Expressionist More Art
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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Artist Robert Hofherr illustrates an expressionist rendering of a small private garden that combines a sense of structure and abandon in its execution. He only ...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Robert Hofherr presents an expressionist landscape of autumnal woodlands. Influenced by Matisse, this bold and emphatic rendition of a rocky autumn fores...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Robert Hofherr depicts an expressionist view of a house hedged with lush greenery. "A personal photo of a cottage on a wooded road becomes quite differen...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Janet Dyer exhibits a small country road in France surrounded by dense foliage. The thick bushes reveal a longère in the distance—a typical horizontal...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Robert Hofherr presents a colorful expressionist rendering of an ordinary woodpile. The piece gets subjected to the complete Fauvist treatment. Bold colo...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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Artist Robert Hofherr displays a colorful rendition of a Massachusetts backyard in spring. He draws inspiration from the many bold landscapes of Matisse. "Rathe...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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Artist Kajal Zaveri presents an expressionist rendering of a San Francisco cityscape. The urban architecture shines in brilliant red and blue lights. Kajal draw...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
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Artist Sharon Sieben presents an expressionist cityscape with spirited brushwork and vibrant hues. She pictures skyscrapers over the Big Apple in a dazzling arr...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Robert Hofherr shares an expressionist view of rocky outcrops in the forest. Bold color, energetic paint application, and a simplified drawing style help...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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Artist Laura (Yi Zhen) Chen depicts a quiet afternoon in the alleyway of an old town. Three kids leap into the air and play with a red balloon. The bold orange, red, and brown hues render a narrow street with attractive doorways and awnings. "It is reminiscent of a simple time when kids play...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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Artist Robert Hofherr presents an expressionist still life inspired by many of Van Gogh's work in this genre. He executes the piece with looser and less realist...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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Artist Kip Decker creates a captivating expressionist landscape. A small winding road climbs up a field full of colorful flowers toward a stand of trees. Vibran...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Robert Hofherr presents an energetic rendering of a city scene. The fauvist colors and expressionist paintwork creates a memorable image. "The drawing st...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Naoko Tadotsu demonstrates a colorful tree on a sunny summer afternoon. Reflections of bright sunlight from a nearby river pierce through the leaves of t...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
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Artist Robert Hofherr presents a colorful rendering of a late spring woodland using bold hues and expressive paint application to create a compelling visual. "T...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
1980s Expressionist More Art
Etching
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Artist Julia Hacker presents a contemporary image of hanging ornate ceiling decor inspired by Moroccan fixtures and holiday lights. The colors, including whit...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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Artist Kip Decker displays a flourishing landscape with an expressionist approach. Colorful wildflowers abundantly grow by the ridge of a hill. He paints the li...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Kip Decker presents a lightly textured floral expression in a balance of bright and muted tones. He paints flourishing blossoms popping in vibrant red to...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist More Art
Fabric, Wool
2010s Expressionist More Art
Fabric, Wool
2010s Expressionist More Art
Fabric, Wool
2010s Expressionist More Art
Fabric, Wool
2010s Expressionist More Art
Fabric
2010s Expressionist More Art
Fabric
2010s Expressionist More Art
Fabric
2010s Expressionist More Art
Fabric
2010s Expressionist More Art
Fabric
2010s Expressionist More Art
Fabric
Early 2000s Expressionist More Art
Ceramic
2010s Expressionist More Art
Photographic Paper
2010s Expressionist More Art
Photographic Paper
1920s Expressionist More Art
Oil, Canvas
1930s Expressionist More Art
Paper
2010s Expressionist More Art
Photographic Paper
2010s Expressionist More Art
Oil
1990s Expressionist More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Early 2000s Expressionist More Art
Paper, Mixed Media
Early 2000s Expressionist More Art
Acrylic, Canvas
Early 2000s Expressionist More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Early 2000s Expressionist More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist More Art
Wool, Cotton, Yarn
2010s Expressionist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Paper, Coffee
1910s Expressionist More Art
Porcelain
2010s Expressionist More Art
Oil
1920s Expressionist More Art
Paper, Lithograph, Offset
1920s Expressionist More Art
Paper, Lithograph
Early 1900s Expressionist More Art
Lithograph
1920s Expressionist More Art
Woodcut, Paper
1920s Expressionist More Art
Photogravure, Paper
1910s Expressionist More Art
Paper, Lithograph
1930s Expressionist More Art
Photogravure, Paper
1940s Expressionist More Art
Paper, Engraving
1910s Expressionist More Art
Woodcut
1910s Expressionist More Art
Etching, Paper
1940s Expressionist More Art
Offset, Paper
1920s Expressionist More Art
Paper, Photogravure