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Modern Decorative Art

MODERN STYLE

The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw sweeping social change and major scientific advances — both of which contributed to a new aesthetic: modernism. Rejecting the rigidity of Victorian artistic conventions, modernists sought a new means of expression. References to the natural world and ornate classical embellishments gave way to the sleek simplicity of the Machine Age. Architect Philip Johnson characterized the hallmarks of modernism as “machine-like simplicity, smoothness or surface [and] avoidance of ornament.”

Early practitioners of modernist design include the De Stijl (“The Style”) group, founded in the Netherlands in 1917, and the Bauhaus School, founded two years later in Germany.

Followers of both groups produced sleek, spare designs — many of which became icons of daily life in the 20th century. The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics. While Bauhaus principals Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created furniture from mass-produced, chrome-plated steel, American visionaries like Charles and Ray Eames worked in materials as novel as molded plywood and fiberglass. Today, Breuer’s Wassily chair, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chaircrafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich — and the Eames lounge chair are emblems of progressive design and vintage originals are prized cornerstones of collections.

It’s difficult to overstate the influence that modernism continues to wield over designers and architects — and equally difficult to overstate how revolutionary it was when it first appeared a century ago. But because modernist furniture designs are so simple, they can blend in seamlessly with just about any type of décor. Don’t overlook them.

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Style: Modern
Stylish Artistic Mosaic Handmade Platinum Leaf
Located in London, GB
Making artistic Mosaic, design of unparalleled beauty, inventing ' tromp l'oeil' thanks to the endless colors of the glass Mosaic collections, all this...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Aluminum, Platinum

Fabric Tapestry with Artistic Rug Design Upholstered Panel on Demand
Located in London, GB
Sicis is delighted to welcome you at ‘Home’. The classically inspired extent in contemporary plays an eclectic style, elegant and refined. Interiors express personality. A constant...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Polyester, Silk

Heljä Liukko-Sundström For Arabia Limited Edition Mother Child Wall Plates
Located in Bishop s Stortford, Hertfordshire
A fine pair vintage Arabia porcelain wall plates from the Mother and Child Series by Heljä Liukko-Sundström (b.1938) for Arabia, Finland and mad...
Category

1980s Finnish Vintage Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Porcelain

Collection Manhattan Blooms "Number 2" Available Numbers 1-3-4
Located in Scandicci, Florence
From the "Habitat Collection" original limited and numbered edition of 100 pieces. Exclusive contemporary graphic printed by hand in two colors on a flatbed press and finished with a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Gold Leaf

Art Glass Lagoon Decorative Panel for Multiple Uses Dimension Customizable
Located in London, GB
A combination of special techniques and process has created glass sheets that capture the timeless and limitless beauty of precious stones, lava rock, as well as dream landscape. Th...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Art Glass

Fabric Tapestry with Artistic Rug Design Upholstered Panel on Demand
Located in London, GB
Sicis is delighted to welcome you at ‘Home’. The classically inspired extent in contemporary plays an eclectic style, elegant and refined. Interiors express personality. A constant...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Polyester, Silk

Fabric Tapestry with Artistic Rug Design Upholstered Panel on Demand
Located in London, GB
Sicis is delighted to welcome you at ‘Home’. The classically inspired extent in contemporary plays an eclectic style, elegant and refined. Interiors express personality. A constant...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Polyester, Silk

Milano Olive Handmade Decorative Tile Outdoor Panel
Located in Lisbon, PT
This handmade decorative tile panel combines the traditional Portuguese faience tile making techniques with a modern approach of shapes and color, resulting in a very visually impact...
Category

2010s Portuguese Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Faience, Wood

1985 Italy Pop Art Multi Colors Print by Ugo Nespolo
Located in Brescia, IT
This is an engaging art work by the well known Italian artist Ugo Nespolo and it is clearly influeced buy this American period and by the Pop Art. Its vibrant colors are a joy for li...
Category

