The Op art movement emerged in the 1960s, mirroring the counterculture of the time in its embrace of visual trickery, graphic shapes and bright colors.
Spreading across Europe and the Americas, the style — whose name is short for “optical art” — influenced advertising, fashion and interior design before fading in the early ’70s.
Op art remained significant, however, for artists and scientists interested in the nature of perception. And today, it’s seeing a resurgence of interest from collectors and interior designers.
Op artists played with the principles of perception, manipulating line, shape, patterns and color to create the illusion of depth and movement. They drew on and evolved methods developed by past movements, from Impressionism to Abstract Expressionism, to produce intense visual experiences.
All the Op artists shared a focus on the gap between what is and what we perceive. Each, however, had a distinct approach to the issue and a unique visual style.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of Op art that includes works by Josef Albers, Bridget Riley, Jesús Rafael Soto and more.
Summer Suite (Red with Gold IV)
Located in Long Island City, NY
Considered a major force in the op art movement, Anuszkiewicz is concerned with the optical changes that occur when different high-intensity colors are applied to the same geometric ...
Etching, Aquatint, Intaglio
Red Mandala, OP Art Geometric Abstract Screenprint by Clarence Holbrook Carter
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Clarence Holbrook Carter, American (1904 - 2000) Title: Red Mandala Year: 1969 Medium: Screenprint on Japon, Signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 75 Paper Size: 30 in. x 22...
Screen
Spur, OP Art Geometric Abstract Screenprint by Jurgen Peters
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Jurgen Peters, German (1936 - ) Title: Spur Year: 1981 Medium: Screenprint, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 250, AP Image Size: 20 x 31.5 inches Size: 24 in. x ...
Screen
Split Infinity #B6S, Abstract Screenprint by Herbert Aach
By Herbert Aach
Located in Long Island City, NY
This serigraph was created by German Op artist Herbert Aach. Aach's prints play with geometry and form, and trick the viewer's eyes by juxtaposing bright neon colors. This print is s...
Screen
$560Sale Price|20% Off
Embryo, Geometric Abstract Screenprint by Roy Ahlgren
By Roy Ahlgren
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roy Ahlgren, American (1927 - 2011) Title: Embryo Year: 1982 Medium: Screenprint, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 130 Image Size: 18 x 25 inches Size: 22 x 29.5 in. (5...
Screen
Puzzle, Abstract Pop Art Screenprint by Arthur Boden
By Arthur Boden
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Arthur Boden, American Title: Puzzle Year: 1970 Medium: Serigraph, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 8/75 Size: 21.5 in. x 21.5 in. (54.61 cm x 54.61 cm)
Screen
Ikon, Op Art Geometric Abstract Screenprint by Roy Ahlgren
By Roy Ahlgren
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roy Ahlgren, American (1927 - 2011) Title: Ikon Year: 1976 Medium: Screenprint, signed and numbered in pencil Image Size: 17 x 17 inches Size: 20 x 20 in. (50.8 x 50.8 cm)
Screen
Intertwining Forms - Grey, Op Art Screenprint by Isaac Inbal
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Isaac Inbal, Moroccan/Israeli (1945 - ) Title: Intertwining Forms - Grey Year: circa 1970 Medium: Serigraph, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 70/150 Size: 25 x 25 in. (...
Screen
Convolution, OP Art Screenprint by Roy Ahlgren
By Roy Ahlgren
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roy Ahlgren, American (1927 - 2011) Title: Convolution Year: 1978 Medium: Screenprint, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 19/80 Image Size: 18 x 24 inches Size: 20 x 26 i...
Screen
Concentric Space (White), Surrealist Screenprint by Clarence Holbrook Carter
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Clarence Holbrook Carter, American (1904 - 2000) Title: Concentric Space (White) Year: 1969 Medium: Screenprint, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 50 Size: 29 x 22 inches
Screen
Lineate II, Signed Geometric Abstract Op Art Screenprint by Roy Ahlgren
By Roy Ahlgren
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roy Ahlgren, American (1927 - 2011) Title: Lineate II Year: 1969 Medium: Silkscreen, signed, titled and numbered in pencil Edition: 100 Image Size: 17 x 17 inches Size: 20 x ...
Screen
Flirt, OP Art Screenprint by Arthur Boden
By Arthur Boden
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Arthur Boden Title: Flirt Year: circa 1970 Medium: Serigraph on Canvas, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: AP Size: 31 x 36 in. (78.74 x 91.44 cm)
Screen
Ascension, Op Art Geometric Abstract Screenprint by Roy Ahlgren
By Roy Ahlgren
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Roy Ahlgren, American (1927 - 2011) Title: Ascension Year: 1978 Medium: Screenprint, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 65 Image Size: 24 x 18 inches Size: 26 x 20 in. (6...
