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Expressionist Art

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
Raventos Violin Vertical Litle original expressionist acrylic painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
RAVENTÓS Mª Assumpció – (San Sadurní d’Anoia, Barcelona 1930).. iolin original expressionist acrylic painting Raventos trained at the elite Sant Jordi School of Fine Arts in Barcelo...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic, Cardboard

The Yellow Bouquet seated female figure with flowers soft yellow and pink
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Seated woman in a pink suit strong yet warm color consistent with the artist's palette. It is painted on jute a coarse type of burlap mounted on a cradled wood board . Framing recomm...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Wood, Oil, Jute

Belgian Barn by the River - Expressionist Landscape Original Oil on Canvas
Located in Soquel, CA
Belgian Barn by the River - Expressionist Landscape in Oil on Canvas Vibrant depiction of barn by a river by Gloria Takla (American/German, b. 1940). A bright pink barn with a red r...
Category

Early 2000s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Le Rencheri
Located in Irvine, CA
This is an aquatint print by French painter Georges Rouault titled "Le Rencheri" from Cirque de l'étoile filante (The Shooting Star Circus) 1935, published 1938 by Ambroise Vollard....
Category

1930s Expressionist Art

Materials

Aquatint

original etching
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: original etching. Printed in 1984 on Cartiere Magnani paper at the atelier of Bruce Chandler in an edition of 1500. This work was executed by Leonard Baskin to illustrate the...
Category

1980s Expressionist Art

Materials

Etching

THE RETURN, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
A house, a traveler, who stands and looks at it, theme of nostalgia, theme of return to your own soul, that the house represents, after drifting away from it for a long time :: Pain...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Anonimo pank, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Large Abstract portrait Painting, black&White on canvas ,work by Dimitris Pavlopoulos Painting created with acrylic . Colors: Black &White , Abstract Canvas Collection 2021 Size:...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Inspiration Catcher
Located in Oslo, NO
In my work, emotions and energy flow with every brush stroke. The painting shows a young woman completely immersed in her inner world. She seeks inspiration for her creative flight. ...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Pastel, Acrylic

Nude woman with secrets
Located in Boxholm, SE
Nude woman with secrets – Jolanta Johnsson, experienced Polish artist, graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, PhD of fine arts, university teacher. She currently lives in Sw...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic, Monotype

Garden Island, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
The sky glows orange, its vibrant colors reflected upon the lake. Pine trees grace the horizon with their distinct silhouettes. While the far shore emits a fain...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Oranges. Montilla Oil on canvas. Orange, Yelow, Fuchsia Expressionist Still-Life
Located in Segovia, ES
"Oranges" oil on canvas. Expressionist colorful still life. Measurements: (H) 61 x (W) 46 x (D) 2 cm. Framed: (H) 81 x (W) 66 x (D) 4 cm Expressionist still life with ...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Linen, Oil

Garden of Eden. 2021., canvas, oil, 110x137 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Garden of Eden. 2021., canvas, oil, 110x137 cm
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Roses 24X18 oil on canvas.Valentine’s Day gifts art.
Located in Zofingen, AG
In creating this piece, I poured my soul into every stroke, aiming to capture the raw beauty and fleetingness of life with vivid, emotive brushwork. The blossoms, bold and spirited, ...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Mill in the marsh, Original Oil on Canvas, Signed, French Expressionist
Located in PARIS, FR
*Dimensions include the frame Claude Grosperrin's artwork is a vivid exploration of texture and abstraction, capturing the essence of a rustic landscape with a palpable sense of ene...
Category

1950s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Beautiful garden
Located in Zofingen, AG
"This work is inspired by the wonderful time of the year when it is warm and everything is in bloom. Beautiful garden with a meadow of fragrant summer flowers. A path leading to a co...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Kostume, Plakate, und Dekorationen, "Der Salamander"
Located in Chicago, IL
Walter Schnackenberg’s style changed several times during his long and successful career. Having studied in Munich, the artist traveled often to Paris where he fell under the spell of the Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s colorful and sensuous posters depicting theatrical and decadent subjects. Schnackenberg became a regular contributor of similar compositions to the German magazines Jugend and Simplicissimus before devoting himself to the design of stage scenery and costumes. In the artist’s theatrical work, his mastery of form, ornamentation, and Orientalism became increasingly evident. He excelled at combining fluid Art Nouveau outlines, with spiky Expressionist passages, and the postures and patterns of the mysterious East...
Category

