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.
Júlia Martins Miranda – Contemporary Tropical Flora Painting, Oil on Canvas 2026
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
This work is presented in a scroll-like (parchment-style) format, with the painting executed on a flexible support and suspended using metal rods at the top and bottom, allowing the ...
Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$1,830
Dawn Light Over the Moors, Original Abstract Painting, Expressionist Meadow Art
By Sophie Berger
Located in Deddington, GB
Dawn Light Over the Moors is an original painting by Sophie Berger. Inspired by early morning dog walks on the hills near her house, the colours in this painting are reminiscent of d...
Canvas, Acrylic
$5,085
Original Oil-Having aCigarette amongst LimeTrees-British Awarded Artist-Framed
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
Summer 2024, the avenue of 130-year-old Lime trees surrounding Shizico’s new cottage Garden captivated and inspired Shizico Yi to paint on a larger scale; with t...
Gesso, Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$795
Stormy Clouds - Modern Original Framed Moody Abstract Landscape Mixed Media Art
By Lee Herring
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Lee Herring focuses his contemporary paintings on vibrant, textured, and abstract landscapes that convey fleeting moments. Herring's energetic artworks are inspired by everyday momen...
Paper, Mixed Media
$1,875Sale Price|25% Off
Mid-century Ladies of the Evening Surrealist Cityscape Architectural painting
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Nicola Ortiz Poucette (1935-2006). Ladies of the Evening, ca. 1960. Ink and casein on illustration board. Image measures 15 x 26 inches; 19 x 30 inches framed. Signed lower right...
Oil, Archival Paper
$6,626
Contemporary Abstract Painting by Colt Seager, Geometric Color Field, Oil Canvas
By Colt Seager
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
At Escat Gallery we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of trust and professionalism for our collectors. Every artwork in our collection comes with a Certificate of Au...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
$1,795
The Sea is Calling My Soul - Original Luminous Blue Textural Abstract Painting
By Vè Boisvert
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Drawing inspiration from an immersive and impressionistic interpretation of nature, Canadian artist Vé Boisvert paints textural original artworks that capture the fleeting effects of...
Canvas, Acrylic
$162Sale Price|20% Off
Bright & Colorful French Impressionist Oil Painting Foliage and Yellow Mountains
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Maggy Clarysse (1931-2011) Oil on thick card, unframed, 7 x 9.75 inches Signed Initials ...
Oil
Contemporary Abstract Minimal Painting with Soft Horizon and Light Pau Escat
By Pau Escat
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Pau Escat’s work explores the tension between presence and disappearance through subtle shifts of colour, light, and surface. His paintings unfold slowly, inviting a contemplative ga...
Cotton Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Pigment
Spanish skies - Warm, dramatic abstract landscape sunset painting
Located in Silverthorne, CO
"Spanish skies" is a dramatic, warm abstract sunset and landscape painting. It is inspired by the majestic skies over a small Spanish island in the Atlantic Ocean, a place of space a...
Oil
"Ghost mountain" Original futuristic landscape.Bright colours
By Sanne Bleka
Located in Oslo, NO
This work is the result of my observation of the pyrological landscape that i see every day. It changes colours and state. The bridge and the houses are a permanent component here, c...
Oil
$1,272
Eleanor Woolley, Fruit Fields, Original Abstract Impressionist Painting, Rural
Located in Deddington, GB
Eleanor Woolley Fruit fields Original Naive Painting Oil Paint on Canvas Canvas Size: H 50.8cm x W 76.2cm x D 2cm Sold Unframed Ready to Hang Please note that insitu images are purel...
Canvas, Oil
Mid Century Mothers, Children Oil Painting Frank Kleinholz WPA Era NYC Tenements
Located in Surfside, FL
Frank Kleinholz (Brooklyn, 1901 - 1987) Mothers with children oil on canvas painting Frame: 27 X 23 Image: 17.75 X 13.75 Born in Brooklyn, New York, Frank Kleinholz was a painter b...
Canvas, Oil
Huge French Contemporary Modernist Colourful Market Scene Oil Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Colourful Market Scene signed by Jacqueline VERDET (French, 1931-2023) oil painting on canvas, unframed canvas: 45.5 x 35 inches condition: the work is in overall very sound and good...
