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.
Nympheas De Mon Coeur - Soft Abstract Floral Landscape 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
Tempest - Large warm sunset abstract landscape painting
Located in Silverthorne, CO
"Tempest" is a large warm sunset abstract landscape painting. This painting was made in the high Rockies of Colorado in the late autumn, when the winds roll through the sky with the ...
Oil
Beige Dream.Heat-haze vision
By Oksana Reva
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work is a contemplative abstract landscape, it is painted in oil on linen canvas using the lessirovka technique - this is when layers of paint let light through, and the lower l...
Canvas, Oil
Petals in Light - original impressionistic floral art on linen canvas
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Look at a tree, a flower, a plant. Let your awareness rest upon it. How still they are, how deeply rooted in Being. Allow nature to teach you stillness." — Eckhart Tolle Dimensions...
Canvas, Linen, Spray Paint, Acrylic
$1,121Sale Price|25% Off
Vintage Signed Female Modernist Abstract Expressionist Naturescape Oil Painting
By Adele Becker
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique American modernist abstract oil painting by Adele Becker (1929-2021). Oil on canvas. Framed. Signed.
Canvas, Oil
Abstract Painting Landscape - Liliya Nikolova
Located in Winterswijk, NL
In this work the artist experimented with acrylic paints to create an abstract landscape that combines expressionism and impressionism. The vibrant layers of color and bold strokes r...
Canvas, Acrylic
Haven in the Chaos
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 145×97 cm (overall size with stretching 155×107 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled Haven in the Chaos" is a deep exploration of the phenomenon of inn...
Canvas, Acrylic
$813
Nature Fluorescente Acrylic Painting on Paper with Surreal Landscape. Framed
Located in FISTERRA, ES
This acrylic painting on 400 g/m² Fabriano “Pittura” paper is part of a series of works created for Furtif, a French magazine, around the theme of “Lost Worlds.” In Nature Fluorescen...
Paper, Acrylic
$418Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary abstract impressionist nature acrylic painting "Nestled in silence"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
Cézanne & Matisse Inspired – Abstract Expressionist Landscape – "Nestled in Silence" – Original Acrylic Painting on Heavy-Weight Professional Paper (50 × 65 cm / 19.7 × 25.6 in), Unf...
Paper, Acrylic
$2,061Sale Price|20% Off
Abstract 2406
Located in Zofingen, AG
"This is a one of a kind painting, an absolutely spontaneous, vibrant and unique creation by me, Alex Senchenko This high quality acrylic painting is done on gallery wrapped canvas,...
Acrylic
$2,200
Blue Fish of Cities and Dreams- Red House: Abstract Painting, Large Canvas Art
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Blue Fish of Cities and Dreams - The Red House Large and strikingly beautiful abstract expressionistic artwork. This piece will create a beautiful focal point in any collec...
Oil, Acrylic, Gesso, Canvas
$1,000Sale Price|50% Off
PA American Impressionist Bucks CO. Covered Bridge Landscape Oil Painting
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Gorgeous ca.1925 PA Impressionist painting of a covered bridge. Oil on canvas measuring 22 x 28 inches. Framed measurement: 27 x 33 inches. Unsigned. There is a puncture in canva...
Oil
I AM the Kindred Spirit: Large Colorful Abstract Cubism Painting
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: I AM the Kindred Spirit Abstract Geometric, Cubism, Bold, Extra large, Soulful, Unique artwork that is colorful. Striking, Elephant, Kindness, Large artwork. This work is ...
Gesso, Canvas, Wood, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
$1,496Sale Price|25% Off
The Desire to Fly - Abstract Oil on Linen Seascape, Signed, 50x100 cm
Located in Silverthorne, CO
A sweeping abstract seascape and sky painting in deep blues, vibrant pinks, and hints of green. A gorgeous jewel-like surface and ever-changing movement. This painting was inspired b...
Linen, Oil
Dreamscape Unfolded, Abstract Painting
By Alicia Dunn
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Soothing layers of color mimic gentle waves. Blues, greens, and reds overlap without a clear focal point. Thin metallic gold strokes add warmth to the predomina...
