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Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

EXPRESSIONIST STYLE

While “expressionist” is used to describe any art that avoids naturalism and instead employs a bold use of flattened forms and intense brushwork, Expressionist art formally describes early-20th-century work from Europe that drew on Symbolism and confronted issues such as urbanization and capitalism. Expressionist artists experimented in paintings and prints with skewed perspectives, abstraction and unconventional, bright colors to portray how isolating and anxious the world felt rather than how it appeared. 

Between 1905 and 1920, Austrian and German artists, in particular, were inspired by Postimpressionists such as Paul Gauguin and Vincent van Gogh in their efforts to strive for a new authenticity in their work. In its geometric patterns and decorative details, Expressionist art was also marked by eclectic sources like German and Russian folk art as well as tribal art from Africa and Oceania, which the movement’s practitioners witnessed at museums and world’s fairs.

Groups of artists came together to share and promote the themes now associated with Expressionism, such as Die Brücke (The Bridge) in Dresden, which included Erich Heckel, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Karl Schmidt-Rottluff and investigated alienation and the dissolution of society in vivid color. In Munich, Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider), a group led by Wassily Kandinsky and Franz Marc, instilled Expressionism with a search for spiritual truths. In his iconic painting The Scream, prolific Norwegian painter Edvard Munch conveyed emotional turmoil through his depiction of environmental elements, such as the threatening sky.

Expressionism shifted around the outbreak of World War I, with artists using more elements of the grotesque in reaction to the escalation of unrest and violence. Printmaking was especially popular, as it allowed artists to widely disseminate works that grappled with social and political issues amid this time of upheaval. Although the art movement ended with the rise of Nazi Germany, where Expressionist creators were labeled “degenerate,” the radical ideas of these artists would influence Neo-Expressionism that emerged in the late 1970s with painters like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Francesco Clemente.

​​Find a collection of authentic Expressionist paintings, sculptures, prints and more art on 1stDibs.

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Style: Expressionist
MARYAN - ORIGINAL DRAWING - PORTRAIT
Located in Tel Aviv - Jaffa, IL
Ink on paper Hand signed and dated lower right Unique piece
Category

1970s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink

cry in the wilderness a little girl consumed by grief
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Soft pastel on toned paper signed and dated by the artist depicting a small child being carried by relatives at what appears to be a funeral parlor.
Category

Early 2000s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pastel, Archival Paper

Sketch Idea for Metropolis - German Expressionism - 1926
Located in London, GB
OTTO DIX 1891-1969 Gera 1891-1969 Singen (German) Title: Sketch Idea for Metropolis Ideenskizze zu einem Großstadtbild, 1926 Technique: Coloured Pencil and Pencil Drawing on Wov...
Category

1920s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pencil

Blue Period artist as subject humorous observation coll blue and Grey tones
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Soft pastel on archival toned paper signed and dated top left. Part of an ongoing series by the artist of artist and model subject matter
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Archival Paper, Pastel

Le Pont Neuf
Located in London, GB
'Le Pont Neuf', gouache on fine art paper, by Lucien Génin (circa 1930s). The Pont Neuf is the oldest standing bridge across the river Seine in Paris, France. It stands by the western point of the Île de la Cité, the island in the middle of the river that was, between 250 and 225 BC, the birthplace of Paris. It is called 'The New Bridge' because at the time of its inauguration (built 1578-1607), it embodied a very modern look compared to other bridges which spanned the Seine. Lucien Génin has captured its beauty in this lively depiction from the 1930s. Just before the bridge is a 'Bateau Mouche' an open excursion boat that provides visitors with a view of the city from along the river. The artwork is in good overall condition commensurate with age and medium used. It has been newly frame with anti-reflective glass. Please enjoy the photos accompanying this listing. Signed by the artist in the lower left hand. Upon request a video may be provided. About the Artist: After the devastation of the First World War, Lucien Génin (1894 - 1953) left his provincial home in the autumn of 1919 to find his fortune among the lively Parisians in the heart of Montmartre. Génin befriended the painters Frank Will, Gen Paul, Émile Boyer, Marcel Leprin...
Category

