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.
Big Sur Views - Abstract Landscape Ocean Blue Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With a contemporary perspective on landscape painting and inspired by paintings created by old masters, German artist Katharina Husslein paints in a representational manner to captur...
Canvas, Oil
And So We Danced - Abstract Floral Colorful Textural Dots Nature Landscape Art
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Kimberly Blackstock’s “And So We Danced” brings together the softness of a blooming landscape with the dimensional beauty of her signature “pools of paint.” The surface feels joyful ...
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Wood Panel, Resin
Nougat - bright, warm, minimalist, abstracted landscape, acrylic on canvas
By Pat Service
Located in Bloomfield, ON
A refreshingly original colour palette and clean, bold shapes tells the ‘story’ in this minimalist painting by Pat Service. As always, the BC artist is inspired by the beauty of natu...
Canvas, Acrylic
Beautiful, Wild Peace - Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Abstract, 48in x 60in
By Mario Angel
Located in Mississauga, CA
"Beautiful, Wild Peace" breaks completely away from classic representation, splitting a vibrant, natural environment into a hypnotic, dreamlike vista of fluid, organic contours and u...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,790Sale Price|20% Off
Maurice Vagh Weinmann Floral Bouquet Still Life Oil Painting Framed
By Maurice Vagh-Weinmann
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title Maurice Vagh Weinmann Floral Bouquet Still Life Oil Painting Framed Key Details Artist: Maurice Vagh Weinmann, Hungarian, 1899–1986 Title: Summer Bouquet Medium: Oil painting o...
Oil
Movement Along a Horizon - Abstract Impressionist 2 Sided Oil Painting, Signed
Located in Soquel, CA
Movement Along a Horizon - Abstract Impressionist Oil Painting, Signed Vibrant abstract painting by Monterey, California based artist Vladimir Yerokhin (Russian b.1942 d.2019.) A ho...
Oil, Board
$418Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary abstract expressionist nature canvas "Colors of the summer horizon"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Colors of the Summer Horizon" is a dynamic, contemporary abstract landscape by French artist Natalya Mougenot, part of her Nature series, where she explores the natural world throug...
Canvas, Acrylic
Dance of the Hummingbirds
By Iryna Kobzar
Located in Zofingen, AG
“Dance of the Hummingbirds” invites the viewer into a luminous world of movement, balance, and quiet magic. Two vibrant hummingbirds gracefully hover around blooming fuchsia flowers,...
Canvas, Acrylic
Where it is quiet, No.6
Located in Zofingen, AG
There are moments when the world no longer asks for explanations. When nothing needs to be named in order to be felt. Silence is not the absence of sound — it emerges where inner ten...
Canvas, Mixed Media
Quiet Beauty in Nature, Abstract Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
This abstract painting invites quiet reflection, evoking the stillness of a misty landscape mirrored in calm waters. A gentle palette of greens and blues wash...
Oil
"Closure", Abstract Expressionist, Portrait, Blue, Red, Orange, Oil Painting
By Sorin Bica
Located in Franklin, MA
Sorin Bica's "Closure" is a 30 x 30 inch abstract expressionist painting. The image is a vivid, expressive depiction of a figure in a contemplative or withdrawn pose. She is shown wi...
Canvas, Oil
Promises III
Located in Napa, CA
Adele Moore Yonchak holds a BA in Studio Art from Hollins University with additional coursework from Lorenzo de' Medici Art Institute in Florence, Italy. While her formal training a...
Charcoal, Acrylic
Composite #6, Abstract Geometric Shapes, Mid-20th Century
Located in Beachwood, OH
Charles Fodor (American, 20th Century) Composite #6, 1969 Oil on canvas Signed, dated and titled verso 27.5 x 20 inches 29 x 21.5 inches, framed
Oil
$15,500
"I Dream in Flowers", Vibrant Colorful Heavily Textured Mixed Media Abstract
Located in Carmel, CA
Sveta Hessler (Russian, born 1973) "I Dream in Flowers" 2025 Oil and mixed media on stretched canvas Signed on verso. “I Dream in Flowers” is a heavily textured contemporary abstrac...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Stretcher Bars, Oil
Still Life Interior
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Frederick Serger (1889-1965). Still Life, ca. 1950. Oil on gessoed paper mounted to illustration board. Image measures 16 x 17 inches. Framed measurement: 25.5 x 25.5 inches. ...
Paper, Oil
Easy On by Murray Duncan, Abstract Mixed Media on Canvas
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Easy On by Murray Duncan is a striking abstract composition that merges bold gestural lines with an earthy, textured surface. Rendered in a muted, organic palette, the piece evokes a...