Canvas, Oil
$3,371
Truth Be Told, abstract expressionism, contemporary, Larry Poons Joan Mitchell
Located in Jönköping, SE
This painting belongs to my ongoing exploration of the relationship between nature and the human experience. Inspired by the natural world and influenced by the Eastern philosophy of...
Acrylic
$850
A Vibrant, 1960s Mid-Century Modern Abstract Oil Painting, Burning Fire (Flame)
Located in Chicago, IL
A Vibrant, Unique Surrealist 1960s Mid-Century Modern Abstract Oil Painting of Burning Fire (Flame) by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon. A vivid, eye-catching example of Haydon...
Canvas, Oil, Board
Memory of blooming
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work appears as a fragment of a future archive, where not events are preserved, but states — tenderness, tension, and the fragility of life. The tulip petals unfold like layers ...
Canvas, Oil
$30,000
Oliviers
By Roger Mühl
Located in Austin, TX
Waterline Fine Art, Austin, TX is pleased to present the following work: Oil on canvas. Signed lower right, titled and inventoried verso. 19.75 x 21 in. 23.25 x 24.25 in. (framed) ...
Canvas, Oil
$18,742Sale Price|37% Off
Charles Ragland Bunnell 1928–29 Manitou Colorado Oil Pikes Peak Landscape
Located in Denver, CO
A highly desirable early Colorado landscape by Charles Ragland Bunnell, this circa 1928–1929 oil on canvas captures the dramatic terrain of Manitou Springs with sweeping views of Pik...
Oil
$1,250
Coral Gems, Bauhaus Arches & Curves, Squared Pixel, Geometric Red, Blue Diptych
Located in Barcelona, ES
This vibrant painting of Bauhaus reminiscences celebrates the bold colors, geometric forms, and architectural elegance of the Bauhaus movement. This captivating artwork combines dyna...
Paper, Acrylic
Spring Bloom II
Located in Zofingen, AG
shipped in roll “Spring Bloom II” captures a quiet moment of connection between two young women surrounded by blooming spring trees. Soft dresses, fresh greens, and gentle light crea...
Canvas, Acrylic
$8,600Sale Price|32% Off
Transposition 2
By Sophie Dixon
Located in Burlingame, CA
Warm abstract, etherial large-scale mixed media painting in red, maroon, white, orange, and Payne's grey, in mixed media, including oil paint and charcoal on canvas, in this calm, se...
Canvas, Charcoal, Oil Crayon, Mixed Media, Oil
Focus on Nature, Abstract Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A blend of soft, muted colors evokes the tranquility of a serene landscape. The composition draws the eye toward the horizon, hinting at a journey or passage of...
Oil
$565Sale Price|24% Off
Lemon Sizzle Palm - Original Tropical Landscape Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Kathleen Keifer is a California-based internationally collected artist. She is a leading force of the New California Realism. With a high level of technical virtuosity Keifer creates...
Canvas, Acrylic
$29,500
"Abstract Historic Wall No.1" - Abstract, Painting, 21st Century, Acryl and Clay
By Roger König
Located in Dessau-Rosslau, Sachsen Anhalt
Artist: Roger König b. Dessau, Germany (1968) Master student of Kurt Schönburg, HWK Halle, Germany. The works are developed through a historically informed, proprietary material pra...
Clay, Acrylic
$3,458
Aqua Serenity - abstract representation of the human form - underwater painting
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Oil
$1,627Sale Price|20% Off
Colourful Modern British Blue Bell Forest Landscape Symbolist Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Contemporary British artist, 21st century oil on board, unframed size: 20 x 30 inches This came from a private collection of artworks by the artist, a few of which are signed 'Andrew...
Oil
$1,063Sale Price|20% Off
Original Diptych-Sunset Song-British Awarded Artist-Plein Air evening oil
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
Sunset Song Series was created entirely en plein air, painted directly under the dimming light of late-summer and autumn sunsets and moonlight, with no artificial light to guide her...