1930s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Gouache

Caribbean Mermaid soft tropical color Mermaid and angel fish mythical subject
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Soft pastel on toned sanded archival paper suitable for framing under glass. Signed and dated bottom. Part of an ongoing series of mermaids by the artist
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pastel, Archival Paper

"Melon Scope, " Original Pastel Drawing signed by Della Wells
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Melon Scope" is an original pastel drawing on paper by Della Wells. The artist signed the piece in the lower right. This work depicts a black woman carrying a large slice of watermelon, which stands for a stereotype of African Americans. Two serpent-like large leaves flank her, each with a single eye, which signify, according to the artist the all-seeing eye of God...
Category

1990s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pastel, Paper

Body in the Field #7 - Contemporary, Blue, Red, 21st Century, Drawing on Canvas
Located in Baden-Baden, DE
Body in the Field #7, 2022 coloured pencil on canvas 9.84 H x 6.29 W in. 25 H x 16 W cm Signed on reverse Zsolt Berszán embodies in his works the dissolution of the human body throu...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Canvas, Color Pencil

Carousel humorous dreamlike narrative story expressive human condition greys
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Soft pastel and charcoal on toned archival toned paper signed and dated bottom left . On view at the table Rasa Gallery in Brooklyn NY.
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pastel, Archival Paper

Body in the Field #13 - 21st Century, Red, Orange, Green, Contemporary
Located in Baden-Baden, DE
Body in the Field #13, 2022 coloured pencils on canvas 9.84 H x 6.29 W in. 25 H x 16 W cm Signed and dated on reverse Zsolt Berszán embodies in his work...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Color Pencil, Canvas

Body in the Field #10 - Contemporary, Red, Yellow, Green, 21st Century
Located in Baden-Baden, DE
Body in the Field #10, 2022 coloured pencil on canvas 9.84 H x 6.29 W in. 25 H x 16 W cm Signed on reverse Zsolt Berszán embodies in his works the dissolution of the human body thro...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Canvas, Color Pencil

Body in the Field #14 - Contemporary, Green, Red, Blue, 21st Century
Located in Baden-Baden, DE
Body in the Field #14, 2022 coloured pencil on canvas 9.84 H x 6.29 W in. 25 H x 16 W cm Signed on reverse Zsolt Berszán embodies in his works the dissolution of the human body thro...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Canvas, Color Pencil

Body in the Field #15 - Contemporary, Red, Blue, 21st Century
Located in Baden-Baden, DE
Body in the Field #15, 2022 coloured pencil on canvas 9.84 H x 6.29 W in. 25 H x 16 W cm Signed on reverse Zsolt Berszán embodies in his works the dissolution of the human body thro...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Canvas, Color Pencil

Man and Dionysus Heimrad Prem German Expressionist Watercolor Painting Art Brut
Located in Surfside, FL
Genre: Expressionist Subject: Figures Medium: Watercolor Surface: Paper Country: Austria Dimensions w/Frame: 21" x 26 3/4" Heimrad Prem (1934 – 1978) was a German painter born in Roding, Oberpfalz. From 1949–1952 he studied decorative painting at Schwandorf and then studied painting with Josef Oberberger and sculpture with Toni Stadler at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste, Munich until 1956. While studying painting with Ernst Emil Schumacher at the Hochschule der Künste, Berlin, he formed Gruppe SPUR with Lothar Fischer, Helmut Sturm, and Hans-Peter Zimmer. After meeting Asger Jorn, SPUR joined the Situationist International. He was influenced by the Cobra artists Karel Appel and Otmar Alt. In 1960 he won a scholarship of the Kulturpreises im Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie, Cologne. From 1960–1962 he co-edited the magazine SPUR. In 1961 he visited Oerkelljunga, Sweden with Sturm, Zimmer and Dieter Kunzelmann staying with Jørgen Nash...
Category

1970s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor

Expressionist Figurative Drawing, "Striped Torso"
Located in San Diego, CA
This is a one of a kind original expressionist figurative drawing by Southern California artist, Lenore Simon. It is framed as pictured. Its framed dimensions are 10"x10"x1.5". A cer...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Fabric