Acrylic
Remanescence, Contemporary Abstract Seascape Painting by Sophie Dumont
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Remanence is an original oil painting on canvas by French contemporary artist Sophie Dumont. Measuring 40 x 40 cm (15.7 x 15.7 in), 47 x 47 cm framed (18.5 x 18.5 in), the artwork is...
Oil
Original Diptych-Sunset Song-British Awarded Artist-Abstract impression-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. This body of work is a meditation on seeing without...
Gesso, Canvas, Oil, Acrylic, Wood Panel
$1,036Sale Price|20% Off
Vintage American Modernist Outsider Pop Art Abstract Large Original Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage American modernist abstract oil painting. Oil on canvas. Signed.
Canvas, Oil
$550
Abstract Blossom Bouquet in Pastel Tones, Organic Shapes, Calm Tones Large Forms
Located in Barcelona, ES
"Blossom Bouquet in Pastel Tones" is an abstract painting by Spanish artist Natalia Roman. It is a beautiful series of organic large forms combined with subtle tones and unique shape...
Acrylic, Archival Paper
$10,229
ABSTRACT Mirko Baricchi Oil Gestural Landscapes Flora Earth Tones Mixed media
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Mirko Baricchi (born 1970) is an accomplished Italian painter who currently lives and works between Vicenza and La Spezia, regions located in Veneto and Liguria, Italy, respectively....
Cotton Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
Children fishing in a Creek (PA Impressionist landscape painting)
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Roy Nuse (1885-1975) Children Fishing by a Creek, 1923 Oil on panel measuring 12 x 16 inches. Overall measurement with frame 17.5 x 21.5 inches. Signed and dated with monogram low...
Oil
$3,487
Between earth and time, Oil on canvas, Abstract Landscape, Expressionism art
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
About the artist: Sophie Dumont is a French contemporary painter known for her rich, layered oil paintings that blend abstraction and symbolism. Born in Paris in 1964, she has lived ...
Oil
$1,165
Sunset VW Van - Colorful California Beach Still Life Acrylic Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Kathleen Keifer's original artworks represent one of the most significant expressions of New California Realism. Keifer brings a fresh perspective to her colorful scenes of everyday ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,278
Nuances – Original Textured Abstract Landscape Oil Painting by French Artist
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Medium: Oil on linen canvas Canvas size: 40 x 40 cm (15.75 x 15.75 in) Framed size: 47 x 47 cm (18.5 x 18.5 in) Frame: Black or light wood floater frame (collector choice) Technique:...
Oil
$1,240Sale Price|20% Off
White Lotus Lithograph
By Hoi Lebadang
Located in Soquel, CA
White Lotus Lithograph A limited edition lithograph by listed artist Hoi Lebadang, (Vietnamese/French, 1922 – 2015). This print displays an ethereal lotus flower to center, known to ...
Paper, Ink, Lithograph
Territory
Located in San Francisco, CA
Javier Manrique Territory, 2023 Acrylic on canvas 48 x 72 inches This is an abstract landscape painting created by Javier Manrique in 2023. This one-of-a-kind painting on canvas is ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Water Garden. Large Contemporary Triptych Oil Painting
Located in Brecon, Powys
Francesca Owen is one of the foremost Expressionist artists in the UK. Her works are heavily influenced by the sights, sounds and colours of India where she travels extensively and w...
Oil
"Flor de membrillo"
By Elina Bilous
Located in Edinburgh, GB
My vision of quince blossoming is not about the details. It's about the feeling. About how the first warm rays paint the treetops in golden-green hues, and the air around turns pink ...
Canvas, Oil
In The City Today - Original Soft Textural City Oil Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ekaterina Ermilkina’s original, abstract fine art paintings are created using a skillful combination of applying and removing oil paint with a palette knife on canvas. Her inspiratio...
Canvas, Oil
Point of Trust
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Point of Trust" (Part I of a diptych) From the Series: "Between States" "Point of Trust" opens a diptych within the "Between States" series, serving as a visual manifesto of the t...
Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Original Triptych Garden Story-le Bleu-British Awarded Artist-Gold leaf on Oil
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This Set of 3, gold leaf and oil, named Garden Story are a part of Le Bleu Series by award winning British artist Shizico Yi. She created the series plein air in the early summer ev...
