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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
The Port of Le Havre
Located in London, GB
'The Port of Le Havre', pencil on art paper, by French artist Fred Pailhès (circa 1950s). Le Havre was only a fishing village until 1517, when Francis I h...
Category

1950s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Pencil

Three Trees Wait, Expressionist Drawing Landscape Watercolor Paper in Spft Tones
Located in Barcelona, ES
This is a beautiful expressionist style drawing by Juanjo Saez. Juanjo's pictorial work is an exploration of color, texture, and movement, creating vibrant compositions that capture ...
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2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Wax Crayon

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...
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1930s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Gouache

Track Star - Figurative Portrait of an African American Man in Pastel on Paper
Located in Soquel, CA
Track Star - Abstracted Portrait of an African American Man in Pastel on Paper Bold and imaginative pastel drawing of a man in a track suit by an unknown artist (20th Century). An A...
Category

Late 20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Oil Pastel

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 ...
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1930s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Gouache

Model Dressing
Located in Chicago, IL
Signed lower right Provenance: Acquired from the artist Exhibited: Homage to Béla Czóbel: Paintings, Watercolors, Drawings,R. S. Johnson Fine Art, Chicago, 1990: no. 56 and reprodu...
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1960s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

Violin Player Watercolor
Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL
Violin Player 1960/65 work size 11x29, with frame 18x36 inches, artist signed. Chaim Gross (1904 Austria–1991 USA) will always be remembered as one of the foremost American artist : ...
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1960s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Watercolor, Pen, Archival Paper

German Expressionist drawing by Carl Hofer of one of his models
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
Carl Hofer (German, 1875 – 1955) Das Modell (The artist’s model) Black crayon on paper Signed with monogram ‘CH’ (lower right) 18 x 14.1/8 in. (45.8 x 36 cm.) Provenance: These works come from the artist’s second wife Elizabeth and from then by descent. Carl Hofer was a German expressionist painter and the director of the Berlin Academy of Fine Arts. One of the most important painters of the Expressionist movement, his work was among those that was considered degenerate art by the Nazis. He studied in Karlsruhe under Hans Thoma. He first visited Paris in 1899 making acquaintance with Julius Meier-Graefe. In 1902 he studied in Stuttgardt and became friends with the sculptor Hermann Haller...
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20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Crayon

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...
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Late 20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Gouache

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...
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1910s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor, Pencil

Body in the Field #8 - Green, Landscape, Drawing, Pencils
Located in Baden-Baden, DE
Body in the Field #8, 2022 coloured pencils on canvas 25 H x 16 W cm Signed on reverse Zsolt Berszán embodies in his works the dissolution of the human body through the prism of t...
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2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Canvas, Color Pencil

Expressionist Miniature Drawing Wheat Stalks American Modernist Ben Zion WPA
Located in Surfside, FL
Expressionist ink drawing of wheat stalks There is an inscription "Happy New Year" on verso Hand signed Framed it measures 7.75 X 5.75 The actual paper is 3 X 3.5 Born in 1897, Ben-...
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1950s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink

Body in the Field #3 - Red, Pencils, Landscape
Located in Baden-Baden, DE
Body in the Field #3, 2022 coloured pencils on canvas 25 H x 16 W cm Signed on reverse Zsolt Berszán embodies in his works the dissolution of the human body through the prism of t...
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2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Canvas, Color Pencil

Études de Personnages (Figure Studies)
Located in Chicago, IL
Provenance: Atelier of the artist Notes: Studio stamp on the verso of this important, early work by Gromaire. Over the years there has been an ever-widening interest in the work o...
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1920s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink

'Odalisque', French Watercolour of a Female Nude.
Located in Cotignac, FR
Late 20th Century watercolour on paper of a naked female figure before an open window. Signed bottom right but as yet not deciphered. Presented in carved, white painted wood frame. ...
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Late 20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Gouache

Nu, mains dans ses cheveux (Nude, Hands in Her Hair)
Located in Chicago, IL
Signed and dated, upper right Provenance: Atelier of the artist
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1950s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink

"Modella" Matita cm. 50 x 70 1962
Located in Torino, IT
Disegno espressionista Figura femminile Artista Italiano che ha dedicato la vita all'arte Edgardo CORBELLI (Torino, 1918 – 1989) MUSEI Orléans, Francia, Musée Collégiale Saint Pierre le Puellier Salon de...
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1960s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Graphite