Expressionist Figurative Painting, "Alone"
Located in San Diego, CA
This is a one of a kind original expressionist figurative drawing by Southern California artist, Lenore Simon. It is framed as pictured. Its framed dimensions are 26.45" x 30.6". A c...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Conté, Charcoal

Reclining Young Man - Pencil Drawing - German Expressionism
Located in London, GB
ERNST LUDWIG KIRCHNER 1880-1938 (German) Aschaffenburg 1880 - 1938 Davos Title: Reclining Young Man Liegender junger Mann, circa 1911 Technique: Pencil Drawing on Firm Wove Paper ...
Category

1910s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pen

Sacré-Coeur Montmartre at Willette Square Paris
Located in London, GB
'Sacré-Coeur, Montmartre at Willette Square, Paris', gouache on art paper (circa 1930s), by Lucien Génin. Created by the Director of Public Ways and Promenades under Napoleon III, Sq...
Category

1930s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Gouache

Cão
Located in New York, NY
Oil pastel on paper cutout.
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Oil Pastel

Dog and Pinga
Located in New York, NY
Wax pastel drawing on paper.
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Wax Crayon

Me and Myselves
Located in London, GB
2018 Charcoal on paper Signed and dated lower left Framed (matte black wooden frame, black raised float mount on foam core, UV anti-reflective glass) Frame size 95 x 70 x 3 cm Felix Dolah...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Charcoal

تهران
Located in London, GB
2018 Charcoal on paper Signed and dated upper left Framed (matte black wooden frame, black raised float mount on foam core, UV anti-reflective glass) Frame size 95 x 70 x 3 cm Felix Dolah...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Charcoal

Expressionist Figurative water color painting- Luckiness
Located in Beijing, CN
Expressionist Figurative water color painting by Zhang Chunyang Title: Luckiness Dimension: 29 x 36 cm Material: Gouache, Watercolor on Paper D...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Gouache, Watercolor, Handmade Paper

Expressionist Figurative water color painting- Series The Horse Whisper No.2-25
Located in Beijing, CN
Expressionist Figurative water color painting by Zhang Chunyang Series The Horse Whisper No.2-25 Dimension: 29 x 36 cm Material: Gouache, Watercolor on Paper Date: 2013 Artist B...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Gouache, Watercolor, Handmade Paper

Expressionist Figurative water color painting- Young lady holding a cat
Located in Beijing, CN
Artist Biography Zhang Chunyang was born in 1975 in Changchun, Jilin. She earned her B.F.A at Jilin University of Arts in 1999, and studied at Central Acadamy of Fine Arts, Beijing ...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Gouache, Watercolor, Handmade Paper

Jewish Family
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork "Jewish Family" 1968 is an acrylic and ink on wove paper by noted Lithuanian artist Boris Deutsch, 1892-1978. It is hand signed and dated at the lower left corner by the...
Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Acrylic, Ink

Frosch Serenade - Drawing by L. von Hoffmann - Early 20th Century
Located in Roma, IT
Frosch Serenade is an original drawing in watercolour and pencil on paper, realized by Ludwig Von Hofmann . Framed. In very good conditions. The artwork represents a nude woman-bu...
Category

1910s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor, Pencil

Expressionist Figurative water color painting- Series The Horse Whisper No.2-24
Located in Beijing, CN
Expressionist Figurative water color painting by Zhang Chunyang Series The Horse Whisper No.2-24 Dimension: 29 x 36 cm Material: Gouache, Watercolor on Paper Date: 2013 Artist Bi...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Gouache, Watercolor, Handmade Paper

Expressionist Figurative water color painting- Series Bath NO.5
Located in Beijing, CN
Artist Biography Zhang Chunyang was born in 1975 in Changchun, Jilin. She earned her B.F.A at Jilin University of Arts in 1999, and studied at Central Acadamy of Fine Arts, Beijing ...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Gouache, Watercolor, Handmade Paper