Gold Leaf
$2,175
Golden Slumber - Moody Abstract Atmospheric Landscape Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Mark Acetelli’s oil and mixed media paintings awaken the viewer’s sense of exploration and adventure; they demand a new discovery. His artworks exhibit a chemistry of complexity and ...
Canvas, Oil
$933Sale Price|20% Off
Original-To make a Garden-British Awarded Artist-oil and gold leaf on canvas
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
[To make a garden ] is a part of her "Landscape Memory" Series. Shizico explores forms, layers, and time onto canvases. In this outstanding painting, Shizico applied layers of mater...
Gold Leaf
$3,600
"Someday…", Abstract Landscape Pink Blue Green Star Sky Pixels Acrylic Painting
By Sandra Cohen
Located in Franklin, MA
"Someday…", abstract landscape pink blue green sky pixels acrylic painting. A corona eclipses a falling star in a pink sky with blue and green clouds. The star lands in a landscape b...
Acrylic, Wood Panel
Storm - Blue Cool Tone Abstract Dramatic Landscape Textural Impasto Painting
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 appear abstract up close and...
Canvas, Oil
$245
Pastel Study 1 - Original Architecture Landscape Oil Based Artwork on Paper
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Kathleen Keifer's original artworks represent one of the most significant expressions of New California Realism. Keifer brings a fresh perspective to her colorful scenes of everyday ...
Paper, Oil Pastel
Evening in The Tropics, Geometric Tiles in Yellow, Miami Sunset Patterns
Located in Barcelona, ES
These series of paintings by Natalia Roman gather their inspiration from geometric, minimalist shapes and paintings from the beginning of Modernism, with a special emphasis on Art De...
Watercolor, Acrylic, Handmade Paper
$4,500
Henry Arthur Elkins Attributed Mountain Landscape with Waterfall Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
An atmospheric mountain landscape oil painting attributed to American artist Henry Arthur Elkins, this richly detailed work captures the dramatic beauty of a cascading waterfall set ...
Oil
Floating Landscape 9916: Abstract Mixed Media Canvas Painting, 2010+
Located in BARCELONA, ES
Marcela Jardón delves into the interplay between spatial perception and emotional resonance. Utilizing a blend of mixed media techniques, the composition invites viewers to explore t...
Acrylic, Mixed Media, Cotton Canvas
$4,068
Chromatic escape, Abstract Landscape, Countryside, Contemporary, Oil, French art
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Silent Territories Oil on canvas 2024, revisited in 2026 Silent Territories explores the quiet dialogue between memory and landscape through a refined abstract language. Rather than...
Oil
"Days of the week"
By Elina Bilous
Located in Edinburgh, GB
This series of works was born in one breath from the heaviness of the day and became a breath of hope of tenderness and love. Everyone deserves love, that's what this series is calle...
Canvas, Oil
$1,350Sale Price|25% Off
New England Winter
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Gordon Ham (20th century) New England Winter, ca. 1940. Oil on unstretched canvas panel, 14 x 17 inches. Measuring 17 x 20 inches framed. Signed lower right. Vertical cracking ...
Oil
![City in Autumn [Diptych]](https://a.1stdibscdn.com/javier-manrique-paintings-city-in-autumn-diptych-for-sale/a_27562/a_175072621768773737917/f74a4ft44aqvcd19zw5z_master.jpg?width=240)
City in Autumn [Diptych]
Located in San Francisco, CA
Javier Manrique City in Autumn [Diptych], 2016 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 96 inches This is an abstract landscape painting created by Javier Manrique in 2016. This one-of-a-kind paintin...
Canvas, Acrylic
Birds-eye view at 6.17 PM
By Kseniya Rai
Located in Zofingen, AG
This painting invites the viewer to rise above the noise of everyday life and see the world from a higher perspective. From above, the scene unfolds in serene contrast — the vast, te...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$13,950
"Girl in the Rain - Gold Edition #5 " , Abstract, 21st Century, Acrylic, Clay
By Roger König
Located in Dessau-Rosslau, Sachsen Anhalt
Gold Edition - with real gold leaf, 23,75 carat Part of Roger König's iconic Umbrella Series, this original mixed media artwork explores themes of protection, memory, resilience and...
Clay, Acrylic
Terres Ardentes – Abstract landscape, Oil Painting, Contemporary, Textured
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Abstract landscape oil painting by French contemporary artist Sophie Dumont, Terres Ardentes (Burning Lands) captures the vibrant tension between matter, color, and equilibrium. Know...
