dog beside a woman, capturing a moment of stillness, trust, and unspoken connection. The work reflects the dee...
Canvas, Acrylic
Horse and Bull , Mixed Media by Indian Master Artist Sunil Das "In Stock"
By Sunil Das
Located in Kolkata, West Bengal
Sunil Das - Bull & Horse - 9 x 8.5 inches (unframed size) Mixed Media on Thick Paper Free Shipping Without Frame Sunil Das (1939-2015) was a Master Modern Indian Artist from Bengal...
Paper, Mixed Media
$920Sale Price|20% Off
Mid Century Boat Docks Pacific Grove Landscape
Located in Soquel, CA
Painterly scene of boats and boats being built at the docks in old Pacific Grove, California by an unknown artist (American, 20th Century). Signed"WHM" lower left. Presented in a fau...
Canvas, Oil, Illustration Board
$4,600
1963 French Japanese Art Brut Abstract Oil Painting Akira Kito Diable et Rouge
By Akira Kito 1
Located in Surfside, FL
Akira Kito, Japanese, 1925-1994 Diable et Roge Oil on Canvas Titled, signed, and dated 1963 verso Hand signed lower center Dimensions: 32 x 12 3/4 in. (81.3 x 32.4 cm.), Frame: 33 1...
Canvas, Oil
$1,200Sale Price|20% Off
Modern Reclining Nude Study of Red Haired Woman
Located in Soquel, CA
Modern nude study of red-haired woman reclining seated by American painter, Patricia Gren Hayes (b. 1932), 1979. Signed and dated on verso Provenance: Purchased as part of larger collection of artist's work Unframed. Canvas size: 16"H x 20"W. Patricia Gren Hayes (American, b. 1932) is a Bay Area Figurative & Feminist Art Movement artist who studied at Winnipeg Public Art School in 1950. She received early recognition in Museum and Gallery competitions and exhibitions and was awarded a Special Education in Art recognition by the Winnipeg Museum of Fine Art, and was awarded a scholarship to the Banff College of Fine Art. Further studies were at The University of Manitoba. She was a Member of Winnipeg Free Press Sketch Club and was a Cartoonist and paste-up for a French-English bi-weekly, in Eastern Canada; She studied outdoor impressionism in New York in 1960; in 1962, attended The California College of Arts and Crafts, and in 1976 B.A., U.C. Berkeley where she studied under Elmer Bischoff, David Simpson, Joan Brown, Felix Ruvolo, Yolanda Lopez and Vincent Perez. She started a freelance commercial art business in 1963; copyrighted a National Cartoon, 1976, and served as Exhibition Director for San Francisco Woman Artists Gallery and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 1976-1978. She was a workshop instructor at the San Francisco Woman Artists Gallery, 1977-1985; and was Manager/Owner Stanton Art Gallery, Alameda, CA, 1976-1982. Solo Exhibitions: Berkeley Marina, 1974; Oakland Center for The Visual Arts, "Images of Women", 1979 Group Exhibitions: Oakland's Dept of Education, 1963, Studio One; Alameda County Fair, 1975, 1976, 1978; San Francisco Art Festival, 1969, 1970, 1976, 1977, 1978; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 1976, 1977, 1978; San Francisco Women Artists Gallery Exhibition, award winner - 1970, 1977, 1978; Hayward Bay Fair Art Festival, award winner - 1971; Capricorn Assunder Gallery, 1973; Oakland Art Festival, 1973, 1974; Alameda Art Association, 1978; El Cerrito...
Canvas, Oil
Meditation on African Sculpture, mid-century figural abstract painting
By Beni E. Kosh
Located in Beachwood, OH
Beni E. Kosh/Charles Elmer Harris (American, 1917-1993) Meditation on African Sculpture, 1957 Oil on found wood panel Signed and dated lower left 20 x 15 inches Charles Elmer Harris...
Oil
A Colorful, 1950s Mid-Century Modern Pool Hall Scene
Located in Chicago, IL
A Vibrant, Colorful, 1950s Mid-Century Modern Pool Hall Scene by Notable Chicago Artist, Francis Chapin. Artwork size: 6 3/4" x 8 1/2", Oil on Masonite, Framed size: 11" x 12 1/2"....