1980s Italian Vintage Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Paper

Raku ceramic plate by Emilio Alberti.
By Emilio Alberti
Located in Lugo, IT
Raku ceramic plate by Emilio Alberti. Good condition. Thanks
Category

1980s Italian Vintage Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Ceramic

Milano Emerald Handmade Decorative Tile Outdoor Panel
Located in Lisbon, PT
This handmade decorative tile panel combines the traditional Portuguese faience tile making techniques with a modern approach of shapes and color, resulting in a very visually impact...
Category

2010s Portuguese Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Faience, Wood

Large Contemporary Hand Embellished Color Giclee on Canvas signed FABRICE
Located in Miami, FL
A stunning contemporary piece of decorative artwork by Fabrice. Mixed media giclee on canvas with embellishments by Fabrice using oil paint and a fine brush. Hand signed lower righ...
Category

20th Century American Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Canvas, Paint

"Diary (2301)" Mosaic by Toyoharu Kii, 2023
Located in Chicago, IL
Intricate, ethereal and highly textured, the abstract compositions of Japanese mosaic artist Toyoharu Kii reflect a sophisticated approach to the technical art of mosaic making. Clas...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Marble

Ilya Bolotowsky Signed Modernist Silkscreen Vertical Blue Ellipse Series
Located in San Diego, CA
Incredibly graphic piece, signed by Ilya Bolotowsky (American, 1907-1981) from the early 1970s. Signed Silkscreen part of the vertical blue ellipse blue series. Silkscreen on Rives p...
Category

1970s American Vintage Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Paper

Painting by Peter Keil, Mid-Century Modern Art, C 1977, New Frame, On Canvas
Located in New York, NY
Peter Robert Keil was born to an artist blacksmith father whom he lost very early in his childhood during the Second World War. During the end phase of the war, Keil's mother, also a...
Category

1970s German Vintage Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Acrylic

WWI Model of Horse Head Wearing Gas Mask
Located in Queens, NY
WWI model of a molded papier-mache brown horse head wearing a gas mask and goggles. (Can be mounted on back).        
Category

20th Century American Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Plastic

Decorative Ceramic Perignem Plate, 1960s
Located in Antwerpen, Antwerp
The Perignem ceramics workshop (meaning by fire) in Beernem, Belgium was the basis of the modern Flemish ceramics that flourished in the 50s and 60s. The studio was founded by ceramic artists Rogier and Laurent Vandeweghe. Many visual artists contributed to the creation of the Perignem collection or had their work finished and baked, such as Yves Rhayé and Octave Landuyt...
Category

20th Century Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Ceramic

Milano Ocre Handmade Decorative Tile Indoor Panel
Located in Lisbon, PT
This handmade decorative tile panel combines the traditional Portuguese faience tile making techniques with a modern approach of shapes and color, resulting in a very visually impact...
Category

2010s Portuguese Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Faience, Wood

Milano Storm Handmade Decorative Tile Indoor Panel
Located in Lisbon, PT
This handmade decorative tile panel combines the traditional Portuguese faience tile making techniques with a modern approach of shapes and color, resulting in a very visually impact...
Category

2010s Portuguese Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Faience, Wood

Floral Watercolor Painting
Located in Madrid, ES
This charming and sophisticated wall decoration has been entirely hand-painted on 100% natural cotton paper, using the sumi-e technique inspired by ancient Korean paintings. Particul...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Cotton, Acrylic, Paper

Milano Emerald Handmade Decorative Tile Indoor Panel
Located in Lisbon, PT
This handmade decorative tile panel combines the traditional Portuguese faience tile making techniques with a modern approach of shapes and color, resulting in a very visually impact...
Category

2010s Portuguese Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Faience, Wood

Herbert Fink, Lonesome Pine, Etching on Paper, 1979
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Limited edition pencil signed and numbered 126/250 original Fine art etching by the very well listed artist and print maker Herbert Fink. This is signed a...
Category

