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Expressionist Figurative Paintings

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
"Papagena's Dream" Oil Painting 20" x 39" inch by Andrey Remnev
Located in Culver City, CA
"Papagena's Dream" Oil Painting 20" x 39" inch by Andrey Remnev ARTIST BIO: "My birth place is Yakhroma town, in the vicinity of Moscow. It is situated on high hills, from where bro...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Taking off the gloves
Located in London, GB
Original oil, tempera on canvas painting 75x100cm (30x40inches) 2023 Rather bright and light painting. It conveys a feeling similar to that feeling you get of a fresh morning bre...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Cotton, Oil, Tempera

"Tertia Vigilia" Oil Painting 35" x 39" inch by Andrey Remnev
Located in Culver City, CA
"Tertia Vigilia" Oil Painting 35" x 39" inch by Andrey Remnev ARTIST BIO: "My birth place is Yakhroma town, in the vicinity of Moscow. It is situated on high hills, from where broad Bruegelian vistas are open. The uneven terrain with significant differences of high and low; a canal between the Moskva river and the Volga; small rivers, woods and villages; a nearby ancient town of Dmitrov, which is equal to Moscow in age; ships cruising the canal and trains outdistancing them – all this I saw from my window since my early years. It was a view that embraced all the diversity of the world. This is why I can say that the impressions of my childhood and youth – beautiful nature and remarkable people – are the most important ones. In the museum of Moscow's St. Andronic Monastery I copied the best examples of the old Russian painting...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Botanica" Oil Painting 20" x 14" inch by Andrey Remnev
Located in Culver City, CA
"Botanica" Oil Painting 20" x 14" inch by Andrey Remnev ARTIST BIO: "My birth place is Yakhroma town, in the vicinity of Moscow. It is situated on high hills, from where broad Bruegelian vistas are open. The uneven terrain with significant differences of high and low; a canal between the Moskva river and the Volga; small rivers, woods and villages; a nearby ancient town of Dmitrov, which is equal to Moscow in age; ships cruising the canal and trains outdistancing them – all this I saw from my window since my early years. It was a view that embraced all the diversity of the world. This is why I can say that the impressions of my childhood and youth – beautiful nature and remarkable people – are the most important ones. In the museum of Moscow's St. Andronic Monastery I copied the best examples of the old Russian painting...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

"Farmer" Portrait Oil Painting 16" x 12" inch by Shaaban Zaki
Located in Culver City, CA
"Farmer" Portrait Oil Painting 16" x 12" inch by Shaaban Zaki circa 1930 Signed. Shaaban Zaki came from a lower-middle-class family who was mostly government employees, but he was...
Category

20th Century Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Wood, Oil

"Face of Creation' oil on canvas by Masri
Located in Carmel, CA
Masri is a passionate Italian, US-based artist whose work has been exhibited in USA, the UK, Germany, Lebanon, Italy and Norway. His work is varied and known especially in Europe, an...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Soulmate
Located in Sempach, LU
Participant SOLO EXHIBITION in Thun, Switzerland "Strength, and Vulnerability" December 2022. Please get in touch with us if you have any questions about this artwork. MATERIALS: Th...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Waiting To be Seated" Modern Expressionist Figurative
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
"Waiting To be Seated" is from Sandra Jones Campbell's recent collection, "Please Be Seated," a series that displays her unique vision of the world and is informed by her current soc...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

"Seat Taken, Until Tiger Finishes His Martini" Modern Expressionist Figurative
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
"Seat Taken, Until Tiger Finishes His Martini" is from Sandra Jones Campbell's recent collection, "Please Be Seated," a series that displays her unique vision of the world and is inf...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Kuluso (Ant-Lion Larvae)
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
The artwork titled "Kuluso (Ant-Lion Larvae)" is a captivating piece that portrays a man standing beside a woman carrying a child who is breastfeeding. The artwork was created by Nig...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Desires 3
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
The painting titled "Desires 3" is a beautiful work of art that depicts two men sitting across from each other, engaged in what seems to be a deep and meaningful conversation. The pa...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Canvas