Chinatown, San Francisco
By Edward Wilson Currier
Located in London, GB
'Chinatown, San Francisco', gouache on fine art paper, by Edward Wilson Currier (1903). Spofford Alley in San Francisco's Chinatown is best known for an address (number 36) where Dr. Sun Yat-Sen plotted the overthrow of China's last dynasty. During Prohibition, it was the site of turf battles over local bootlegging and protection rackets. Today it is lined with seniors' community centres. However, the quiet alley livens up in the evenings when a Chinese orchestra strikes up a tune, mah-jongg games begin with a cascade of clicking tiles, and barbers and florists use the pretence of sweeping their doorsteps to gossip. In this artist's depiction, a man smokes a long-stemmed Chinese pipe under the awning and colourful lanterns hanging from the wooden supports while a child looks on. The artwork is interesting from several standpoints including architectural, cultural and historical. Shortly after this work was painted, the neighbourhood was completely destroyed in the 1906 earthquake that levelled most of the city. From 1910 to 1940, Chinese immigrants were detained at the Angel Island...
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Early 1900s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Gouache

PROFIL DE FEMME
Located in Aventura, FL
Original pencil and crayon drawing on paper. Hand signed and dated on front by the artist. Visible image size 25.6 x 19.7 in. Frame size approx 32.25 x 27 in. Artwork is in excellen...
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1950s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Crayon, Pencil

PROFIL DE FEMME
PROFIL DE FEMME
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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...
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Mid-20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Acrylic

Without Results - China Ink Drawing on Paper by G. Grosz - 1925
Located in Roma, IT
Original china ink drawing on paper by George Grosz, representing a typical subject of social and family issues. Provenance: Grosz Foundation (Regist...
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1920s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink

A Polo Match, Framed Watercolor by John W. Dunn- 1932
Located in Pasadena, CA
This framed watercolor is signed lower right by the American artist J.W. Dunn. It depicts a thrilling equestrian polo match from the 1930s, featuring four riders in traditional pol...
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Mid-20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor

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 ...
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1950s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Oil Crayon, Pastel, Ink

portrait Maxime
Located in IT
artist: Anastasia Aureum unique piece one of a kind watercolour tempera on paper hand signed The artist recalls that at an early age she loved to spend hours and hours leafing thr...
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21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Tempera, Watercolor

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
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2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pastel, Archival Paper

German Expressionist drawing by Carl Hofer of lovers
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
Carl Hofer (German, 1875 – 1955) Die Liebenden (The lovers) Black ink and remnants of crayon on paper Signed with monogram ‘CH’ (lower right) 13.3/4 x 9.3/4 in. (35 x 24.8 cm.) P...
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20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Crayon, Ink

The Witch
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...
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1950s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

20th Century German Expressionist drawing by Carl Hofer
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
Carl Hofer (German, 1875 – 1955) Der Traum (The dream) pencil on paper Signed with monogram ‘CH’ (lower right) 13 x 13 in. (33 x 33 cm.) Provenance: These works come from the artist’s second wife Elizabeth and from then by descent. Carl Hofer was a German expressionist painter and the director of the Berlin Academy of Fine Arts. One of the most important painters of the Expressionist movement, his work was among those that was considered degenerate art by the Nazis. He studied in Karlsruhe under Hans Thoma. He first visited Paris in 1899 making acquaintance with Julius Meier-Graefe. In 1902 he studied in Stuttgardt and became friends with the sculptor Hermann Haller...
Category

20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Pencil

Haiti Beach, Impressionist Watercolor by James Amos Porter
By James Amos Porter
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: James Amos Porter, American (1905 - 1970) Title: Haiti Beach Year: circa 1965 Medium: Watercolor, signed l.r. Size: 15 in. x 12 in. (38.1 cm x 30.48 cm) Frame Size: 22 x 18 i...
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1960s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor

Black and Blue Cat Woman. Charcoal three quarter drawing of large Lady with cats
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Seen here is a charcoal drawing of a large Lady with cats. The unique work of Stephen Basso is wildly imaginative. While he is also a brilliant colorist, the monochromatic charcoal...
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2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Charcoal, Archival Paper