1970s American Vintage Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Paper

1970s Cobbler’s Platform Shoe Trade Sign
Located in Savannah, GA
A platform shoe cobbler's trade sign from the 1970s. 50 ¼ inches wide by 1 ½ inches deep by 31 ¼ inches tall
Category

1970s Unknown Vintage Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Wood

Ghidini 1961 Single Butterfly Coatrack in Rose Gold by Richard Hutten
Located in Villa Carcina, IT
Coatrack in stainless steel The single butterfly coat hanger is both playful and elegant and gives to customers the possibility to embellish in a bra...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Stainless Steel

Herbert Fink, Shadow of an Elko, Etching on Paper, 1979
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Limited edition pencil signed and numbered 6/250 original Fine art etching by the very well listed artist and print maker Herbert Fink. This is signed and...
Category

1970s American Vintage Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Paper

Wall Object by Artist Willi Siber
Located in New York, NY
Wall object by artist Willi Siber. Interference lacquer and wood.
Category

2010s German Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Wood, Lacquer

Niels Helledie, Denmark, Unique Face Mask in Hand-Painted Stoneware
Located in København, Copenhagen
Niels Helledie (b. 1927), Denmark. Unique face mask in hand-painted glazed stoneware. 1980s. Measures: 18 x 18 cm. Depth: 9.5 cm. In excellent cond...
Category

1980s Danish Vintage Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Stoneware

Blossom a Piece of 3D Sculptural White Leather Wall Art
Located in Margate, GB
Blossom: A piece of 3D sculptural wall art designed and made from two layers of white leather, woven together by Louise Heighes. Measurements are 25.5 x 25.5 inches or 65 x 65 cm T...
Category

2010s European Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Leather

Irene Awret wall painted ceramic / pottery tile , Israel .
By Irene Awret
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful Mother and child by the well known Israeli artist Irene Awret , marked in back . Tile not framed .
Category

Mid-20th Century Israeli Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Ceramic

Stylish Artistic Mosaic Handmade Gold or Platinum Leaf
Located in London, GB
Making artistic Mosaic, design of unparalleled beauty, inventing ' tromp l'oeil' thanks to the endless colors of the glass Mosaic collections, all this allowed us to produce and divu...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Aluminum, Platinum, Gold Leaf

Untitled, After Keith Haring
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Untitled, After Keith Haring Vintage unsigned well executed oil on canvas of figures supporting each other, the center image measures 33.5" W x 34" H, on a white background canvas m...
Category

Late 20th Century American Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Canvas

Untitled, After Keith Haring
Untitled, After Keith Haring
$2,000 Sale Price
20% Off
"The Dance" by Raymond Karpuska
By Raymond Karpuska
Located in Denton, TX
Etched stainless steel with paint accents wall art titled "The Dance".
Category

20th Century North American Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Stainless Steel

Fiat Seicento Industrial Plate
By Fiat
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Italian 1980 s Fiat seicento [ six hundred ] industrial plate .
Category

1980s Italian Vintage Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Plastic

"Figure in Blue", Oil on Canvas, Framed
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautifully framed oil on canvas representing a blue figure. Size: 13 3/4 x 9 3/4 inches canvas, 22 1/8 x 18 1/2 inches frame.
Category

1960s American Vintage Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Paint

Cubist Oil Painting with Figure Composition by Ebba Carstensen, Denmark
Located in Odense, DK
Large and beautiful cubist oil painting by Danish female artist Ebba Carstensen. Figure composition, c. 1915–25. Indistinctly signed. Oil on canv...
Category

1920s Danish Vintage Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Paint

Milano Black Handmade Decorative Tile Indoor Panel
Located in Lisbon, PT
This handmade decorative tile panel combines the traditional Portuguese faience tile making techniques with a modern approach of shapes and color, resulting in a very visually impact...
Category

2010s Portuguese Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Faience, Wood