Screen
Sequential Chroma
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Artist: Julian Stanczak Title: Sequential Chroma Year: 1978 Medium: Screen print Signature: Hand signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 175 Size: 35.25 x 25.75 in
Screen
Untitled II, Op Art Abstract Acrylic Painting on Arches Paper by David Roth
By David Roth
Located in Long Island City, NY
This acrylic painting was created by American artist David Roth. Roth's images are proportioned according to a strict mathematical formula - the pictures are composed according to horizontal and vertical divisions on the graph paper...
Paper, Acrylic
$3,000Sale Price|20% Off
Untitled (Geometric Structure), Victor Vasarely
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Victor Vasarely (1908-1997) Title: Untitled (Geometric Structure) Year: 1975 Medium: Silkscreen on handmade paper Edition: E.A.; 250 Size: 21.65 x 22.83 inches Condition: Exc...
Screen
Untitled III, Abstract Geometric Acrylic Painting on Paper by David Roth
By David Roth
Located in Long Island City, NY
This acrylic painting was created by American artist David Roth. Roth's images are proportioned according to a strict mathematical formula - the pictures are composed according to ho...
Paper, Acrylic
Thornwood, Abstract Geometric Op Art Screenprint by David Roth
By David Roth
Located in Long Island City, NY
This screenprint was created by American artist David Roth. Roth's images are proportioned according to a strict mathematical formula - the pictures are composed according to horizon...
Screen
$1,000Sale Price|20% Off
Rainbow Waves, Op Art Screenprint by Jurgen Peters
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Jurgen Peters, German (1936 - ) Title: Rainbow Waves Year: 1981 Medium: Serigraph, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 250, AP 30 Image Size: 18.5 x 34 inches ...
Screen
Mangata 28 (small scale gold grid painting abstract wood contemporary op art)
Located in Quebec, Quebec
The series "Mångatas" explores the marriage of chance-derived gestures with exacting grid geometry. Built upon a multilayered convergence of aerosol painting and hard-edge technique...
Spray Paint, Acrylic
Portals, Geometric Abstract OP Art Acrylic Painting by Roy Ahlgren
By Roy Ahlgren
Located in Long Island City, NY
An acrylic painting by Roy Ahlgren from 1971. A geometric abstract painting utilizing bright contrasting color blocks in a modern form. Signed verso, unframed. Artist: Roy Ahlgre...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
$2,400Sale Price|20% Off
CSW 2024.3 (Crimson red veiled echoes color-field grid painting on wood)
Located in Quebec, Quebec
The series "CSW" explores the marriage of chance-derived gestures with exacting grid geometry. Built upon a multilayered convergence of airbrush painting and hard-edge techniques on...
Spray Paint, Acrylic
Moon Rays
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Moon Rays Graphic Construction (three sheets layered in a shadow box presentation), 1967 Signed lower right. Editioned lower left. (see photos) Edition: 60 f...
Other Medium
Pulsar
By Roy Ahlgren
Located in Fairlawn, OH
11 value silkscreen print Signed, dated, titled and numbered in pencil by the artist. Edition of 150, plus 20 AP's as is here AP XV/XX. Provenance: Estate of the Artist By dece...
Screen
Aztec
By Roy Ahlgren
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Signed, titled, numbered and dated in pencil Edition: 150 Serigraph on paper Sheet: 22 1/4 x 30"
Screen
CSW 2024.4 (Aquatic whisper of emerald artichoke turquoise green grid painting)
Located in Quebec, Quebec
The series "CSW" explores the marriage of chance-derived gestures with exacting grid geometry. Built upon a multilayered convergence of airbrush painting and hard-edge techniques on...
Spray Paint, Acrylic
ANUSZKIEWICZ, monograph (hand signed and inscribed by Richard Anuszkiewicz)
Located in New York, NY
Richard Anuszkiewicz ANUSZKIEWICZ by Karl Lunde (hand signed and inscribed by Richard Anuszkiewicz), 1977 Hardback monograph with dust jacket (hand signed and inscribed by Richard An...
Paper, Mixed Media, Lithograph, Offset, Ink, Board
$672Sale Price|20% Off
Mangata 3 (small scale grid pastel painting abstract wood contemporary op art)
Located in Quebec, Quebec
The series "Mångatas" explores the marriage of chance-derived gestures with exacting grid geometry. Built upon a multilayered convergence of aerosol painting and hard-edge technique...