1910s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Gallery, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Drawing inspiration from a charming New England town art gallery, this fauvist reinterpretation simplifies intricate details, allowing the vibrant shapes of exp...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Bouquet of lilacs 40Х40 oil painting
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this oil on canvas, I've poured my soul into capturing the delicate dance of lilacs, their colors bursting with life. Each stroke represents an emotion, a breath of passion. I mel...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

1943 Israeli German Expressionist Woodcut Print Vintage Woodblock Bezalel School
Located in Surfside, FL
Jacob Otto Pins (17 January 1917 – 4 December 2005) was a German-born Israeli woodcut artist and art collector, particularly of Japanese prints and paintings. Jacob Pins was born in ...
Category

1940s Expressionist Art

Materials

Woodcut

Cape Ann, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Fauvist color and energetic paint handling invigorate a Massachusetts harbor. Displaying an expressive and loose painting technique, the underpainting actively ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Beautiful White Winter 50X70
Located in Zofingen, AG
In creating this piece, I was inspired by the serene beauty of winter. With every stroke of my oil paints, I've captured the enchanting dance of light as it weaves through the froste...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

The beauty of dance XII
Located in Zofingen, AG
A continuation of the ballet topic. A beautiful ballerina in a dance moving. Realistic contemporary art with dancing ballerina. Combination of oil paints with acrylic underpainting. ...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Lost Hedgerows. Earth Science, Ecology and Agronomy. Original Pastel. Welsh.
Located in Sutton Poyntz, Dorset
Julian Ruddock. British ( b.1965 ). Lost Hedgerows. Pastel on Paper. Signed. Image size 21.9 inches x 25 inches ( 55.5cm x 63.5cm ). Frame size 29 inches x 32.1 inches ( 73.5cm x 81...
Category

Late 20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Paper, Pastel

Vintage American Industrial Modernist Landscape Oil Painting, ca 1930’s
Located in Baltimore, MD
This is an unsigned but wildly expressionist American industrial landscape that dates to the 1930’s. It exudes drama and color and reall...
Category

Early 20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

"Portrait of a Boy (Rupert Doone)" original woodcut
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: original woodcut. Catalogue reference: Colnaghi 142. Published in London in 1921 by Herbert Furst at the Little Art Rooms for inclusion in the "Modern Woodcutters 4" volume, ...
Category

1920s Expressionist Art

Materials

Woodcut

Sunflowers
Located in Zofingen, AG
"In my creation, I pour my soul into the vibrant dance of sunflowers under an evocative sky. Each stroke is a symphony of colors, blending impressionistic warmth with a touch of real...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Linen, Canvas

Nantes Seaport
By Robert L.P. Lavoine
Located in Pasadena, CA
Robert L. P. Lavoine is a French painter born in 1916 and dead in 1999. Known for his sea landscapes and urban landscapes, he is associated with the expressionist current of the twe...
Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