Painting by Peter Keil, Modern Art, Acrylic on Board, Pink Orange, C 1975
Located in New York, NY
Peter Robert Keil was born to an artist blacksmith father whom he lost very early in his childhood during the Second World War. During the end phase of the war, Keil's mother, also an artistically talented woman, took her son and struggled her way to West Berlin where they settled. This is where Peter Robert Keil grew up in the working-class neighborhood of Berlin-Wedding and where he discovered his interest in painting – particularly in expressionistic artists and in Pablo Picasso's work. From 1954 on, the East Berlin...
Category

1970s German Vintage Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Acrylic

Original Lithograph by James Carter with Southwest Pottery Theme
Located in New York, NY
Original Signed lithograph titled "Shield" by James Carter. It also has a custom burled elm frame. This piece has been floated and features hues of teal, terra cotta, sea foam green,...
Category

1990s American Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Paper

Silver Leaf Foil Wall World Map Engraving Based on the Original Moses Pitt, 1681
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely antique style pictorial silver leaf foil world map taken from and original engraving my Moses Pitt, 1681 This is a very interesting ...
Category

20th Century English Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Silver Leaf

Framed Abstract Lithograph by a French Artist, Signed Roosleens
Located in Miami, FL
Stunning and very decorative original French abstract lithograph depicting this wonderful range of shapes, patterns, colors and shapes. This work by the French painter who signs his ...
Category

20th Century French Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Paper

"Ebb Tide" Kite by Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Canvas, Bamboo, Silk

Milano Pacific Handmade Decorative Tile Outdoor Panel
Located in Lisbon, PT
This handmade decorative tile panel combines the traditional Portuguese faience tile making techniques with a modern approach of shapes and color, resulting in a very visually impact...
Category

2010s Portuguese Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Faience, Wood

Tone Halo I Epoxy Resin Contemporary Wall Sculpture / Decor in Brown by Facture
Located in New York, NY
Tone Halo I by Facture Resin, Aluminum, Wood L 72 × W 72 × H 2.25 in L182.88 × W182.88 × H 6.35cm A large circular wall object features a soothing hue transitioning between white...
Category

2010s Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Aluminum

Ceramic plate by Isao Hosoe
Located in Lugo, IT
Handcrafted ceramic plate, designed by Isao Hosoe Good condition. Thank you
Category

1990s Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Ceramic

Drawing by the painter Paolo Buggiani for Bitossi. 335/1700
Located in Lugo, IT
Drawing by the painter Paolo Buggiani for Bitossi. Ceramic plate produced by Bitossi in 1989 Good condition. Thank you
Category

1980s Italian Vintage Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Ceramic

Three Sand Hill Cranes, Colored Pencil Drawing, Matted Framed
Located in Chicago, IL
The endangered Florida Sandhill Crane can be found in the freshwater wetlands in peninsular Florida from the Everglades to the Okefenokee Swamp. Sylvia Beckman Three Florida Sand Hill...
Category

2010s American Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Paper

Lusitano Wall Art, Swarovski Crystals, Handmade in Portugal by Lusitanus Home
Located in Lisboa, PT
Lusitano Wall Art, Lusitanus Home Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by Lusitanus Home. Wall art with exclusive Greenapple design ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Glass, Mirror, Wood

Ghidini 1961 Butterfly Coatrack in Brass by Richard Hutten
Located in Villa Carcina, IT
Coatrack in brass Coats flit from coat hanger to coat hanger like butterfly goes from one flower to another. Butterflies have been a source of inspiration through Art History. From the ancient Egypt's, to the Renaissance until now it has always been a theme. The Butterfly coat...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Brass

Tone Halo V Epoxy Resin Contemporary Wall Sculpture / Decor Beige by Facture
Located in New York, NY
Tone halo V by Facture Resin, Aluminum, Wood L 48 × W 48 × H 1.5 in L121.92 × W121.92 × H 3.81cm A large circular wall object features a soothing hue transitioning from a brownish ...
Category

2010s Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Aluminum

"Celestial Pond" Kite by Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Canvas, Silk, Bamboo

