Abstract art, a departure from representational depiction, emerged in the early 20th century as artists sought to express emotions, ideas, and spiritual realities through color, form, and line. Pioneers like Wassily Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian explored non-objective compositions, laying the groundwork for diverse abstract movements that followed. Impressionism, while not strictly abstract, focused on capturing fleeting moments and the subjective perception of light and color, often using visible brushstrokes. Later movements like Abstract Expressionism in the mid-20th century further pushed the boundaries, emphasizing spontaneous gesture and emotional intensity, often resulting in works that are both abstract and deeply personal.