Masonite, Oil
Untitled Mixed Media Canvas, Modern Style, 1993, Unframed, 63x100 cm
Located in Roma, IT
The proposed work is a mixed media canvas created by artist Michele Zalopnay, measuring 63 x 100 cm is in excellent state of preservation Michele Zalopany is an American Postwar and ...
Canvas, Mixed Media
Female Portrait - Painting on Canvas by Antonio Feltrinelli - 1931
Located in Roma, IT
Female Portrait is an original artwork realized in 1931 by Antonio Feltrinelli (Milan, 1887 - Gargnano, 1942). Original Painting on canvas. Hand-signed on the lower right corner. ...
Paint, Canvas
Women & Horse, Mixed Media by Indian Artist Sunil Das "In Stock"
By Sunil Das
Located in Kolkata, West Bengal
Sunil Das - Nude Woman & Horse - 10.5 x 11.25 inches (unframed size) Mixed Media on Thick Paper Free Shipping Without Frame Sunil Das (1939-2015) was a Master Modern Indian Artist ...
Paper, Mixed Media
$1,646Sale Price|20% Off
The Girl With The Glasses 1960's Stylised Portrait Signed Oil Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The Girl With The Glasses, Impressionist Stylised Portrait, Signed Oil Painting British School, circa 1969 Initialled and dated '69 by the artist on the lower right hand corner Oil p...
Oil
Portrait of a Woman in the Style of Modigliani in Acrylic (Red Background)
Located in Soquel, CA
Portrait of a Woman in the Style of Modigliani in Acrylic (Red Background) Portrait of a woman in the style of Amedeo Modigliani by an unknown artist (20th century). The woman has d...
Canvas, Acrylic, Illustration Board
$521Sale Price|20% Off
20th Century German Modernist Oil Painting Colorful Still Life of Flowers
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist: Elisabeth Hahn (German 1924-2021), Elisabeth Hahn was born in Dortmund, Germany, where she began her artistic studies. In 1953, she moved to Paris. She continued her studie...
Oil
$2,633Sale Price|20% Off
Huge British Portrait Painting Nicole Kidman Moulin Rouge Royal Academy Exhibit
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Nicole Kidman (Moulin Rouge) by Liz London, British contemporary signed acrylic on canvas, framed framed: 46 x 36 inches canvas: 39 x 30 inches provenance: private collection, UK Pre...
Oil, Canvas
$1,166Sale Price|20% Off
"Antique games.. A look through time 2" Original conceptual portrait. Vertival
Located in Oslo, NO
In the paintings of this series , images of antique figures and statues are used to talk about the eternal in modern language , as well as to present antiquity in a modern way .The w...
Canvas, Ink, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Interior with Figures
By Arthur Osver
Located in Dallas, TX
Arthur Osver studied at Northwestern University and the Art Institute of Chicago. Osver was awarded the Prix de Rome in 1952. He taught at the Brooklyn Museum Art School, Columbia Un...
Canvas, Oil
$384Sale Price|20% Off
1950's Modernist Painting, Lady Reflection in Mirror
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Mirror reflection by Bernard Labbe (French mid 20th century), stamped verso original gouache/watercolour painting on board overall size: 11 x 8 inches condition: very good and ready ...
Acrylic
After Felix the Cat
Located in Atlanta, GA
Carlos J. Tirado (born on April 3, 1964 in Caracas, Venezuela) is an artist, painter and sculptor who has developed a very personal and precise line of work linked to Neo-Pop art. Wi...
Mixed Media
A Fine 1950s, Surrealist Mid-Century Modern Depiction of a Summer Symphony
Located in Chicago, IL
A 1954 Surrealist depiction of a Summer symphony by notable Chicago Modern artist Harold Haydon. Executed in the artist's innovative, abstract "Binocular Vision" technique for which...
Paper, Ink
$1,042Sale Price|20% Off
1960's French Modernist Signed Oil Man Driving 1900's Vintage Car
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist/ School: Jean-Pierre Rousseau (French, b. 1939), signed and dated 1963. Title: The Vintage Car Driver Medium: signed oil painting on canvas, framed and inscribed verso. f...
Canvas, Oil
$1,043Sale Price|20% Off
Golden Fields in Provence French Post-Impressionist Signed Oil
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist/ School: Huguette Ginet-Lasnier (French 1927-2020), signed lower front Ginet-Lasnier, the wife of the painter Jean Lasnier, was born in the Seine-Maritime region of France an...