Gesso, Canvas, Oil, Acrylic, Wood Panel
$27,000
Tingari Abstract Geometric Painting, Acrylic on Cotton Canvas, 2010+
By Ronnie Tjampitjinpa
Located in Miami, FL
Ronnie Tjampitjinpa was born around 1943 at Tjiturrunya, about 100km west of the Kintore ranges in Western Australia. Following an extended drought in the 1950s, Ronnie's family move...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
$195Sale Price|20% Off
Abstract Expressionist impressionist nature oil painting "Calling to nature""
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This small-format oil painting "Calling to nature " by French artist Natalya Mougenot evokes the quiet ambiguity of nature. Painted on stretched cotton canvas (20 x 20 cm / 7.9 x 7...
Canvas, Oil
$542Sale Price|20% Off
20th Century Original Signed French Expressionist Portrait Oil Painting
By P Vilette
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Original oil painting by P. Valetti (French, second half 20th century) signed and dated 87' oil on canvas, unframed size: 15 x 22 inches condition: very good provenance: from the art...
Canvas, Oil
Clear Skies NYC-Original Abstract cityscape-waterscape painting-contemporary Art
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Oil
$712Sale Price|20% Off
Mid Century Bay Area Abstract Expressionist -- Oak Woodlands of Golden Gate Park
By Honora Berg
Located in Soquel, CA
Bay Area Abstract Expressionist -- Oak Woodlands of San Francisco Golden Gate Park This mid-century painting by Honora Berg (American, 1897-1985) depicts coastal live oaks of Golden...
Archival Paper, Oil Crayon, Watercolor
$1,046
Framed painting "Light Field II" with flowers roses on large linen canvas
Located in Zofingen, AG
“Light Field II” examines the relationship between color fields and organic structure. Branches extend across a softly diffused surface, intersecting areas of warm yellow light and ...
Canvas, Linen, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Haven - Green abstract floral painting
Located in Silverthorne, CO
"Haven" is a green floral abstract painting dedicated to peace in a struggling world. It is an imaginary abstract landscape made with lush greens and earth tones, with hints of crims...
Oil
$1,046
Framed painting "Light Field I" with flowers roses on large linen canvas
Located in Zofingen, AG
“Light Field I” examines the relationship between structured form and atmospheric color fields. Branches intersect softly diffused areas of color, moving through zones of warm light...
Canvas, Linen, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Between Light and Bloom - Contemporary floral colorful impressionistic painting
Located in Zofingen, AG
Between Light and Bloom Contemporary Floral Abstraction Cotton canvas, 90 × 90 × 2 cm In Between Light and Bloom, Anastassia Skopp investigates the t...
Canvas, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Love me for love's sake - K.Husslein Flower Still life
Located in DE
This is a beautiful oil painting of an array of flowers in a vase in front of a dark background. Reminding us of old master paintings, this is a brand new painting full elegance and ...
Canvas, Oil
So British Oil Painting of Bulldog on Mini Car, Signed, 60x60 cm
By Fabriano
Located in London, Chelsea
This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet Contemporary Art Gallery and online. "So British" by Fabriano is a delightful portrayal of quintesse...
Canvas, Oil
А Quiet Еvening in Italy // oil original impasto 3d painting; impressionism.
Located in Zofingen, AG
This original oil impasto painting was created in impressionism style. The artwork is dedicated to the beauty of Italian nature and the feelings of romanticism it evokes. It mast...
Oil
$418Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary abstract expressionist nature on canvas "Beneath the summer skies"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Beneath the Summer Skies" is a dynamic, contemporary abstract landscape by the French artist Natalya Mougenot, part of her Nature series, where she delves into the natural world thr...
Canvas, Acrylic
Manhattan Lights, NYC-original abstract cityscape oil painting-contemporary Art
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Oil
$2,350
Mid-20th Century Oil on Board Abstract Impressionist Maritime Scene, René Genis
By René Genis
Located in Berlin, MD
Step into the bustling energy of a portside moment with René Genis’ “Les Grues” (The Cranes)”, a captivating oil-on-mat-board painting that transforms the in...
Oil, Illustration Board
Goddess Portal - Original Pink Abstract Textural Painting
By Vè Boisvert
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Drawing inspiration from an immersive and impressionistic interpretation of nature, Canadian artist Vé Boisvert paints textural original artworks that capture the fleeting effects of...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,079Sale Price|20% Off
French Abstract Expressionist Signed Oil Coastal Landscape Large Original
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Sky Composition by Gerard Guegueniat (French 1970's) signed oil painting on board, framed: 16.5 x 32.5 inches board: 15.5 x 31.5 inches provenance: private co...