Spray Paint, Acrylic
Blue Composition - Screen Print by Victor Debach - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Blue Composition in a screenprint realized by Victor Debach in 1970s. 50x70 cm. Limited edition of 100. Handsigned in pencil on the right lower margin. Excellent condition.
Screen
Modern Green, White & Black Abstract Geometric Kimono Collagraph, Masterplate #1
Located in Soquel, CA
Modern Green, White & Black Abstract Geometric Kimono Collagraph, Masterplate #1 Unique mixed media work created from a Master plate for collagraph printmaking, featuring a bold and...
Gesso, Silk, Masonite, Ink, Acrylic
$800Sale Price|20% Off
Mangata 31 (small scale gold grid painting abstract flora wood op art)
Located in Quebec, Quebec
The series "Mångatas" explores the marriage of chance-derived gestures with exacting grid geometry. Built upon a multilayered convergence of aerosol painting and hard-edge technique...
Spray Paint, Acrylic
Blue Composition - Screen Print by Victor Debach - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Blue Composition in a screenprint realized by Victor Debach in 1970s. 50x70 cm. Limited edition of 100. Handsigned in pencil on the right lower margin. Excellent condition.
Screen
"Starry Night" Infinity Lit Cabinet
Located in Astoria, NY
Stanley Landsman (American, 1930-1984) "Starry Night" [Infinity Lit Cabinet] Electrified Light Box Sculpture, composed of fountain pens, light bulbs, and mirrored glass, mounted on e...
Glass, Mirror, Lights, Pen
Untitled
Located in New York, NY
This hand painted piece by Lucchetta is part of the op art series where he is able to catch movement with his unique technique. Lucchetta is challenging himself. His precise stable hand can be sometime mistaken to a work of a machine, a printer. But if you look close enough you are able to see that it is a work of a line master!! This piece comes framed in a white wooden frame. The measurements of the work with the frame is 24/24". Op art masters from the 20's century that are inspiration to Lucchetta's pieces are Victor Vasarely, Brigit Riley...
Ink, Acrylic, Cardboard
Blue Composition - Screen Print by Victor Debach - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Blue Composition in a screenprint realized by Victor Debach in 1970s. 50x70 cm. Limited edition of 100. Handsigned in pencil on the right lower margin. Excellent condition.
Screen
Blue Composition - Screen Print by Victor Debach - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Blue Composition in a screenprint realized by Victor Debach in 1970s. 50x70 cm. Limited edition of 100. Handsigned in pencil on the right lower margin. Excellent condition.
Screen
Christian Roeckenschuss, Strukturen, Relieffs, Engramme - Portfolio of Prints
Located in Hamburg, DE
Christian Roeckenschuss (German, 1929-2011) Strukturen, Relieffs, Engramme, 1973 Medium: Portfolio of 5 screenprints on paper (two with folds, as issued), 1 screenprint on plexiglass...
Screen
Blue Composition - Screen Print by Victor Debach - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Blue Composition in a screenprint realized by Victor Debach in 1970s. 50x70 cm. Limited edition of 100. Handsigned in pencil on the right lower margin. Excellent condition.
Screen
Blue Composition - Screen Print by Victor Debach - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Blue Composition in a screenprint realized by Victor Debach in 1970s. 50x70 cm. Limited edition of 100. Handsigned in pencil on the right lower margin. Excellent condition.
Screen
USTEOK Serigraph on Paper, Op Art Style, Signed, 1970s, Edition of 200
Located in Aventura, FL
Serigraph on paper. Hand signed and numbered by the artist. Artwork size 36 x 18 inches. Frame size approx 49 x 30 inches. From the edition of 200. Certificate of authenticity i...
Paper, Screen
Iquitos - Geometric Oil Painting in Op Art and Hard-Edge Tradition
By Piicasa
Located in Manchester, GB
Piicasa, Iquitos, 2023 Oil on Canvas 40 x 40 cm (15.75 x 15.75 in) Original Artwork Unsigned Callum Simmons, aka Piicasa creates a series of paintings with contrasting colours, ...
Canvas, Oil
Blind Spot - Geometric Oil Painting in Op Art and Hard-Edge Tradition
By Piicasa
Located in Manchester, GB
Piicasa, Blind Spot, 2023 Oil on Canvas 40 x 40 cm (15.75 x 15.75 in) Original Artwork Callum Simmons, aka Piicasa creates a series of paintings with contrasting colours, fields an...
Canvas, Oil
Gull Point
By Roy Ahlgren
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork titled "Gull Point" 1987 is a color serigraph on Wove paper by noted American artist Roy Ahlgren, 1927-2011. It is hand signed, titled, dated and numbered 62/100 in penc...