Glaze, Oil Crayon, Acrylic
$15,000
"Dancing in Teal Waters" Colorful Japanese Koi Fish & Water Oil Painting Canvas
By Eric Alfaro
Located in New York, NY
An impressionistic portrayal of Japanese Koi fish jubilantly depicted with movement and enthusiasm. In a burst of motion, the fish joyfully swim in the clear light blue waters, as th...
Canvas, Oil
Energized, Abstract Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Dorothy Gaziano presents an abstract painting in various shades of blue, ranging from light turquoise to deep navy. The composition features layered, tex...
Acrylic
Huge French 20th Century Abstract Expression Painting 1980's Blur of Colors
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Composition by Marie Deloume (French born 1942) oil painting canvas , unframed canvas: 47 x 57 inches signed verso condition: overall very good, a few minor su...
Paper, Oil
Abstract Watercolor Painting, 'Design for Light', C. 1995 by David Ruth
By David Ruth
Located in Oakland, CA
This is a contemporary abstract watercolor painting by artist David Ruth. This series of paintings often feature bright colors and vibrant layouts that draw the viewer in. They are c...
Paper, Watercolor
American Abstract Expressionist Framed Mid Century New York School Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage American abstract expressionist oil painting. Oil on canvas. Framed. Unsigned. Measuring: 31 by 31 inches overall, and 30 by 30 painting alo...
Canvas, Oil
Shazam Acrylic on Canvas Abstract Painting, Framed, 48 x 48, 2010-
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Shazam Acrylic on canvas 48 x 48 x 1.5 Edges painted white, back wired, ready to hang. Sarah Trundle is a Charlottesville, Va. painter who, after beginnings in representational ar...
Acrylic
Warm Touch
By Oksana Reva
Located in Zofingen, AG
“Warm Touch” A peaceful wave unfolds across the canvas — not forceful, not fierce, but gently wrapping the space in tenderness. Its shifting shades of blue flow softly, like the brea...
Canvas, Oil
$1,906Sale Price|20% Off
ABSTRACT 2565
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this piece, I poured vibrant emotion into layers of soft pastels, letting acrylics dance freely across the canvas. The swirling pinks, yellows, and blues express an uplifting ener...
Oil, Acrylic
Snake Skin. 3D astraction
Located in Zofingen, AG
A sculptural artwork made of clay on canvas, inspired by the intricate beauty of snake skin. The textured surface, with its soft folds and organic patterns, evokes the appearance of ...
Clay, Canvas
"Forever"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
In the luminous embrace of gold and shadow, this commanding abstract composition unfolds as a symphony of form and emotion. Bold, sweeping curves intertwine with geometric precision,...
Gold Leaf
$240Sale Price|29% Off
Approuvé Par L'Artiste: Mid-20th Century Abstract Lithograph
Located in Belgrade, MT
This lithograph is part of my private collection. It is limited in edition artist pencil signed lower right and is in very good condition. Roger Bezombes a print maker born in Paris ...
Lithograph
$1,300Sale Price|35% Off
Hermosa Way - Large Abstract Blue Original Painting on Canvas
By Clara Berta
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Clara Berta’s acrylic and mixed-media paintings blend texture and color to create harmony, mystery, and depth on the painted surface. Her paintings transform spaces into Zen environm...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Winter Poem
Located in Atlanta, GA
This painting is in excellent condition and has only been shown in a gallery setting. Please note the colors are difficult to capture and may vary due to different digital screens ...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$418Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary abstract impressionist floral painting on paper "In bloom"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“In Bloom” is a contemporary floral composition by French artist Natalya Mougenot, part of her ongoing series dedicated to flowers — a body of work in which nature becomes a medium f...
Paper, Acrylic
Inner Peace - Large Abstract Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Signed
By SOOS TIBERIU
Located in Zofingen, AG
READY TO HANG with the edges painted. Size: 150x100X2 cm, 59x39.4x0.8 inches. I signed and dated on the front and I also put my relief signet as you can see an example at the last pi...
Acrylic
Lotus 28: Photo Realist Still Life Painting of Green Lotus Plants on Grey
Located in Hudson, NY
Photo-realist still life painting of lush green lotus plants on a soft grey sky background "Lotus Number Twenty-Eight", painted by Frank DePietro in 201...
Canvas, Oil
Abstract 1, Abstract Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Green, blue, and orange with black accents create a dynamic abstract composition. Scratches and marks add texture and energy. Artist Dorothy Gaziano used oil pa...
Oil
Lake Dream, Abstract Oil Painting
By Lisa Crosby
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A tranquil lake stretches across the foreground, painted in deep teal, green, and blue tones that ripple with soft movement. Above the water, warm landforms ris...
