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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Deep blue tones envelop a blurred San Francisco cityscape, evoking a dreamlike memory of a fleeting moment. The triangular panel enhances the composition’s un...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
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A woodland home takes on a playful vibrancy through bold colors and simplified shapes. Layers of violet, crimson, and deep green underpainting heighten contrast...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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A classic American room takes on a stylized form, with a central fireplace anchoring the composition. The altered perspective and colors enhance the artistic am...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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Artist Srinivas Kathoju captures the beauty of vast open fields, mountains, and distant horizons in this painting. Sweeping clouds fill the sky, reflecting th...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
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A vibrant blend of colors captures the energy of a bustling morning scene. Figures in motion stride across the composition, their forms loosely defined yet full...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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Bold colors and expressive brushstrokes transform a secluded home nestled among trees. Shapes of color replace realistic details, inviting the viewer to interpr...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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Geometric forms depict a stylized group of buildings. Slivered and segmented images create intrigue and tension. The limited color palette keeps the focus on co...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
1970s Expressionist More Art
Ink, Mixed Media, Lithograph, Offset
![Book: Francis Bacon von [with] John Russell (hand signed and inscribed twice)](https://a.1stdibscdn.com/francis-bacon-prints-works-on-paper-book-francis-bacon-von-with-john-russell-hand-signed-and-inscribed-twice-for-sale/a_17452/a_130412521694307115175/axScsafc_master.jpg?width=240 "bacon brief twice")
1930s Expressionist More Art
Paper
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A tranquil landscape welcomes the beginning of autumn. A cloudy sky stretches over the vast field and the ocean, adorned with scattered trees and a puddle. Th...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
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A woman lies under a vibrant night sky, the stars and planets illuminating her form. Bold colors and energetic directional brushwork add a hypnotizing energy to the composition. This piece is artist Diana Elena Chelaru's personal interpretation of the vast space.
About the Artist
Artist Diana Elena Chelaru creates vibrant expressionist works that explore human emotion and the cosmos. “Art is a means of communication, a way to express my thoughts, hopes, and joys,†says Diana. She uses form, lines, and color to bring her imaginative compositions to life, with inspiration drawn from Byzantine mosaics and Gustav Klimt’s decorative patterns. Diana received her BFA in Painting from George Enescu Art University and an MA in Art History from Queens College. Diana’s creative process is fluid and intuitive, guided by her emotions in the moment, with music as a constant companion. Her studio, located in the basement of her home, is kept clean and organized. When she’s not creating, Diana enjoys spending quality time with her family.
Words that describe this painting: Universe, stars, sky, night, meditation, celestial, space, flow, movement, planets, reclining, expressionism, nature, people, acrylic painting, blue
Star Gazing...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist More Art
Oil
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Bold colors bring the towering Empire State Building to life. Minimal lines and dynamic hues convey constant motion, reflecting the unstoppable spirit of New Yo...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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Bold brushstrokes capture the lively yet restful energy of a marsh. The colors shift and blend, reflecting the ever-changing landscape. The scene portrays the...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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Reimagining a simple still life with oranges, this composition replaces traditional perspective with a more abstract structure. Grids and flat surfaces allow si...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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A vibrant night sky stretches over the city. Ethereal blues mirror the celestial depths, while fiery oranges echo the birth of the stars. Geometric shapes and...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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Inspired by Paul Klee, this painting distills buildings and trees into minimalistic shapes. Rough strokes in a soft yellow frame the composition, while a teal...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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Artist George Peebles presents an expressionist landscape shifting as autumn approaches. The green leaves turn a fiery red as the season changes. George paint...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
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Artist Robert Hofherr captures a waterfront view of Castine, Maine, in a Fauvist style. He highlights essential details, emphasizing expressive brushwork and ...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist More Art
Fabric, Wool
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Artist Robert Hofherr rendered a colorful view of autumn wood in a Fauvist lens. With simplified details, the interplay of line, color, and texture creates vi...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
1910s Expressionist More Art
Paper, Woodcut
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Artist James Hartman began this painting by creating texture with homemade tools. He envisioned standing at the edge of the woods, looking through to an indistinct light. The oil colors were allowed to drip and settle into the textured surface, enhancing depth and movement, while his tools helped define the landscape in a way that captures shifting light.
About the Artist
When James Hartman was in art school, he became fascinated with the Society of Six, a group of artists who painted en plein air (outdoors) and exhibited together in the San Francisco Bay Area during the early 20th Century. James's paintings of the Northern California landscape pay tribute to some of the great Bay Area artists of the past. His expressive scenes feel alive through his vibrant use of color and his painterly brushwork. James’s paintings have an immediate visual impact from a distance, yet up close, dissolve into a series of confident marks and strokes. There is a simultaneous complexity and steadiness in his flattened, color-blocked planes. Knowledge and observation are essential elements of James’s working practice. To this end, he spends a large proportion of his time painting on location. His body of work captures the fresh and sunlit essence of the coastal California hills.
