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.
1920s Expressionist More Art
Lithograph, Paper
1920s Expressionist More Art
Photogravure, Paper
Mid-20th Century Expressionist More Art
Canvas, Oil
1920s Expressionist More Art
Paper, Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
1930s Expressionist More Art
Woodcut
1930s Expressionist More Art
Linocut, Paper
2010s Expressionist More Art
Photographic Paper
2010s Expressionist More Art
Photographic Paper
2010s Expressionist More Art
Photographic Paper
2010s Expressionist More Art
Photographic Paper
2010s Expressionist More Art
Photographic Paper
2010s Expressionist More Art
Photographic Paper
2010s Expressionist More Art
Photographic Paper
2010s Expressionist More Art
Photographic Paper
2010s Expressionist More Art
Photographic Paper
Late 20th Century Expressionist More Art
1920s Expressionist More Art
Lithograph
Early 2000s Expressionist More Art
Tapestry, Wool
Artist Comments
This painting was inspired by my recent trip to France. I was mesmerized by the beauty of nature and architecture found in the French countryside. The brilli...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
Early 2000s Expressionist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
For me the uncertainty of this woman's mask-like face contrasts with the heat of the red that clothes her and the hopefulness of the blues that surround her.<...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
This painting captures the beauty of the French countryside. I was inspired by the peaceful and vivid colors found in this quaint French village. I depicted t...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Acrylic
1980s Expressionist More Art
Offset
Early 2000s Expressionist More Art
Tapestry, Wool
Artist Comments
A cradled panel is laid with vintage sewing tissues as a mordant to adhere the beeswax. I did an underpainting in ink then used a prismatic palette to lead th...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Encaustic
Artist Comments
This is a heavy, impasto work done with palette knife and oil. It is both a celebration of texture and color in an attempt to bring vibrancy to the figure. Pa...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist More Art
Oil
Early 2000s Expressionist More Art
Acrylic, Cardboard