Oil
Period Italian Fausto Pirandello Signed Abstract Artwork
Located in Roma, IT
Important work by one of the greatest artists of the Italian artistic avant-garde Fausto Pirandello It depicts one of his iconic subjects ‘Bathers’ with five characters depicted in ...
Paper, Pastel
premieres lueurs, Abstract Lanscape, oil, Expressionism, Contemporary art
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Size unframed: 50 x 50 cm (15.75 x 15.75 in) Size framed 57 x 57 cm or 22.44 x 22.44 in. Choose the color of frame black or wood. A certificate comes the painting the painting is re...
Oil
Adjacent note (Abstract Painting)
By Xanda McCagg
Located in London, GB
Xanda McCagg is an American abstract artist who divides her time between the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City and Connecticut. A classically trained artist, she began her practi...
Canvas, Oil
Breaking Through - human figurative abstract expression painting modern 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
$321Sale Price|20% Off
20th Century French Expressionist Wacky Figures In Blue and Green Abstract
By Akos Biro
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Wacky Abstract by Akos Biro (Hungarian 1911-2002) pastel painting on card, unframed painting: 8.5 x 7 inches provenance: the artists estate, France condition: good and fai...
Pastel
$240Sale Price|20% Off
Original Abstract Painting on Canvas "Volcanic Eruption" , Signed, Framed
Located in Palm Coast, FL
This is an expressive original acrylic painting on canvas in a fantasy abstract style by Alan Nolan (American Artist) Titled "Volcanic Eruption" Bright colors make this painting ver...
Acrylic
Abstract Relief Painting in Vibrant Blue by José María de Aurora Contemporary
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
Echoes in Pink Geometric Abstract Painting: Paper and Spray Paint
Located in New York, NY
In her work, Noam explores the intersection of geometry, rhythm, and material through a refined visual language. Using repetition and variation, she constructs a structured grid that...
Paper, Spray Paint
$1,155
Passing Glimpses - Abstract Floral Botanical Still Life Oil Painting on Wood
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Denna Erickson’s original artworks move through layers of oil, where personal symbols and organic forms emerge through luminous color. Guided by intuition, her paintings unfold throu...
Oil, Wood Panel
$107Sale Price|20% Off
French Expressionist Abstract Original Painting Artists Studio Provenance
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Composition by Jacques COULAIS (1955-2011) gouache painting on paper/ card unframed: 10.75 x 8.5 inches condition: excellent provenance: all the paintings we h...
Oil
$1,035Sale Price|20% Off
YVETTE DUBOIS-HABASQUE (1929-2016) FRENCH CUBIST ABSTRACT PAINTING
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
"Abstract Composition" original Oil Painting on board by Yvette Dubois Habasque (1929-2016) signed on back Dated: November 2007 card: 15.75 x 15.7.5 inches Fine original abstract...
Oil
Abstract 2574 , Acrylic Painting on Gallery Wrap Canvas, Modern Art
Located in Zofingen, AG
This striking abstract painting captivates with its bold interplay of dark blues, crisp whites, and delicate gold accents. The canvas is dominated by rich navy hues cascading vertica...
Oil, Acrylic
$107Sale Price|20% Off
French Expressionist Abstract Original Painting Artists Studio Provenance
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Composition by Jacques COULAIS (1955-2011) gouache painting on paper/ card unframed: 8.5 x 5.75inches condition: excellent provenance: all the paintings we hav...
Oil
Partition, Contemporary Abstract Painting by Sophie Dumont
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Partition is an original oil on canvas by French contemporary artist Sophie Dumont. Known for her richly layered surfaces and architectural sense of composition, Dumont creates paint...
Oil
Hydrangea - Soft abstract floral painting in gray and pink
Located in Silverthorne, CO
"Hydrangea" is a beautiful soft abstract floral painting and a lyrical ode to spring. It is made with ample paint and texture, in a beautiful palette of chromatic grays, violet, rose...
Oil
$107Sale Price|20% Off
French Expressionist Abstract Original Painting Artists Studio Provenance
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Composition by Jacques COULAIS (1955-2011) gouache painting on paper/ card unframed: 19.5 x 13 inches condition: excellent provenance: all the paintings we hav...
Oil
$4,200
Turnabout: Abstract Geometric 3D Wooden Wall Sculpture in Green, Grey & Beige
Located in Hudson, NY
Abstract geometric three-dimensional wood wall sculpture in bright pastel hues of sage green, light grey, and beige "Turnabout", hand-carved wooden wall sculpture by Hudson Valley ar...