Words that describe this painting: trees, texture, bright, woods, sunlight, panoramic, forest...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
Early 2000s Expressionist More Art
Ceramic
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The artwork depicts an expressionist city landscape at night, emphasizing emotions and subjective experience over realism. A woman's figure lies among the sta...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
1980s Expressionist More Art
Tapestry
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Linear elements and colored shapes portray an autumn woodland. The simplified foliage, trees, path, and light and shadow evoke the essence of the season witho...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
Early 2000s Expressionist More Art
Tapestry, Wool
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Red, orange, and yellow leaves burst from a dense grove of trees. Dramatic purple and blue clouds hover in the sky above while blades of grass sway gently in ...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
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Artist Sharon Sieben creates a stern portrait of a man who, despite his attempt to appear disinterested, finds himself unable to resist the allure of curiosit...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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A cluster of trees stands in the middle of a vast field, their canopies merging to create a unified presence. Against the coolness of the blue sky, the orange...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
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Shadows of tall, slender trees rise from the darkness. A subtle ray of moonlight illuminates the landscape, casting a delicate glow that contrasts against the...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
1910s Expressionist More Art
Paper, Lithograph
20th Century Expressionist More Art
Fabric, Textile, Linen, Thread
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Four key elements define the composition. The expansive sky, the horizon with hazy tree silhouettes, the colorful orchard, and the chilly pond form a captivat...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
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Whispy grasses sway in the foreground, leading the viewer's eye to a calm ocean horizon. Soft pastel hues with earthy tones paint...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
Late 20th Century Expressionist More Art
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Orchard trees stand in the distance, their foliage adorned in autumn's seasonal colors. Tall grass fills the foreground, blending seamlessly with the field. T...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
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A woman in a flowing white dress stands with a relaxed composure. Her dark hair frames her tranquil expression. Soft blues and gentle pinks surround her, blen...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
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A lake house stands serenely as the sun dips below the horizon, its silhouette softly outlined against the glowing sky. Lily pads float gently on the water, t...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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Waves gently roll towards the shore, reflecting shades of blue and green under a bright sky. Tall grasses in the foreground sway lightly, adding texture to th...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
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The painting captures a lively scene where a group of people dances joyfully, lost in the music with closed eyes. Their vibrant clothing and fluid movements i...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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Tall pine trees rise over the dunes of Asilomar Beach on the Monterey Peninsula. Patches of pink, orange, and white ice plants dominate the foreground. The vi...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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Inspired by the vibrant style of Raoul Dufy, this portrayal of UK monastery ruins transitions from realism to bold colors and lively brushwork, merging modern...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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Vibrant colors blend to depict a serene setting. Red, orange, and green trees frame a reflective river. A mix of soft blues, greens, and whites paints the sky, ...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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A town square boasts structures with mixed architectural styles. Lively street performers and the crowd enjoy each other's company. It captures the vibrant es...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
Early 1900s Expressionist More Art
Lithograph
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A serene and mysterious atmosphere envelops a snow-covered landscape. Traces of grass dot the foreground, while a shroud of fog softly blurs the distant tree ...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
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A town exudes a whimsical charm with its expressionist portrayal. The simple and non-traditional images of the houses, lamp posts, and residents burst with mu...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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A cluster of agricultural buildings transforms into an exploration of color and texture. Stripped of perspective and realistic detail, the composition relies on...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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Unimposing buildings and houses transform into a collection of intersecting, colorful shapes. Repetition and abstraction elevate the scene beyond its source ima...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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Tall beach grass stretches across the foreground, with a small pool of water reflecting the sky. In the distance, layers of sand and sea stack into soft, hori...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
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An expansive blue sky meets the ocean in a quiet, seamless horizon, with a single cloud drifting gently above. Below, the shoreline is alive with wispy grasse...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
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Bold and full of movement, this dynamic scene invites the viewer to wander along a riverbank lined with trees. Hints of pink and blue ripple through the scene...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
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A group of trees stands close together, their autumn-tinted canopies blending into one. Their hazy surroundings mirror the softness of the cloud above. In the...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
1910s Expressionist More Art
Drypoint
1910s Expressionist More Art
Woodcut
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Verdant blades of grass blend into warm tones of yellow and orange, gradually leading to a sandy shore. On the horizon, a quiet beach meets the clear blue sky...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
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A colorful tree stands alone in an open field under a clear blue sky. The orange, yellow, and red leaves create a focal point against the soft, expansive back...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
The artwork portrays an abstract depiction of the moon emerging in the sky. It invites exploration of artistic interpretations of a cosmic landscape. Captivat...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