Seated nude with Face in Profile - Pencil Drawing - female Nude
By Alexej Jawlensky
Located in London, GB
ALEXEJ VON JAWLENSKY 1864-1941 Torzhok 1864 - 1941 Wiesbaden (Russian/German) Title: Seated nude with Face in Profile Sitzender Akt mit Gesicht im Profil, 1912 Technique: Signed Pencil Drawing on Wove Paper Paper size: 50 x 40 cm. / 19.7 x 15.7 in. Additional Information: This drawing is signed in pencil by the artist “A v Jawlensky” at the lower right image. It is dated in pencil “1912”, at the lower left image. Provenance: Galerie Rosenbach, Hanover Sotheby's London, 28 June 1978. Lot 176. Jacqueline Kohler-Krotoschin, Zurich Beurret & Bailly, Basel, 20 June 2018. Lot 107. Exhibited: “Zwischen Tradition und Moderne”. Galerie Rosenbach, Hanover. 1975. Recorded as no. 222, cat. 14 (Illustrated). Literature: 1. Weiler,C. (1970) Alexej Jawlensky...
Category

1910s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pencil

'Medea', Jason's Enchantress, Greek Mythological Figural, Expressionist Woman
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Signed lower right, 'Peter Brandes' (Danish, born 1944) and dated 1964-1965. Titled, upper left, 'Medea' and bearing 2017 dedication in graphite, lower r...
Category

1960s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Gouache

Sleepwalking 18, monochromatic dream like figures
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Monotype Dramatic imagery from Tom Bennett’s series of monotypes, blending surrealistic mindscapes with stark realism About Tom Bennett: With quick brushstrokes, Tom Bennett creates representational images of human figures and animals, emphasizing movement in a manner reminiscent of Lucien Freud, Edgar Degas and the photographer Eadweard Muybridge. Elongated and blurry, the horse racing up a hill (Canter Fritz, 2002) and the sinister cat landing a leap (Chien Blanc, 1998) elicit a sense of foreboding enhanced by Bennett’s somber palette; his female figures too reflect a grim sense of humor with their distorted nude bodies. The face of Untitled Figure (1997), for example, is obscured by layers of dark paint. Classically trained as a painter, he initially worked in oil on canvas but discovered that monotype printing enabled him to “literally push the image around,” creating an essential element of motion. To overcome the limited scale of monotypes, however, he switched to painting on slick-surfaced plastic. Tom Bennett’s practice is rooted in the classical tradition where painting and drawing from life is highly regarded. Bennett’s work is heavily influenced by Francis Bacon, Frank Auberbauch and foremost his father, Harry Bennett, who was also an artist. Tom’s time living abroad in Spain and traveling through Eastern Europe and Africa provided the artistic freedom to explore many of the techniques and subject matter that continue to define his practice. Bennett was born and raised in Connecticut. His mediums include monotypes, oil on paper, canvas or styrene board. In a technique that Tom started over 4 years ago, several of his monotypes have been painted over with oil paint using a palette knife, brush, or his fingers to re-purpose the underlying image. These works are a testament to Bennett’s ability to quickly and concisely compose an image with expressive brush strokes, foreshortened figures and expertly rendered light. Tom’s work has been featured in group and solo exhibitions worldwide. Bennett lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. He is currently represented by Tabla Rasa...
Category

Early 2000s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Archival Paper, Monotype

Ball Playing Nudes
Located in London, GB
ERNST LUDWIG KIRCHNER 1880-1938 (German) Aschaffenburg 1880 - 1938 Davos Title: Ball Playing Nudes Ballspielende Akte, 1932 Technique: Chalk Drawing on Smooth Wove Paper Paper s...
Category