Oil
$1,480Sale Price|20% Off
Boy in Wonderland 2 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Mixed Media, Men
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube. This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Samson Olatubos...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic, Photographic Paper
A Striking 1930s Portrayal of El Greco's Renaissance Masterpiece, Mater Dolorosa
Located in Chicago, IL
A striking 1930s Modern portrayal of El Greco's Renaissance masterpiece, "Mater Dolorosa" by Notable California Woman Artist, Leonine E. Wallace. Artwork size: 13 x 10 inches. O...
Oil, Board
Wash Day - Modern British Figurative Hanging Washing in Garden Oil Painting
Located in Sevenoaks, GB
A beautiful Modern British oil on board by Ruth Farrelly which depicts a lady putting her washing out on a line in her garden. Superb quality and striking painting, presented in th...
Oil, Board
$274Sale Price|20% Off
1950s French Modernist Watercolor Painting, Signed, Mid-20th Century
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
By Bernard Labbe (French mid 20th century) signed original watercolour/ gouache painting on paper board, unframed size: 14 x 10 inches condition: very good and ready to be enjoyed. ...
Acrylic
Preparing the Flag, America's 1784 Golden Girl
Located in Missouri, MO
Preparing the Flag, America's 1784 Golden Girl Arthur Sarnoff (American, 1912-2000) Signed Upper Right 28 x 24 inches 31.5 x 26.5 inches with frame SEE PHOTO: **Used for the Bi-Cen...
Oil, Board
$971Sale Price|20% Off
20thC French Modernist Oil Painting of Elegant Figures in a Park
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: French Impressionist Oil Painting of Elegant Figures in a Park by Bernadette Kelly (French b. 1933) Unsigned Medium: oil painting on board, unframed Painting size: 4.75 inches...
Oil
Get Change Here - American Modernism Scene WPA Mid-Century Realism NYC Cityscape
Located in New York, NY
Get Change Here - American Modernism Scene WPA Mid-Century Realism NYC Cityscape Max Arthur Cohn (1903-1988) "Get Change Here" 20 x 25 inches Oil on canvas, c. 1930s Signed lower le...
Canvas, Oil
The Dance - Original woodcut - Signed
By Raoul Dufy
Located in Paris, IDF
Raoul DUFY The Dance, c .1910 Original woodcut Signed with stamp of the artist's studio Numbered on /220 Titled in the board 50.5 x 65.4 cm (c. 19.6 x 25.5 inch) Excellent condition
Woodcut
Polka Dot Game
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this work, naive playfulness meets quiet resilience. The heroine, dressed in polka dots, seems to have stepped out of an old film — part actress, part observer of her own life. "P...
Canvas, Acrylic
$8,400Sale Price|20% Off
Night Garden, mid-century figural surrealist acrylic painting, Cleveland School
Located in Beachwood, OH
Clarence Holbrook Carter (American, 1904-2000) Night Garden, 1972 Acrylic on scintilla Signed and dated lower right 21.5 x 21.5 inches 24.25 x 24.25 inches, framed Clarence Holbroo...
Acrylic
A Captivating 1940s Modern Painting of a Seated Female Nude by Francis Chapin
Located in Chicago, IL
A captivating, 1940s Modern painting of a seated nude on a garden bench by famed Chicago artist, Francis Chapin (Am. 1899-1965). A sensitive, skilled portrait of a young female mode...
Masonite, Oil
Courtesan Scene - Paint by Pietro Michis - Late 19th Century
Located in Roma, IT
Oil on cardboard realized by Pietro Michis (1836-1903) in the late 19th Century. Includes a coeval gilded wooden frame cm. 28.5x30. Hand signed lower right. Very good condition.
Oil
Portrait of Woman- Painting by Antonio Feltrinelli- 1930s
Located in Roma, IT
Portrait of Woman is an orignal modern artwork realized by Antonio Feltrinelli in 1930s. Mixed colored oil painting on canvas. Not signed. Antonio Feltrinelli (Milan, 1887 – Gargn...
Paint, Oil
$950
A Charming, 1950s Mid-Century Modern Harbor Scene of Martha's Vineyard
Located in Chicago, IL
A Charming, Colorful 1950s Mid-Century Modern Harbor Scene of Martha's Vineyard by Notable Chicago Artist, Francis Chapin (Am. 1899-1965). Painted near the artist's longtime studio ...