German expressionist drawing by Carl Hofer' Whispering'
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
Carl Hofer (German, 1875 – 1955) Einflusterung (Whispering) Charcoal and pencil on paper Signed and inscribed ‘Einflusterung’ (lower middle) 17.1/4 x 13.3/8 in. (43.8 x 34 cm.) Provenance: These works come from the artist’s second wife Elizabeth and from then by descent. Carl Hofer was a German expressionist painter and the director of the Berlin Academy of Fine Arts. One of the most important painters of the Expressionist movement, his work was among those that was considered degenerate art by the Nazis. He studied in Karlsruhe under Hans Thoma. He first visited Paris in 1899 making acquaintance with Julius Meier-Graefe. In 1902 he studied in Stuttgardt and became friends with the sculptor Hermann Haller...
Category

20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

George Grosz NYC City Scene Modernism Watercolor German Expressionism Weimar
Located in New York, NY
George Grosz NYC City Scene Modernism Watercolor German Expressionism Weimar George Grosz (Germany, 1893-1959) "City Scene," 17 x 12 inches, signed and dated “33” lower left, watercolor on paper. This drawing, created while Grosz was living in NYC. Period frame, It has been authenticated by Ralph Jentsch, the globally recognized Grosz expert. Provenance: Hirschl & Adler and 511 Gallery...
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1930s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

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...
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1930s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Gouache

Mermaid &Tonic mythical sea creatures humor soft light color
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Part of an ongoing series of mermaids by the artist on toned archival paper signed and dated on bottom
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2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pastel, Archival Paper

Post Soviet Avant Garde Russian Woodcut Print With Hand Watercolor Painting
Located in Surfside, FL
This depicts a wedding scene in a style of German Expressionism. hand signed and hand painted in watercolor. Ilya Shenker, Russian/American (1922 - ) As a soldier in World War II, he survived where millions perished. Upon returning to his home town of Odessa, felt abandoned and alone. He studied Art and Architecture in Odessa, but, one of a number of Russian Jewish artists allowed to emigrate, he left for America when the opportunity arose. He settled in New York City, a choice that has forever impacted his oeuvre. Many of his pictures depict New York cityscapes and lifestyle; however, they remain typically Russian. His subject matter often comes from memory and includes the life that he left behind, family, and friends. Drawing upon his Jewish heritage for inspiration, Shenker also paints historical events, such as "On the Eve of the Assault" in which he portrayed the last night before the destruction of Jerusalem. He has also illustrated a number of classics of Russian literature including Alexander Pushkin. His use of imagination also applies to the figures in his expressionist paintings—fictional characters such as the Spanish literary character Don Quixote make appearances in his work. He has also placed figures such as Rembrandt and Picasso in modern settings: in "Rembrandt Visiting our Family," Shenker sits his most favored artist at his family table, in a tribute to someone he describes as a "peoples artist." He is one in a long line of great Soviet Russian Judaica Jewish artists beginning with Yehuda Pen, who founded Russia's first art school for Jews in Vitebsk in 1897 continuing with his students, including Marc Chagall and El Lissitzky, Natan Altman, Leon Bakst and Robert Falk...
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1960s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor, Woodcut

"Whew!" oil pastel signed landscape motorcycle fun adventure lake mountains bold
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Whew!" is an original oil pastel drawing on a grocery bag by Reginald K. Gee. The artist signed the piece in the lower left. It depicts a man on a motorcycle doing a wheelie on a be...
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Early 2000s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Oil Pastel, Found Objects

Drawing, Pastel, Ink And Colored Pencils. "Free Spirits"
Located in Bogotá, Bogotá
Pastel, Pencil, petal flowers, Color and Ink on Paper. The base of this drawing is Fabriano paper of 120g /m2. I use natural dyes of flowers, herbs, leaves, bark of trees as the fir...
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2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Pastel, Ink, Pencil, Color Pencil

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 th...
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Early 20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Etching

Bathing Women Badende Frauen - Landscape Bathers German
Located in London, GB
This watercolour is hand signed with the artist’s monogram and dated in pencil "EH 29" [1929] in the lower right image. It is also hand titled in pencil “Badende Frauen” [Bathing Wo...
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1920s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Chalk, Watercolor