1930s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Chalk

Bald, brown tones, monotype, head and shoulders with numbers, text
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Monotype on paper Dramatic imagery from Tom Bennett’s series of black and white monotypes, blending surrealistic mindscapes with stark realism About Tom Bennett: With quick brushstrokes, Tom Bennett creates representational images of human figures and animals, emphasizing movement in a manner reminiscent of Lucien Freud, Edgar Degas and the photographer Eadweard Muybridge. Elongated and blurry, the horse racing up a hill (Canter Fritz, 2002) and the sinister cat landing a leap (Chien Blanc, 1998) elicit a sense of foreboding enhanced by Bennett’s somber palette; his female figures too reflect a grim sense of humor with their distorted nude bodies. The face of Untitled Figure (1997), for example, is obscured by layers of dark paint. Classically trained as a painter, he initially worked in oil on canvas but discovered that monotype printing enabled him to “literally push the image around,” creating an essential element of motion. To overcome the limited scale of monotypes, however, he switched to painting on slick-surfaced plastic. Tom Bennett’s practice is rooted in the classical tradition where painting and drawing from life is highly regarded. Bennett’s work is heavily influenced by Francis Bacon, Frank Auberbauch and foremost his father, Harry Bennett, who was also an artist. Tom’s time living abroad in Spain and traveling through Eastern Europe and Africa provided the artistic freedom to explore many of the techniques and subject matter that continue to define his practice. Bennett was born and raised in Connecticut. His mediums include monotypes, oil on paper, canvas or styrene board. In a technique that Tom started over 4 years ago, several of his monotypes have been painted over with oil paint using a palette knife, brush, or his fingers to re-purpose the underlying image. These works are a testament to Bennett’s ability to quickly and concisely compose an image with expressive brush strokes, foreshortened figures and expertly rendered light. Tom’s work has been featured in group and solo exhibitions worldwide. Bennett lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. He is currently represented by Tabla Rasa...
Category

1990s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Monotype

Las Vegas Date
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Las Vegas Date Watercolor, c. 1965 Signed lower right (see photo) Titled in pencil upper left (see photo) Condition: Excellent Image/Sheet size: 17 1/2 x 11 ...
Category

1960s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor

FRIENDS
Located in CÓRDOBA, ES
Original hand painting, markers on paper
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Permanent Marker

Emile's Tavern
Located in London, GB
'Emile's Tavern', gouache on paper (circa 1930s), by Lucien Génin. A tavern in French is called a 'guinguette'. With the rise in living standards from the 1860s along with the develo...
Category

1930s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Gouache

Small Boat and Bather in Dinard
Located in London, GB
'Small Boat and Bather in Dinard', gouache and charcoal on art paper, by French artist, Jean Pons (1961). Painted in a naïve style, the piece dep...
Category

1960s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Gouache

Painting the Town Red urban narrative warm southwestern color female figure
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Soft pastel on toned archival paper signed and dated bottom left. Surrealistic expressionist with humorous undertones
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pastel, Paper

Expressionist Gouache and Watercolour Study for 'Alexander and His Army'
Located in Cotignac, FR
French late 20th century watercolour and gouache study for the series 'Alexander and His Army' by Stephane Lovighi-Bourgogne. Presented in plain wood frame. A strong and forceful de...
Category

Late 20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Gouache

Etching with Hand Watercolor Painting Jules Pascin Pencil Signed
Located in Surfside, FL
Genre: German Expressionist Subject: Figures Medium: etching, watercolor paint Surface: Paper This is hand signed lower right.. there does not seem to be an edition size although there is a handwritten number lower left sheet measures 12.5 x 19.88. plate size about 9 x 13.5 Julius Mordecai Pincas (March 31, 1885 – June 5, 1930), known as Pascin Jules...
Category

Early 20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Etching

Nude - XXI Century, Contemporary Gouache and Charcoal Figurative Drawing, Female
Located in Warsaw, PL
Marta Lebek is a Polish artist born in 1978. She currently lives and works in Spain. She studied at the School of Fine Arts and specialized in the departm...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Gouache

Mid 20th Century Dutch Expressionist painting of a masked figure
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
Gabriel Van Schnell (Dutch fl. 1908/1947) The Masked Figure in Abstract Signed, ‘SCHNELL’ (lower left) 13. 3/4 x 10 in. (35 x 25 cm.)
Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor, Paper

Zirkusdirektor und Bajazzos
Located in London, GB
Signed and dated lower left Framed (matte black wooden frame, black raised float mount on foam core) Frame size 54.1 x 42 2.5 cm This work includes a certificate of authenticity
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Charcoal