Wood, Dye, Acrylic, Wood Panel
$1,835Sale Price|20% Off
1980's French Expressionist Painting Rolling Hills and Valleys Verdant Landscape
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Abstract Expressionist Composition by Gilbert Pelissier (French born 1924) signed oil painting on canvas, unframed inscribed verso dated 85' canvas size: 35 x 46 inches condition: ov...
Canvas, Oil
Life - Large Oversized Bold Colorful Abstract Expressive Modern Original Artwork
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles artist Amber Goldhammer paints dramatic abstract compositions in acrylic on canvas featuring energetic brushstrokes. Goldhammer uses her contemporary paintings to express...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Latex, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Calm 1, Abstract Painting
By DL Watson
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A serene ocean horizon emerges through layers of blue and white in this abstract seascape painting. Shimmering gold accents evoke sunlight reflecting across the...
Acrylic
Original Spring Triptych-British Awarded Artist-Abstract British Contemporary
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
Spring Triptych begun in 2024 — Spring Duet Series — where Shizico Yi explores abstraction through the expanded formats of diptych and triptych. In this series, Shizico focuses on a restrained, luminous palette of soft greens, creamy whites, and pink-apricot tones, evoking the fragile early spring light of Northern Europe. The works hold a sense of emergence — of quiet awakening — where colour breathes gently across the canvas. Although abstract in form, all three paintings were created en plein air, in situ, capturing both the landscape surrounding her studio and the interior space itself across the unfolding months of spring. Each canvas functions like an individual musical note. Together, the three form a visual harmony — a quiet concert of rhythm, colour, and movement. This triptych is part of Shizico’s long-running Memory Landscape Project (initiated in 2015), an expansive body of work spanning painting, sculpture, installation, and abstraction. Across this project, she moves fluidly between impressionism, expressionism, and abstract language, allowing memory and presence to shape form. -Artist's Lifetime Warranty for the original artwork. -Guarantee End to end tracking Delivery Worldwide by Royal Mail Worldwide at lowest Rate £28 only. About the artist: Dr. Shizico Yi is a London-based multidisciplinary artist working across painting, installation, and film. Her practice explores themes of loss, repetition, the everyday, and the formation of memory, weaving personal narratives into broader social and human contexts. Drawing on a background in design and film, Yi’s work moves fluidly between mediums, allowing lived experience, place, and time to shape each project. Yi holds a PhD in Fine Art from the University of East London (2017), an MFA, and a BA in Womenswear from the University of the Arts London. Her practice is grounded in both rigorous research and embodied making. Alongside her studio practice, Yi works en plein air from spring through autumn, returning to studio-based work during the winter months. This cyclical approach allows seasonality, landscape, and environment to inform the scale, materiality, and emotional tenor of her work. Her work has been exhibited internationally in the UK, South Korea, and Italy, and is held in private collections across the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. In addition to her visual art practice, Yi is an award-winning filmmaker. She was the Winner of the Women Filmmakers: Best Shorts Competition in Los Angeles (2013) and has served as a guest jury member for the 14th–16th Annual New York City Independent Film Festival (2022–2024). She is also the founder and curator of no barking aRt...
Gesso, Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$680
Untitled #SP-217, Mixed Media on Paper by Murray Duncan - Abstract Geometric
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Untitled #SP-217, by Murray Duncan Mixed media on paper Size: 32" x 40” Unframed, signed A bold mixed-media work with dynamic lines and textures. This captivating piece by Murray ...
Paint, Paper, Pencil
$163Sale Price|20% Off
Exotic French Impressionist Oil Painting Bridge and Palm Trees.
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Maggy Clarysse (1931-2011) Oil on board, unframed 10.75 x 8.75 inches Signed co...
Oil
Ribbon Dance Female Figure with Blue Ball Oil on Canvas
By Doris Lee
Located in Miami, FL
Pioneering female American Scene painter Doris Lee depicts two figures in a "Ribbon Dance" in her later flat, semi-abstract style. This is a major museum-quality work of large scale...
Canvas, Oil
$2,698Sale Price|20% Off
l'Atelier en suspens, Abstract, Textured, Geometric, Contemporary, French art
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
In The Studio in Suspension, Sophie Dumont reimagines the atmosphere of a working artist’s studio, where canvases, color fields, and subtle objects appear to hover in a poised, quiet...
Oil
Overhead - Large painting on canvas, rose garden, flowers
Located in Zofingen, AG
After a long day, the body knows what it needs before the mind does. Not silence exactly — but green. Weight lifting. Air that hasn’t been inside. This painting is not a landscape. ...
Canvas, Spray Paint, Acrylic
The Italian-American’s 2020 abstract painting “The Hoe” personifies his “art of not knowing.”
In his current show at New York's Lehmann Maupin gallery, the Puerto Rican–born talent reveals new paintings with a semiautobiographical aspect.