Drawing, Acrylic, Ink And Colored Pencils On Paper. "Old love, new love"
Located in Bogotá, Bogotá
“Old love, new love” Drawing, acrylic, ink and colored pencils on paper. I developed a drawing technique based on natural pigments from leaves, flowers and bark with which I intend t...
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2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink, Acrylic, Pencil, Color Pencil

Buttercream Acrobats circus performers humorous subject male female dynamic
Located in Brooklyn, NY
this is a soft pastel on red toned heavyweight archival paper , framing under glass recommended for display. full figured women like Botero theme: circus, food, cake, relationships,...
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2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pastel, Archival Paper

Ben ZIon Expressionist Judaica Rabbi Watercolor Painting Jewish Modernist WPA
Located in Surfside, FL
Frame measures 13.5 X 11.5 Paper measures 6.5 X 4 inches Hand signed lower right Watercolor painting of prophet or Rabbi, Judaica artwork Born in 1897, Ben-Zion Weinman celebrated h...
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Mid-20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Watercolor on paper Italian expressionist figurative nude second quarter 1900
Located in Florence, IT
The work is titled "The Bathers" and is signed at the lower right "CARENA. "The scene depicts a natural setting in which two naked maidens are chatting as they are about to bathe; be...
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Mid-20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

'Mother Nature', Lyrical Surrealist Abstract Watercolour on Paper.
Located in Cotignac, FR
Mid-century lyrical surrealist abstract watercolour on paper by French artist Jean Clerté, signed and dated bottom right. Presented in mid-century frame. Jean Clerté , born in 1930 in Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe in Vienne, is a French painter, engraver, draftsman, watercolourist and sculptor . This work is a great example of his more humorous and expressive work influenced by Alechinsky from the late 1960s onwards. There is a light playfulness and yet the watercolours are more vivid than his previous palette. Jean Clerté works in series. His sequential narrations testify both to a youthful spontaneity and to a perfect mastery in the distribution of forms and images on the painted surface. The narration is not only an accumulation of juxtaposed fragments and symbols, it forms a whole, it takes on and gives meaning. In general, we can say of Clerté that he practices an “eco-art” that feeds on primary hungers: the feeling of being united with nature, the vegetable, the mineral, the aquatic. In his colourful canvases, his inks, his boxes, his objects, like a shaman on the path of his dreams, the painter Clerté mounts an assault on beasts and demons, elves and gnomes. From the Poitevin marshes to the tropical forests emerges a fauna caught in the meanders of a design that marvels at the appearance of these grotesque idols. Jean Clerté began to draw and paint at a very young age, and at the age of 15 he enrolled at the École des Beaux-Arts in Poitiers. Then in 1949, curious about the capital, he moved to Paris. Having very few financial resources, he could not continue his studies at first, worked as a model to survive, and met other artists; he was then admitted to the studio of Ossip Zadkine and, from 1952, he was also able to study engraving at Atelier 17 of Stanley William Hayter, an English engraver and printer living in Paris associated in the 1930s with surrealism. At the end of the 1960s, he worked alongside Pierre Alechinsky, founding member of the Cobra movement, engraving Alechinsky's originals, benefiting from his advice, and discovering acrylic as a medium. From 1976, Jean Clerté became associate professor at Hayter. Clerté had taught previously, in 1971 at the Salzburg Summer University and in 1972 he gave courses at the Paris-Sorbonne University . In 1981, he was appointed professor at the School of Decorative Arts , where he had Maïlys Seydoux-Dumas as a student and, from 1983 to 1988, he was Alechinsky's assistant professor at the Paris School of Fine Arts. His first works are part of the current of lyrical abstraction, and are nourished by impressions of nature (landscape motifs, e.g. forest fires, waterscapes), then around 1968, encouraged by Alechinsky, he rejects abstraction, and his work becomes more figurative with expressive and humorous elements. From this period his colours are more subdued, often with pastel tones, he works on series. Jean Clerté has created a world in a space where drawing, painting, objects participate in a playful figuration. From his drawings were born sculptures and sometimes mobiles (Le Moulin à dessin). If it is the artist who makes astonishing, polychrome, whimsical “toys”, it is the painter who appeals to adults through his caustic and satirical humour. His first exhibitions in France took place at the Galerie Massol , then at the Galerie Pascal...
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Mid-20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