Screen
Picasso: "I do not seek, I find" -- 2021
By Doug Powell
Located in Mc Lean, VA
* Youth has no age * Action is the foundational key to all success * It takes a long time to become young * The chief enemy of creativity is good sense * Learn the rules like a pro,...
Mixed Media
Awakening
By Roy Ahlgren
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork titled "Awakening" 1981 is a color serigraph on Wove paper by noted American artist Roy Ahlgren, 1927-2011 It is hand signed, titled, dated and numbered 70/150 in pencil...
Screen
Aztec
By Roy Ahlgren
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork titled "Aztec" 1983 is a color serigraph on Wove paper by noted American artist Roy Ahlgren, 1927-2011 It is hand signed, titled, dated and numbered 71/150 in pencil by ...
Screen
Terrestrial Decade
By Roy Ahlgren
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork titled "Terrestrial Decade" 1982 is a color serigraph on wove paper by noted American artist Roy Ahlgren, 1927-2011 It is hand signed, titled, dated and numbered 65/130 ...
Screen
Frieze -- Screen Print, Abstract, Op Art by Bridget RIley
Located in London, GB
Frieze, 2000 Bridget Riley Screenprint in colours, on wove paper Signed, dated, titled and numbered from the edition of 200 (plus 20 artist's proof) Printed by Sally Gimson Artizan ...
Screen
Michael Dal Cerro, Triumph of the Grid, 2019, Linocut, Urban Landscape, Modern
Located in Darien, CT
Michael Dal Cerro's prints could be seen as imaginary architectural proposals. He takes satisfaction in taking something that is supposed to be exact...
Ink, Archival Paper, Linocut
Michael Dal Cerro, Interlinking Skyways, 2020, Linocut, Urban Landscape, Modern
Located in Darien, CT
Michael Dal Cerro's prints could be seen as imaginary architectural proposals. He takes satisfaction in taking something that is supposed to be exact...
Ink, Archival Paper, Linocut
Abstract Composition in Purple - Screen Print by V. Debach - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Abstract composition in purple is a screenprint realized by Victor Debach in 1970s. 50x70 cm. Edition 24/100 Handsigned in pencil on the right lower margin. Excellent conditions.
Screen
Untitled #7 (blue, red and purple)
Located in Miami, FL
TECHNICAL INFORMATION Victor Vasarely Untitled #7 (blue, red and purple) Screenprint 13 x 10 in. Edition of 50 Pencil signed & numbered Accompanied with COA by Gregg Shien...
Screen
Let It Be Orange
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Artist: Julian Stanczak Title: Let It Be Orange Year: 1981 Medium: Screen print Signature: Hand signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 175 Size: 25.75 x 25.82 in
Screen
"Extrusive" Abstract Op-Art Serigraph
By Roy Ahlgren
Located in Soquel, CA
Beautiful multi color serigraph by Roy Ahlgren (American, 1927-2011). This piece transitions from a dark magenta to a silvery blue, passing through warm grey shades in between. The s...
Ink, Laid Paper, Screen
Rogelio Polesello(1939-2014) - Agata - Screen printing on BFK Rives paper - 1975
Located in Varese, IT
Screen printing on BFK Rives paper, edited in 1975. Limited edition, numbered as PA (Prova d'Artista) in lower left corner. Hand-signed by artist in pencil in the lower right corner...
Paper, Screen
Abstract Pink Composition - Screen Print by Victor Debach - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Abstract Pink Composition is a Screen Print on Paper realized by Victor Debach in 1970s. Limited edition of 100 copies numbered and signed by the artist with pencil on the lower mar...
Screen
Abstract Turquoise Composition - Screen Print by Victor Debach - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Abstract Turquoise Composition is a Screen Print on Paper realized by Victor Debach in 1970s. Limited edition of 100 copies numbered and signed by the artist with pencil on the lowe...
Screen
Abstract Composition in Purple - Screen Print by V. Debach - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Abstract composition in purple in a screenprint realized by Victor Debach in 1970s. 50x70 cm. Edition 16/100 Handsigned in pencil on the right lower margin. Excellent conditions.
Screen
Abstract Composition in Purple - Screen Print by V. Debach - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Abstract composition in purple in an original screenprint realized by Victor Debach in 1970s. 50x70 cm. Edition 18/100 Handsigned in pencil on the right lower margin. Excell...
Screen
Abstract Composition in Purple - Screen Print by V. Debach - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Abstract composition in purple is a screenprint realized by Victor Debach in 1970s. 50x70 cm. Edition 15/100 Handsigned in pencil on the right lower margin. Excellent conditions.
Screen