Spring in the garden
Located in Zofingen, AG
"In this emotive oil creation, I infused the essence of spring's renewal. Each brushstroke embodies the fresh bloom's vibrant dance, with a palette that whispers the tranquility of n...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Red poppies 40Х40 oil painting
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this oil painting, I've poured my passion into every brushstroke, capturing the wild spirit of nature through a vibrant dance of reds and subdued background hues. My expressionist...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Jakob Steinhardt Jewish German Expressionist Lithograph Israeli Early Bezalel
Located in Surfside, FL
plate signed. Jacob Steinhardt 1887-1968 Steinhardt, Jakob, Painter and Woodcut Artist. b. 1887, Yaacov Steinhardt was born in the then remote, largely Polish town of Zerkow in the Posen District of Germany. (poland/german) Immigrated 1933. Studies: 1906 School of Art, 1906 Studied in Berlin Arts and Crafts School. Berlin; 1907 painting with Lovis Corinth and engraving and etching with Hermann Struck; advanced studies, 1908-10 Paris, with Henri Matisse and Steinlen; 1911 Italy. Teaching: Bezalel, Jerusalem, 1953-57 Director. 1910 Participated in the “New Sezession”, Berlin. 1912 together with Ludwig Meidner and Janthur he founded the "Pathetiker" group very early in the German expressionist movement. Running afoul of the Nazis, he fled to Tel-Aviv and then Jerusalem in the early 30s, showing in “Der Sturm” Gallery. 1914 Exhibited with ludwig Meidner at first Expressionist Exhibition in Berlin. Worked mainly in woodcuts depicting biblical and other Jewish subjects. 1955-58 International awards for his woodcuts. receives graphic commissions from Fritz Gurlitt. 1922 Marries Minni Gumpert. Active in organizing Secession exhibits. 1925 Trips to Mark Brandenburg and Holy Land. Turns primarily to painting; stops work on etchings and lithographs. 1933 Emigrates to the Palestine. 1934 Moves to Jerusalem and opens an art school; attempts some etchings. 1948 Closes the art school and becomes Chairman of Graphics Department, Bezalel School for Arts and Crafts. 1954-57 Director of Bezalel School for Arts and Crafts. Taken up by J. B. Neumann who became the agent for his etchings. Exhibited Sturm Gallery, Herbst-salon. 1914 Outbreak of World War I; Steinhardt enlists in German army. 1916-18 First on Eastern Front in Poland and Lithuania, then after short training period in Berlin, sent to Macedonia. 1917 Exhibition of Lithuanian drawings at Berlin Secession in Spring. Elected member of the Secession. He often used wood-cutting techniques that were popular amongst German Expressionists. Steinhardt was driven to express ideas clearly and decisively through art. Amongst the themes found in his work the prophets of the Bible, such as Jonah, are noticeable. Steinhardt identified deeply with Jonah due to his attempt to run from God's call to duty. Additionally, the image of beggars was often found in Steinhardt's works and in his artistic presentation of the less fortunate, the artist's love for his fellow man becomes evident. Moreover, the grotesque was a theme noticeable in Steinhardt's earliest pieces. These were fantastical images; it was unclear whether or not they were human or demon. In the 1950's, Steinhardt returned to these images upon learning of the Holocaust of Europe's Jews. At that time he resided in New York and there, in the shadow of the skyscrapers, Steinhardt's reaction to WWII was expressed through his art. A Collection of Works by Artists of the Land of IsraelThe Bezalel National Museum, Jerusalem 1940 Artists: Shemi, Menahem Rubin...
Category

20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Woodcut

I. Mundo vertical. BARCELONA STREET original watercolor painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
BARCELONA STREET original watercolor painting. MUNDO Ignasi Ignasi Mundó trained at the School of La Lonja, with Joaquín Mir, Mariano Pidelaserra and Manolo Hugué. In 1945 he recei...
Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Rustende wieders
Located in BLARICUM, NL
QUIRIJN VAN TIEL Rotterdam 1900-1967 Rhoon RESTING WIEDERS 1945 Watercolor on paper 58 x 39 cm. Signed and dated: lower right "Quirijn van Tiel 45"....
Category

1940s Expressionist Art

Materials

Watercolor

WINTER SALE! Before Christmas 40X50 oi painting
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this oil painting of mine, I've captured the serene twilight of a snowy scape, where the warmth of the setting sun meets the cool tranquility of winter. The impressionist brushstr...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Spring poppies 50X50
Located in Zofingen, AG
In creating this piece, I've poured my soul into the vivid crimson blooms, contrasting against the subdued greens and blues, evoking life's vibrancy. Each stroke is a breath, blendin...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Portrait of a painter
Located in BLARICUM, NL
QUIRIJN VAN TIEL Rotterdam 1900-1967 Rhoon PORTRAIT OF THE PAINTER 1943 Watercolor on paper 68 x 53 cm. Signed and dated: lower right ‘Quirijn van T...
Category

1940s Expressionist Art

Materials

Watercolor

Musical Fantasy
Located in Oslo, NO
The picture was painted as the second part of the “Musician” diptych. The violin's music gains weight and visual expression, mixing with autumn leaves and notes and it all becomes an...
Category

Early 2000s Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

People Watching, Painting, Oil on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Taking a moment to notice the people around you can make a difference in your day. It takes your eyes off your circumstances to look and wonder about the stories and lives of those a...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

Red poppies on blue 50X40 oil, Valentine’s Day gifts art
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this oil canvas, I've captured the vibrant spirit of nature. My brushstrokes dance between expressionism and impressionism, while touches of realism root the piece in a tangible w...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Sculptural Bronze Elephant Table Lamp
Located in Pretoria, ZA
Sculptural Table Lamp in cast bronze featuring a bronz sculpture of an elephant bull. Bring a majestic presence to your home décor with my functional art bronze table lamps. Handcra...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Bronze