Masonite, Oil
Church Painting by Argentinian Artist Emilio Trad, Signed and Dated 1978
By Emilio Trad
Located in New York, NY
Emilio Trad (Argentinian, b. 1953) Untitled (Church), 1978 Oil on board 18 1/4 x 14 in. Framed: 25 3/4 x 22 1/4 in. Signed lower left: Trad Signed and date...
Oil, Board
$8,250
The Sacrifice
Located in San Francisco, CA
Given the subject of this painting, you won't be surprised to learn that actor and artist Vincent Price was a patron of Noel Rockmore (1928-1995), this work's American artist. Additi...
Canvas, Oil
$214Sale Price|20% Off
20th Century French Modernist Gouache Painting Figure With Cello
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
by Paul-Louis Bolot (French 1918-2003) signed verso original gouache painting on thick paper/ card unframed condition: very good and sound; the edges have a few curls and scuffs/ edg...
Gouache
$741Sale Price|20% Off
French Impressionist Portrait of an Elderly Man in Blue Seated in Reflection
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: French Impressionist Portrait of an Elderly Man in Blue Seated in Reflection by Bernadette Kelly (French b. 1933) Unsigned Medium: oil painting on board, unframed Painting siz...
Oil
"Beach at Santa Monica, California" George Chann, Chinese American, Modernist
By George Chann
Located in New York, NY
George Chann Beach at Santa Monica, California, circa 1942-46 Signed lower right Oil on canvas 12 x 16 inches Provenance Private Collection, Rhode Island Edgar Berebi, Barrington, R...
Canvas, Oil
$15,000
"Poland's House in Fog" Lois Dodd, Abstracted Modernist, Blue Color, Atmospheric
Located in New York, NY
Lois Dodd Poland's House in Fog, 1990 Signed, titled and dated on the reverse Oil on aluminum 5 x 7 inches Provenance Fischbach Gallery, New York Private Collection (acquired from t...
Metal
Old Times School – Heder (Yeshiva) SAUL RASKIN signed oil painting, 1953
By Saul Raskin
Located in Rancho Santa Fe, CA
Signed lower right Signed and inscribed verso Provenance Private collection, Long Island, NY This item is in our New York City warehouse and can be viewed by appointment.
Canvas, Oil
$495Sale Price|44% Off
You are my Light (Oil Painting, Impasto, Impressionism, Colorful, Vibrant, Warm)
Located in Kansas City, MO
Genevieve Hamel You are my Light Oil on Wood Panel Year: 2024 Size: 12 x 12 x 1.5 inches Signed by hand COA provided *wired and ready to hang Genevieve Hamel’s passions for design...
Oil, Wood Panel
$1,646Sale Price|20% Off
Farmer with Sheep & Dog in Valley Fields Contemporary British Painting
By Ben Powell
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The Sheep Farmer by Ben George Powell, British contemporary artist signed acrylic on board, framed framed: 19 x 22.5 inches board: 16 x 20 inches provenance: private collection of th...
Acrylic
$16,000
"Industrial Cityscape, Chicago" WPA Modernism Mid-Century Cityscape 20th Century
By Aaron Bohrod
Located in New York, NY
"Industrial Cityscape, Chicago" WPA Modernism Mid-Century Cityscape 20th Century Aaron Bohrod (American 1907 – 1992) Industrial Cityscape 20 x 16 inches Oil on board Signed lower ri...
Oil, Board
$1,306Sale Price|20% Off
Spanish Figurative Travelers Genre Scene Oil Painting Character Study modern art
By Albert Roca
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Spanish Figurative Travelers Genre Scene Oil Painting Character Study Artist: Albert Roca (Spanish, b.1945) Title: Travelers Date: circa 1990 Medium: Oil on panel Dimensions artwork...
Oil, Board
$2,920Sale Price|20% Off
Colorful Samurai, Large-Scale Modern Figural Geometric Abstract
Located in Soquel, CA
Colorful Samurai, Large-Scale Modern Figural Geometric Abstract Colorful modern figural abstract of a samurai figure fractured into fields of color and pattern by S. Baker (Susan Baker...
Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars
The Man in the Top Hat, American, Art Deco
Located in Wiscasset, ME
Eugene Savage was born in Covington, Indiana. He began his art education at the Art Institute of Chicago, where he won a Prix de Rome scholarship to study at the American Academy in ...