San Cristobal bright color religious Saint blue water sky human condition
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Soft pastel on toned signed and dated bottom. Part of 4 works the artist has done on the subject of Saint Christopher who is depicted in art history carrying the Christ child on his...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pastel, Paper

Les Fleurs Maladives
Located in London, GB
Signed lower right This work includes a certificate of authenticity. Framed (matte black wooden frame, black raised float mount on foam core, UV anti-reflective glass) Frame size 111 x 91 x 3 cm Felix Dolah...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Charcoal

Expressionist Color Drawing Cobalt Glass Vintage Frame Modernist Ben Zion WPA
Located in Surfside, FL
Expressionist ink and pastel crayon drawing of flowers in vase. Framed in a vintage cobalt blue glass original frame Hand signed and dated Framed it measures 13.5 X 10.5 The actual paper is 7.5 X 5.5 Born in 1897, Ben-Zion Weinman celebrated his European Jewish heritage in his visual works as a sculptor, painter, and printmaker. Influenced by Spinoza, Knut Hamsun, and Wladyslaw Reymont, as well as Hebrew literature, Ben-Zion wrote poetry and essays that, like his visual work, attempt to reveal the deep “connection between man and the divine, and between man and earth.” An emigrant from the Ukraine, he came to the US in 1920. He wrote fairy tales and poems in Hebrew under the name Benzion Weinman, but when he began painting he dropped his last name and hyphenated his first, saying an artist needed only one name. Ben-Zion was a founding member of “The Ten: An Independent Group” The Ten” a 1930’s avant-garde group, Painted on anything handy. Ben-Zion often used cabinet doors (panels) in his work. Other members of group included Ilya Bolotowsky, Lee Gatch, Adolph Gottlieb, Louis Harris, Yankel Kufeld, Marcus Rothkowitz (later known as Mark Rothko), Louis Schanker, and Joseph Solman. The Art of “The Ten” was generally described as expressionist, as this style offered the best link between modernism and social art. Their exhibition at the Mercury Gallery in New York held at the same time as the Whitney Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Painting, included a manifesto concentrating on aesthetic questions and criticisms of the conservative definition of modern art imposed by the Whitney. Ben-Zion’s work was quickly noticed. The New York Sun said he painted “furiously” and called him “the farthest along of the lot.” And the triptych, “The Glory of War,” was described by Art News as “resounding.” By 1939, The Ten disbanded because most of the members found individual galleries to represent their work. Ben-Zion had his first one-man show at the Artist’s Gallery in Greenwich Village and J.B. Neumann, the highly esteemed European art dealer who introduced Paul Klee, (among others) to America, purchased several of Ben-Zion’s drawings. Curt Valentin, another well-known dealer, exhibited groups of his drawings and undertook the printing of four portfolios of etchings, each composed of Ben-Zion’s biblical themes. He worked as a WPA artist. Ben-Zion’s work is represented in many museums throughout the country including the Metropolitan, the Whitney, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Phillips Collection, Washington. The Jewish Museum in New York opened in 1948 with a Ben-Zion exhibition. Ben-Zion consistently threaded certain subject matter—nature, still life, the human figure, the Hebrew Bible, and the Jewish people—into his work throughout his life. "In all his work a profound human feeling remains. Sea and sky, even sheaves of wheat acquire a monolithic beauty and simplicity which delineates the transient as a reflection of the eternal. This sensitive inter- mingling of the physical and metaphysical is one of the most enduring features of Ben-Zion's works." (Excerpt from Stephen Kayser, “Biblical Paintings,” The Jewish Museum Catalogue, 1952). Mystical Imprints: Marc Chagall, Ben-Zion, and Ben Shahn presents the print work of three prominent 20th century Jewish artists born in the Russian Empire. Among these seventy pieces are etchings and lithographs from Chagall’s Bible series...
Category

1950s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Oil Crayon, Pastel, Ink

Nude - XXI Century, Contemporary Charcoal Figurative Drawing, Sitting Female
Located in Warsaw, PL
Marta Lebek is a Polish artist born in 1978. She currently lives and works in Spain. She studied at the School of Fine Arts and specialized in the departm...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