Oil
Emerald Downpour . Abstract Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, 150x100cm, New
Located in Zofingen, AG
This vibrant abstract artwork captivates with its dynamic interplay of color and texture. Dominated by vivid greens interspersed with splashes of blue, pink, and purple, the painting...
Oil, Acrylic
$1,820Sale Price|20% Off
Large Finely Painted American School Abstract Coastal Landscape Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Very nicely painted American school abstract landscape painting. Framed in a period modernist wood molding. Oil on board. Image size, 24H by 29L.
Canvas, Oil
$2,359Sale Price|30% Off
All I Think About Is You, flowers, wildflowers, landscape, Joan Mitchell, pink
Located in Jönköping, SE
This painting is from my series titled "The Untethered Soul." This series delves into the transformative power of nature, capturing the essence of what one feels rather than sees. In...
Oil Crayon, Acrylic, Carbon Pencil
A Quiet Place #2
By Lucy Moore
Located in Deddington, GB
A Quite Place #2 By Lucy Moore [2021] original Acrylic on canvas Image size: H:76 cm x W:61 cm Complete Size of Unframed Work: H:76 cm x W:61 cm x D:1.5cm Sold Unframed Please note ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Calendula. Hope in Pixels.
Located in Zofingen, AG
These calendula flowers seem to whisper that they can help heal humanity. They aren’t imagined or artificial — they hold life itself, remembering both our fragility and our strength....
Canvas, Oil, Thread
$162Sale Price|20% Off
French Impressionist Oil Painting Flowers, Fruit and Jug Still Life
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Maggy Clarysse (1931-2011) Oil on board, unframed 8.75 x 10.75 inches Signed condi...
Oil
$2,673
Monochrome Ultramarine Blue Abstract Painting on Canvas by Gabriela Meunie
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
At Escat Gallery we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of trust and professionalism for our collectors. Every artwork in our collection comes with a Certificate of Au...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic, Pigment
Prefer Kindness - Original Impasto Abstract Blue Landscape Painting with Houses
By Dana Cowie
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Using an impasto, painterly technique Dana Cowie creates cubist-inspired farm and rural landscapes. Working within controlled color schemes, her artworks ap...
Canvas, Oil, Mixed Media
$8,486
ABSTRACT Artwork Landscape by Contemporary Artist Italian Giorgio Petracci
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
At Escat Gallery we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of trust and professionalism for our collectors. Every artwork in our collection comes with a Certificate of Au...
Gesso, Wood, Acrylic
Crossroads of Thought
By Jacob Burda
Located in Zofingen, AG
In Crossroads of Thought, the artist navigates the intersection of emotion, memory, and spatial abstraction. Bold yet balanced color blocks in ochre, midnight blue, chartreuse, and ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Yellow fields, Eleanor Woolley, Bright Art, Naive Art, Abstract Fields
Located in Deddington, GB
Yellow fields is an original painting by Eleanor Woolley. A beautiful view from May hill with the bright yellow fields of oil seed rape contrasting wildly with the ploughed patches ...
Canvas, Oil
$10,462
Eternity
Located in London, London
full size 229x156cm full size canvas approximate stretched size 220x150cm All custom charges are included in the final price agreed. unframed, shipped rolled XXL, Extra-large pain...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Magnolia in the Night // moody art floristics painting; lunar eclipse /
Located in Zofingen, AG
This painting immerses the viewer in a mysterious and enchanting world. The rich blue tones of the petals, illuminated by the soft night light, create a sense of calm and tranquility...
Oil
$900
Catalyst for Consciousness - Flow Contemporary Abstract Showpiece Detail Lively
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Catalyst for Consciousness Flow Contemporary Abstract Showpiece Bright Lively This series expresses our unity and our interconnectedness. We are dancing to a traverse tune ...
Oil, Acrylic
Emerald Calm - dark green contemporary floral colorful textured large painting
Located in Zofingen, AG
Some works speak loudly. Emerald Calm does not. It gathers. Across a deep, saturated field, sculptural leaves rise in quiet concentration, forming a center of gravity that feels pr...
Canvas, Spray Paint, Acrylic