Oil
Large American School Modernist Abstract Landscape Framed Original Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique American modernist oil painting. Oil on canvas. Signed. Framed. Measuring: 37 by 45 inches overall, and 30.25 by 38.25 painting alone. Excellent condition, ready to hang and...
Oil, Canvas
$400
Captivated: Art Deco, Modern, Abstract, Colorful, Minimalism, Invest, Bold, Joy
By Karnish Art
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Title: Captivated Art Deco, Modern, Abstract, Colorful, Minimalism, Invest, Bold, Joy, Captivated, Beauty, Enchanted, Enthralled, Vivid, Bold This series connects to that around as...
Oil, Acrylic, Gesso, Canvas, Wood, Stretcher Bars
$1,898
Winter Lake Landscape - Large Modern Swedish Abstract Oil on Canvas Painting
Located in Sevenoaks, GB
A beautiful large mid 20th century oil on canvas abstract winter landscape by Swedish artist Gunnar Nordstrom. Excellent quality and condition composition with strong and vibrant i...
Canvas, Oil
$596Sale Price|40% Off
LEROY - FRENCH CONTEMPORARY ABSTRACT CUBIST PAINTING WITH COLLAGE
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist/ School: R. Leroy (French b. 1932) Title: Abstract/ Cubist Composition Medium: mixed media - material and oil on canvas, unframed Size: painting: 21.25 x 28.75 inches...
Oil
Golden Day - Original Abstract Ocean Beach Still Life Landscape Acrylic Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Kathleen Keifer's original artworks represent one of the most significant expressions of New California Realism. Keifer brings a fresh perspective to her colorful scenes of everyday ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Point of Trust II
Located in Zofingen, AG
“Point of Trust II” From the series Between States (Part II of the diptych) “Point of Trust II” continues the visual dialogue initiated in the first part of the diptych. It explores...
Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$1,020Sale Price|20% Off
Antique Ukrainian American Abstract Expressionist Thick Impasto Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Ukrainian American abstract painting by Misha Reznikoff (1905 - 1971). Oil on canvas. Signed verso in monogram. Measuring 20.5 by 30.5 inches.
Canvas, Oil
$16,450
Where I'm Bound - Original Atmospheric Vibrant Landscape Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Phoebe Brunner’s original oil paintings transform the American West and the California coast into luminous landscapes shaped by memory, atmosphere, and imagination. Her works draw fr...
Canvas, Oil
Afternoon Light Through a Flowering Tree, Expressionist Landscape, Earth Tones
By Juanjo Saez
Located in Barcelona, ES
This expressive painting captures a flowering tree bathed in warm afternoon light, rendered through bold, gestural brushstrokes and a saturated, joyful palette. The twisting trunks a...
Paper, Acrylic
$537Sale Price|20% Off
Large 20th Century Original French Expressionist Oil Painting
By P Vilette
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Original oil painting by P. Valetti (French, second half 20th century) oil on canvas, unframed size: 19.75 x 28.75 inches condition: very good provenance: from the artists estate, Fr...
Canvas, Oil
La Danse des Etoiles
Located in New York, NY
La Danse des Étoiles exemplifies Gérard Stricher’s ability to merge energy and emotion through color. The work pulses with chromatic vitality—fiery reds, cobalt blues, and golden yel...
Oil
$697Sale Price|20% Off
Landscape - XXI century, Contemporary Oil & Acrylic Painting, Abstraction
By Monika Rossa
Located in Warsaw, PL
MONIKA ROSSA studied painting at the University of Arizona, in the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris and at the Escuela de Diseno in Barcelona. She practices drawing and easel painting....
Oil, Acrylic, Board
Croire au Destin - Green Teal Abstract Floral 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
$420
Serene Cove Waters, Feng Shui Seascape, Blue and White Ripples, Horizontal Print
By Kind of Cyan
Located in Barcelona, ES
This is an exclusive handprinted limited edition cyanotype. "Serene Cove Waters" is a handmade cyanotype print portraying fresh ripples movements in a Greek Islands cove...
Emulsion, Mixed Media, Watercolor, Photographic Paper, Lithograph, Monop...