Oil, Board
La Rue (The Street), Modern Oil Painting by Charles Levier
Located in Long Island City, NY
La Rue (The Street) Charles Levier, French (1920–2003) Date: circa 1965 Oil on Canvas, signed l.l. Size: 30 x 24 in. (76.2 x 60.96 cm) Frame Size: 37.5 x 32.5 inches
Oil
$1,234
Miniature Painting Radio City Music Hall New York City by British Urban Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Miniature Painting of Radio City Music Hall, New York City - a unique original from leading British Cityscape Artist, Angela Wakefield. Art measures ...
Gesso, Paint, Oil, Acrylic, Board
$800Sale Price|37% Off
Jon Blanchette East Santa Cruz California Mid-Century Farmhouse Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
An original mid-century oil painting by celebrated California artist Jon Blanchette (1908–1987), East Santa Cruz, California captures the quiet beauty and dramatic atmosphere of the Northern California landscape during the 1950s. A sunlit yellow farmhouse emerges against rolling green hills beneath an expansive sky filled with deep gray storm clouds, creating a striking balance of warmth, light, and approaching weather. Blanchette's confident brushwork and sophisticated handling of color evoke the timeless character of the Santa Cruz countryside while reflecting the lyrical qualities of American Impressionism. Painted circa 1955 on canvas board and signed by the artist in the lower right corner, this original work exemplifies Blanchette's signature Romantic Realist style, combining careful observation with expressive color and atmosphere. The vibrant yellow architecture serves as a focal point within the sweeping rural landscape, making the composition equally compelling as fine art and as a sophisticated design statement for modern, coastal, ranch, or contemporary interiors. Professionally presented in a custom archival frame, the painting is ready to display. Born in England and educated at the Pittsburgh Art...
Oil
Industrial Mid-20th Century WPA Modern Men Working American Scene Social Realism
Located in New York, NY
Industrial Mid-20th Century WPA Modern Men Working American Scene Social Realism George Pearse Ennis (American, 1884-1936) "Forging a Gun Tube #1...
Canvas, Oil
$1,098Sale Price|20% Off
20th Century French Cubist Modernist Interior Cafe Scene with Figures
By Guy Nicod
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The Cafe Interior by Guy Nicod (French 1923 - 2021) gouache on artist paper, unframed painting : 20 x 26 inches provenance: artists estate, France condition: very good and sound cond...
Gouache
Portrait of a Lady - Oil Painting - 19th Century
Located in Roma, IT
Portrait of a Lady, 19th Century Painting. Miniature on ivory. Wooden frame with leather back. 12 X 12 cm. Good conditions!
Canvas, Oil
$3,800
The Prophet, Modernist Judaica Oil Painting Biblical Jewish Rabbi at Prayer
Located in Surfside, FL
An oil on board Judaic painting by modern artist Ben-Zion Weinman. The work depicts a standing prophet with white robes raising his arms towards heaven. The work is signed "Ben-Zion"...
Oil
$2,469Sale Price|20% Off
French North African Orientalist Oil Painting Hareem Interior Two Ladies
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The Hareem Interior French Orientalist School, late 20th century (painted after an earlier style) oil on canvas, framed framed: 30 x 34 inches canvas: 20 x 24 inches provenance: priv...
Oil, Canvas
$877Sale Price|20% Off
1950s Modernist Gouache Painting of Two Hunts Men, Mid-20th Century
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
French Figures by Bernard Labbe (French mid 20th century) original gouache on card, mounted on card size: 19.5 x 13.5 inches condition: very good and re...
Gouache
$700Sale Price|20% Off
Óleo sobre tela - Composición - Año 1969
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
Como pueden apreciar, la obra va firmada en la parte inferior y fechada del año 1969 En la parte trasera, va nuevamente firmado Se presenta enmarcada la pintura El estado de la ob...
Oil
$543Sale Price|20% Off
20th Century French Modernist Gouache Painting Green Abstract Posed Lady In Nude
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
by Paul-Louis Bolot (French 1918-2003) signed original gouache painting on thick paper/ card unframed condition: very good and sound; the edges have a few curls and scuffs/ edge tear...
Gouache
The Mayor, Mid-Century Ovoid Figural Abstract Acrylic & Collage with Eye
Located in Beachwood, OH
Clarence Holbrook Carter (American, 1904-2000) The Mayor, 1979 Acrylic and collage on scintilla Signed lower right 30 x 22 inches A surrealist mid-century figural abstract painting....
Acrylic