Magnolia in bloom
Located in Zofingen, AG
In crafting this piece, I sought to capture the ephemeral beauty of nature's awakening. Each brushstroke embodies the vivacity and energy of new beginnings, weaving a dance of color ...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Tree of Life
Located in Zofingen, AG
"This work is inspired by the spring flowering of a luxurious magnolia. A symbol of the beginning of a new life. A stocky climbing tree, like eternal life, and transparent delicate w...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Chagall, La Danse, Derrière le Miroir (after)
Located in Auburn Hills, MI
Lithograph on wove paper. Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered; text on verso, as issued. Good Condition. Notes: From Derrière le miroir, N° 36-37-38, published by Derrièr...
Category

1950s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Forest Fantastical, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Catching the final light of a February day in Massachusetts, the treetops burst into vibrant hues. Drawing inspiration from van Gogh's bold landscapes, the unde...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

The Songs of Songs of King Salomons
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist: Teo Tobiasse (French/Israeli, 1927-2012) Title: "The Songs of Songs of King Solomons" Year: 1975 Medium: Color lithograph Edition: Numbered LVII/C in pencil Paper: Jap...
Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Plate 12
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Plate 12 From: 10 Origi, 1942 Signed in the block with the artist's initials lower left (printed) From: 10 Origin Not from the First edition 100, published by Allianz-Verlag, Zurich,...
Category

1970s Expressionist Art

Materials

Woodcut

R. Poch Women Wuith Light Bulb acrylic painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
28.-Women wuith light bulb 130 x 100 cm acrylic painting Born in Badalona (Barcelona). Photographer and advertising film director. Founding partner of the advertising production co...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

STELLA PEREGRINA
Located in Portland, ME
Marc, Franz (German, 1880-1916). STELLA PEREGRINA. FranzHanffstaengl, Munich, 1917. Only edition. Number 25 of the limited edition of 110. Folio (18 x 13 inches), parchment-bac...
Category

1910s Expressionist Art

Materials

Color

Sun-Kissed, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
In a tranquil garden, wildflowers daydream and create their own sunshine. Blue and gold blooms dominate the cluster, with red ones adding vibrant accents. Infus...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

Against the sea wind IV
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this oil painting, I've mingled the strokes of impressionism with realism to capture not just a scene, but an emotion. The sailboat against the tempestuous sea speaks to the coura...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Die Bettler (The Beggars)
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Die Bettler (The Beggars) Lithograph, 1922 Signed in pencil lower right (see photo) From: Berliner Reise Series, Plate 7 Printed on wove paper Edition: 100...
Category

1920s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Sunflower 70X50
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this oil on canvas, I've poured my soul into capturing the vibrant essence of life. With bold strokes and vivid hues, I've embraced expressionism and realism to evoke a sense of w...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Jewish Rabbi with Torah German Expressionist Woodcut Israeli Early Bezalel
Located in Surfside, FL
Hand signed in pencil, woodblock print woodcut. Jacob Steinhardt 1887-1968 Steinhardt, Jakob, Painter and Woodcut Artist. b. 1887, Yaacov Steinhardt was born in the then remote,...
Category

20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Woodcut

Belsize, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A London flat takes a fauvist approach, emphasizing bold colors over detailed representation. The simple depiction of furniture and dynamic visual texture of th...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Not a Race
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
You are not in any competition with anyone, life is not a race but a journey, be honest with yourself. Search for your purpose and do it as best as you can. Step by step, day by day,...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Sojourner, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
As she walks away from the crowd on her own she seems intent and focused on the task at hand. The painting is soft and blurred to add to the feeling of peace and serene that is felt...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

Three Irises by the pond 40X30 oil painting
Located in Zofingen, AG
With vigorous strokes and a vibrant palette, I've brought to life the fleeting beauty of blooms by the water's edge. This oil painting is my ode to nature's serene moments, where the...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

County Mayo Beach
Located in Chicago, IL
This painting is one of the finest examples of Tom's painting style and materials. Color and paint burst across the canvas, imbued with movement of clouds, sun and water. From a distant shore, County Mayo...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Pigment, Canvas

Jewish Prophet Rabbi German Expressionist Color Woodcut Israeli Early Bezalel
Located in Surfside, FL
Hand signed in pencil, colored woodcut. Jacob Steinhardt 1887-1968 Steinhardt, Jakob, Painter and Woodcut Artist. b. 1887, Yaacov Steinhardt was born in the then remote, largely...
Category

20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Woodcut

Expressionist art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Expressionist art 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 art 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, purple, green and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Iryna Kastsova, George Grosz, Stephen Basso, and Marc Chagall. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Oil 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 art, so small editions measuring 1 inches across are also available.

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