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How did abstract painting differ from figurative painting?

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Oil painting self-portrait by Judith Leyster showing her seated at an easel, smiling at the viewer while holding a paintbrush and palette, with a violinist painting on the canvas beside her. — Western painting *Self-Portrait*, oil on canvas by Judith Leyster, c. 1630; in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

The primary distinction between abstract and figurative painting lies in their relationship to the visible world. Figurative painting is characterized by its concentration on the representation of objects, figures, or scenes from nature and human civilization. Historically, this tradition has focused on depicting the human form, landscapes, and other recognizable subjects, often utilizing techniques like perspective and anatomy to mirror the visible world.1

In contrast, abstract painting involves the use of lines, shapes, colors, and textures that possess little or no representational significance. Rather than reproducing or redesigning an actual or imagined object, abstract art often treats the canvas as an arena for the creative process itself, focusing on the formal elements of painting or the expression of the artist's unconscious.2345

While figurative art relies on recognizable imagery to communicate, abstract art communicates through nonreferential language, evoking emotional or physical reactions through the behavior of colors, spatial ambiguities, and the physical properties of paint. Some abstract works may still suggest atmosphere or mood, but they fundamentally depart from the goal of imitating natural appearances.235