Tone Halo IV Yellow Epoxy Resin Contemporary Wall Sculpture / Decor by Facture
Located in New York, NY
Tone Halo IV by Facture Resin, Aluminum, Wood L 48 × W 48 × H 1.5 in L121.92 × W121.92 × H 3.81cm A large circular wall object features a soothing hue transitioning from the ligh...
Category

2010s Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Aluminum

Jeanne Grut. Peacock Faience Wall Relief
Located in Kastrup, DK
Jeanne Grut (Danish, 1927-2009) A faience wall relief in the shape of a peacock with butterfly. Very decorative and extremely rare. Polychrome glazed faience on a unglazed background...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Iron

Coneflower: A Piece of 3D Sculptural Blue and Brown Leather Wall Art
Located in Margate, GB
Coneflower: A piece of 3D sculptural wall art designed and made from two layers of leather, one blue one pink, woven together by Louise Heighes. Measurements are 31 x 49 inches or 7...
Category

2010s British Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Leather

Painting from the 1940s, Red, Blue and Yellow Color, Mid-Century Art, New Frame
Located in New York, NY
Decorative painting from the 1940s. Red, blue and yellow. Children playing on a bicycle. Framed in a beautiful gold frame with a linen liner.
Category

1940s American Vintage Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Acrylic

Milano Olive Handmade Decorative Tile Indoor Panel
Located in Lisbon, PT
This handmade decorative tile panel combines the traditional Portuguese faience tile making techniques with a modern approach of shapes and color, resulting in a very visually impact...
Category

2010s Portuguese Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Faience, Wood

Milano Frost Terracotta Handmade Decorative Tile Outdoor Panel
Located in Lisbon, PT
This handmade decorative tile panel combines the traditional Portuguese faience tile making techniques with a modern approach of shapes and color, resulting in a very visually impact...
Category

2010s Portuguese Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Faience, Wood

"Iron Tree" Gilt Metal Wall Art
Located in Queens, NY
Square gilt metal contemporary decorative wall art titled \"Iron Tree\"
Category

20th Century American Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Iron

Bloodroot, Gold Frame
Located in Chicago, IL
Reminiscent of John James Audubon specimen drawings, these two meticulously drawn swallow tail butterflies are matted separately and framed in a beautifully carved silver frame Sylvia Beckman Bloodroot, 2010 colored pencil on paper 19.5 x 18.25 framed SUB005 Sylvia Beckman, b. 1938, Detroit, MI Education University of Michigan, School of Arch. & Design University of Wisconsin, Botany Private apprenticeship in stone sculpture, bronze, gilding and painting Exhibitions 2017 “Coming Attractions”, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 1997 S.O.F.A. exhibition, Ann Nathan Gallery, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL 1997 Monumental Bronze Sculpture Commisson, Olbrich Park, Madison, WI 1994 Sculpture, Olbrich Botanic Gardens, Spring Display, Madison,WI 1994 Paintings & Drawings, North Seas Gallery, Charlevoix, MI 1994 Paintings & drawings, Olbrich Botanic Center, Madison, WI 1988 Monumental Stone Sculpture...
Category

2010s American Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Paper

Painting by Peter Keil, C 1959, Framed Face with Fashion Lady in the Back Ground
Located in New York, NY
Peter Robert Keil was born to an artist blacksmith father whom he lost very early in his childhood during the Second World War. During the end phase of the war, Keil's mother, also a...
Category

1950s German Vintage Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Acrylic

Painting by Peter Keil Painted in Palma, Spain, Acrylic on News Paper, C 1959
Located in New York, NY
Peter Robert Keil was born to an artist blacksmith father whom he lost very early in his childhood during the Second World War. During the end phase of the war, Keil's mother, also a...
Category

1950s German Vintage Modern Decorative Art

Materials

Acrylic

Modern decorative art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Modern decorative art for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage decorative art created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include wall decorations, decorative objects, mirrors and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with glass, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern decorative art made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and North America pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original decorative art, popular names associated with this style include sicis, Louise Heighes, Atlasproject, and Peter Keil. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for decorative art differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $35 and tops out at $191,803 while the average work can sell for $2,184.