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...
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1960s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Gouache

Egg Dancers. Male and Female nude figures black background red tones dark humor
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mixed media on red toned archival paper signed and dated bottom left. Part of the artist series of egg walkers/ dancers. Playful twist on psychological theme ABOUT Stephen Basso St...
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Early 2000s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pastel, Gouache, Archival 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...
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2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor, Gouache, Handmade Paper

Mid-Century French Feutre on Paper. Tea time In the Kitchen.
Located in Cotignac, FR
Late Mid Century French feutre drawing on paper of a Provençal lady sitting in her kitchen by Jean Arène. Signed and dated bottom left. This artwork is a striking pen-and-ink drawing that vividly captures a cluttered interior scene filled with an assortment of teapots and household objects. The central figure, an elderly lady with an expressive face, sits at a table surrounded by an overwhelming array of details. The artist uses bold, dynamic lines to convey a sense of chaos and charm, creating an atmosphere of cozy clutter. The composition’s intricacy draws the viewer's eye around the room, showcasing...
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1960s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Felt Pen

"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...
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1960s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Watercolor

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. ...
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1980s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Pastel

Untitled Figurative by Miguel Conde, No. 102/150
Located in San Diego, CA
Signed lithograph by awarded artist Miguel Conde. The artist is known for his mastery of engraving. His drawings and other art forms are sought after and his artwork is part of vario...
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20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper

UNTITLED - SEATED WOMAN WITH TOGA
Located in Santa Monica, CA
GERHARD MARCKS (1889 1981) (SEATED WOMAN WITH TOGA) 1933. Graphite on wove paper, signed, dated, 14 ¼” x 7”. Sheet 15” x 10”. S...
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1930s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Graphite

British expressive, mid century gouache 'A biblical allegory' by Basil Town
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
Norman Basil Town (British, 1915 – 1987) A biblical allegory Black and white gouache on paper 7.1/4 x 11.3/8 in. (18.4 x 29 cm.) Norman Basil Town (1905–1984) was a British artist k...
Category

20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Gouache

Original mid 20th Century French drawing by Expressionist Morot-Sir 'Graphica'
By Gerard Morot-Sir
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
Gerard Morot-Sir (French, 1931 – 2003) Graphica Ink on paper Signed and dated ‘ Morot-Sir, 59’ (lower left) 12.1/2 x 9.5/8in. (31.7 x 24.5cm.) Newly framed in a limed wood frame in a...
Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink

Woman in the Street, Expressionist Painting by Irma Stern 1923
Located in Long Island City, NY
Woman in the Street by Irma Stern, South African (1894–1966) Date: 1923 Gouache on Paper, signed and dated lower right Size: 20 x 16 in. (50.8 x 40.64 cm) Frame Size: 26.5 x 22 inches
Category

1920s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Gouache

British expressive, mid century pen and ink 'Preparing the nets' by Basil Town
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
Norman Basil Town (British, 1915 – 1987) Preparing the nets Pen and ink 7.7/8 x 5.1/4in. (19.1/2 x 13 in.) Norman Basil Town (1905–1984) was a British artist known for his evocative...
Category

20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink

British expressive, mid century watercolour 'The Deposition' by Basil Town
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
Norman Basil Town (British, 1915 – 1987) The Deposition Gouache on paper 9.1/2 x 6.1/8 in. (24.2 x 15.5 cm.) Norman Basil Town (1905–1984) was a British artist known for his evocati...
Category

20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Gouache

British expressive, mid century pen and ink 'Washer Women' by Basil Town
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
Norman Basil Town (British, 1915 – 1987) Washer woman Pen and ink 8 x 6 in. (20 x 15 cm.) Norman Basil Town (1905–1984) was a British artist known for his evocative religious and al...
Category

20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink

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

Watercolor, Gouache, Handmade Paper

British expressive, mid century gouache 'Covering sorrow' by Basil Town
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
Norman Basil Town (British, 1915 – 1987) Covering sorrow Ink on paper 7 x 11.3/4 in. (17.8 x 29.5 cm.) Norman Basil Town (1905–1984) was a British artist known for his evocative rel...
Category

20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink

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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