'Dancing Musician', New York, Kinetic Figural, NYMOMA, LACMA, Whitney Museum
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Signed lower right, 'Mallory' for Ronald Mallory (American, 1932-2021) and dated 1975. A dramatic, disjunct figural study of a man wearing a checked cap, shown dancing and playing ...
Category

1970s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Watercolor, Gouache, Laid Paper

Nothing to be done
Located in London, GB
Signed and dated lower right Framed (matte black wooden frame, black raised float mount on foam core) Frame size 54.1 x 42 x 2.5 cm This work includes a certificate of authenticity ...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Charcoal

Church of Saint-Nicolas du Chardonnet in Paris
Located in London, GB
'The Church of Saint-Nicolas du Chardonnet, Paris', gouache on art paper by Lucien Génin (circa 1930s). In Paris' 5th Arrondissement the site in which Saint-Nicolas du Chardonnet is ...
Category

1930s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Gouache

Notre Dame de Paris
Located in London, GB
'Notre Dame de Paris', gouache on paper, by Lucien Génin (circa 1930s). An absolutely charming and now, historic depiction from the 1930s, of the most famous cathedral in France. It is one of the most widely recognised symbols of the city of Paris and the French nation. As the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Paris, Notre-Dame contains the cathedra of the Archbishop of Paris. Approximately 12 million people visit Notre-Dame annually, making it the most visited monument in Paris. While undergoing renovation and restoration, the roof of Notre-Dame caught fire on the evening of 15 April 2019. Burning for around 15 hours, the cathedral sustained serious damage. The government of France hopes the reconstruction can be completed by Spring 2024, in time for the opening of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Unlike the actual cathedral, this artwork is in good condition, is newly framed and glazed and signed by the artist in the lower left hand corner. Upon request a video may be provided. About the Artist: After the devastation of the First World War, Lucien Génin (1894 - 1953) left his provincial home in the autumn of 1919 to find his fortune among the lively Parisians in the heart of Montmartre. Génin befriended the painters Frank Will, Gen Paul, Émile Boyer, Marcel Leprin...
Category

1930s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Gouache

Artist and Model, colorful nude male dog monoprint chine colle
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Woodcut and hand-painted paper collage
Category

Early 2000s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Mixed Media, Paper, Archival Ink

Fliegen züchten
Located in London, GB
Signed and dated lower left Framed (matte black wooden frame, black raised float mount on foam core, UV anti-reflective glass)
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Charcoal

Gyöngyvér
Located in London, GB
Signed lower left Framed (matte black wooden frame, black raised float mount on foam core, UV anti-reflective glass) Frame size 38.4 x 29.8 x 4 cm This work includes a certificate o...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Charcoal

The Final Stretch
Located in London, GB
'The Final Stretch', pastel on weighted art paper, by Maurice Empi (circa 1980s). One can almost feel the excitement of the horse race from this exuberant and colourful work of art. ...
Category

1980s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Pastel

Holder of Light, Wild Woman Series, bright color blue yellow
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This painting is in a series called the Wild Woman which is also printed in a pocket sized book. Watercolor, mixed media, using resists. Janet Morgan’s...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor, Mixed Media, Archival Paper

"Luisa on the sofa" Watercolor and black ink cm. 33 x 46 1965
Located in Torino, IT
woman, , Italian painter,Red,Black Edgardo CORBELLI (Turin, 1918 - 1989) From the traditional composition of the 1930s, the painting of Corbelli leads to technical and expressive re...
Category

1960s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Watercolor

Expressionist figurative drawings and watercolors for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Expressionist figurative drawings and watercolors available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add figurative drawings and watercolors created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of orange, blue, yellow and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Parmis Sayous, Zsolt Berszán, Anastasia Kurakina, and Stephen Basso. Frequently made by artists working with Paper, and Paint and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Expressionist figurative drawings and watercolors, so small editions measuring 1.2 inches across are also available. Prices for figurative drawings and watercolors made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $88 and tops out at $70,500, while the average work sells for $1,600.

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