Expressionist Mixed Media
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.
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1960s Expressionist Mixed Media
Lithograph
1970s Expressionist Mixed Media
Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Paper, Charcoal
Early 2000s Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Plastic
Artist Comments
Rocky hills glow under the warm light of late afternoon, their cool, saturated shadows adding depth and rich color to the scene. This intimate view unfolds ag...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
1980s Expressionist Mixed Media
Lithograph
Artist Comments
The first light of dawn bathes distant mountains in fiery oranges, contrasting with the cool blues and purples of the rugged cliffs below. Loose, sweeping brush...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
A morning scene unfolds at the Canyonlands National Park in Utah. The rising sun lights up the landscape, creating purple shadows on the cliffs with beautiful...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
1960s Expressionist Mixed Media
Lithograph
1980s Expressionist Mixed Media
Lithograph
1980s Expressionist Mixed Media
Lithograph
1980s Expressionist Mixed Media
Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Coffee, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Ink, Mixed Media, Acrylic
1970s Expressionist Mixed Media
Wire
1970s Expressionist Mixed Media
Lithograph
Artist Comments
Embossed papers and layers of acrylic paint create a textured landscape. Artist Brit J Oie notes that the last colors of fall linger before winter sets in. Hi...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Coffee, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Paper, Charcoal
1980s Expressionist Mixed Media
Lithograph
2010s Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Cardboard, Handmade Paper, Felt Pen, Color Pencil, Paper, M...
Artist Comments
Branches stretch towards a violet sky, with green leaves contrasting against the colorful background. Roots extend into a surreal pink and blue ground, where ...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
1930s Expressionist Mixed Media
Paper, Pencil
1980s Expressionist Mixed Media
Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Acrylic, Charcoal, Ink
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Coffee, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Coffee, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Charcoal, Ink, Acrylic
1980s Expressionist Mixed Media
Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Acrylic, Ink, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
1980s Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Charcoal, Oil
1980s Expressionist Mixed Media
Lithograph
1980s Expressionist Mixed Media
Lithograph
1970s Expressionist Mixed Media
Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Fabric, Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Charcoal, Acrylic
1960s Expressionist Mixed Media
Lithograph
Late 20th Century Expressionist Mixed Media
Ink, Pen
2010s Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Board
1980s Expressionist Mixed Media
Lithograph
Artist Comments
Colorful ridges and mountains bring layers of contrast to the scene, while light and shadows accentuate the ruggedness of the terrain. Expressive strokes capt...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Red and gold poppies burst from a purple vase, their vibrant hues contrasting sharply with deep green leaves and a similarly toned background. Yelena Sidorova...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
1980s Expressionist Mixed Media
Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Charcoal, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Mixed Media
Fabric, Linen, Thread
2010s Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Gouache, Cardboard, Handmade Paper, Felt Pen
1930s Expressionist Mixed Media
Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic
1960s Expressionist Mixed Media
Lithograph
1970s Expressionist Mixed Media
Lithograph
Artist Comments
A figure emerges from a striking blend of bold colors, teetering on the edge of abstraction. Muted grays emphasize the splashes of orange and blue. Artist Gai...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Coffee, Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Storm clouds hang over the stunning high peaks of the San Juan Mountains in Colorado. The rugged rocks rise against the sky while a green valley stretches bel...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
1970s Expressionist Mixed Media
Lithograph
1960s Expressionist Mixed Media
Lithograph
1980s Expressionist Mixed Media
Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Plexiglass, Ink, Mixed Media, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Coffee, Mixed Media