Abstract Still-life Paintings
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.
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
A luscious still-life depiction of bright red strawberries spilling out of a wicker basket by artist John Jaster. Bright green caps inject the perfect balance...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
20th Century Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1980s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Linen, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1940s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Marble, Sandstone
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Natalie George demonstrates an abstract expression of an abundant garden with clouds of flowers. Vibrant specks of magenta and orange hues flow in vigo...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Linen, Paint, Oil
1980s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil, Cardboard
Artist Comments
An abstract meadow unfurls with a striking balance of various shades of blue. Pops of orange complement the scene. The interplay of colors creates a dynamic s...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Acrylic
1980s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Linen, Paint, Oil
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Paper, Ink
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Watercolor
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
An explosion of bright colors evokes a lively garden. The fluorescent pink and bright yellow colors bring a touch of modernity and dynamism, perfectly balanc...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Lisa Nielsen paints a dainty still-life piece of jars and cups. She paints the arrangement in soft cool colors for a relaxed mood. Lisa adds a dramatic...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Painting from life, artist Mary Pratt creates a clear glass vase with light reflecting on its shiny surface. With pronounced brushstrokes, Mary sets a joyful ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Linen, Paint, Oil
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
A speck of red, suggesting a single cherry, sits atop a stack of cubes. Blue, gray, and purple dominate the composition, creating a sophisticated color scheme...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Nicole Lamothe paints a charming pink peony framed by a neutral patterned background. Her distinct brushwork creates a delicate softness about the piec...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Linen, Acrylic
Early 2000s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Drawing inspiration from a textile fabric with a floral pattern, the artwork features long strokes that twirl into dynamic shapes. Each section of color fits with one another like a puzzle. Artist Jennifer Hanson...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Judy Mackey says she asked her patrons to help her title this impressionist painting of orange tulips, and she loved the sug...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Lacquer, Oil, Pigment
1970s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil, Board
Artist Comments
Modern blue and white flowers sparkle among wave-like patterns flowing in the background. Part of a series of small-scale works inspired by the bright colors ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
A joyous bouquet of various flowers set against a dramatic dark background by artist Autumn Rose. Inspired by her never-ending love of botanicals, Autumn comb...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Sherri Aldawood encountered these glowing waterlilies in a fountain at Mission San Juan Capistrano in California. Soft morning light warms the pink flowers and lilypads while gentle reflections echo across the water. Sherri layered greens in a loose impressionist style to bring dimension and texture to the scene.
About the Artist
Sherri Aldawood didn't intend to always paint flowers, but over time her love of gardens started to permeate her art. She focuses on the light and color of the flowers on the canvas. Sherri prefers alla prima, working with wet layers of paint instead of letting them dry. She keeps the paint as wet as possible by using walnut and clove oil to extend the drying time.
Words that describe this painting: flowers, floral, waterlily, San Juan Capistrano, California, fountain, nature, water, impressionism, Monet, lily, pond, impressionism, flora, representational, oil painting, green
Three Water Lillies...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Festive holiday ornaments spread out in artist Hadley Northrop's jubilant impressionist rendering. A window display of a store in Los Angeles during the yuletide, the kind of still life that catches the painter's eye. Light beams from red chili pepper string bulbs, a spotlight, and reflections from the city street reflected in the round baubles and the shop window...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1960s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1990s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil, Cardboard
20th Century Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Pat Doherty displays colorful macarons on a pedestal plate next to an arrangement of pink and orange roses. A dainty blue st...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Linen, Paint, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Autumn Rose presents a luscious, pastel bouquet inspired by sunflowers and anemones. Rich layers of acrylic create a tactile surface, while bold black ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Ink, Handmade Paper