Jacky Ickx Le Mans 1969 Ford GT40 original acrylic painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
BALAGUER , Alex ( Barcelona 1968 ) During early childhood, Àlex Balaguer began to sketch motorcars symbolic of Maranello’s trademark vehicle. Self-taught in the art world, Balaguer d...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Worthy 2
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
“Worthy 2” is an artwork that showcases the beauty of a woman’s back. The artwork is a masterpiece that exudes elegance and grace, and it is a representation of the human form in all...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

"Lawn Chairs; Porch Light Communion" Modern Expressionist Figurative
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
"Lawn Chairs, Porch Light Communion" is from Sandra Jones Campbell's recent collection, "Please Be Seated," a series that displays her unique vision of the world and is informed by h...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Beach. Mallorca- original expressionist watercolor painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Beach. Mallorca- original expressionist watercolor painting. virtual framed Work of the Spanish artist BENAVENTE SOLIS. Watercolor on paper. Perfect state During its first exhib...
Category

Early 20th Century Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Watercolor, Ink

Legend
Located in London, GB
Original watercolor on paper 25x37cm 2016 hand signed
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Marta with golden brest
Located in London, GB
Original watercolor on paper 21x29cm 2018 hand signed
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Tight Corner 2
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
The artwork titled "Tight Corner" features a man and woman looking at each other in a romantic way, with a smile on their faces. This piece of art is a beautiful representation of lo...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Tight Corner 1
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
The artwork titled "Tight Corner" features a man and woman looking at each other in a romantic way, with a smile on their faces. This piece of art is a beautiful representation of lo...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Wind
Located in London, GB
Original watercolor on paper 14x24cm 2016 hand signed
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Nirvana
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
The artwork titled "Nirvana" is a stunning representation of a woman with a sophisticated hairstyle and a fabric costumed suit. This piece of art is an unapologetic celebration of fe...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Fabric, Canvas, Acrylic

Aláàárù Ajé" (Carrier of Wealth)
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
The artwork titled "Aláàárù Ajé" (Carrier of Wealth) features a lady with a head made of a Sekere, a traditional Yoruba percussion instrument made from dried gourds covered with bead...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Medusa
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
The artwork titled "Medusa" features a woman with a sophisticated hairstyle and body parts made of fabrics. This piece of art is a powerful representation of female strength and resi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Fabric, Canvas, Acrylic

Influence
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
The artwork titled "Influence" depicts a lady who appears to be lost in thought. She is portrayed with a blue and yellow color around her neck, which stands out against the grey back...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

home. field. poppies. Mallorca- original expressionist watercolor painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
home. field. poppies. Mallorca- original expressionist watercolor painting virtual frame Work of the Spanish artist BENAVENTE SOLIS. Watercolor on paper. Perfect state During its...
Category

Late 20th Century Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

"Morning Glory Gown" - Vertical expressionist female semi-nude with gown.
Located in Miami, FL
Romantic and expressionist nude artwork on canvas.
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

"Woman Seated" - Vertical expressionist female semi-nude in cool colors.
Located in Miami, FL
Romantic and expressionist nude artwork on canvas.
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

"Flatlander"- Horizontal expressionist female nude with landscape in background.
Located in Miami, FL
Romantic and expressionist nude artwork on canvas.
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

"Christmas Morning" - Vertical expressionist female semi-nude in pale colors.
Located in Miami, FL
Romantic and expressionist nude artwork on canvas.
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

landscape of vineyar - original expressionist mixed media painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
landscape of vineyar - original expressionist mixed media painting RAVENTÓS Mª Assumpció – (San Sadurní d’Anoia, Barcelona 1930). Raventos trained at the elite Sant Jordi School of F...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media

"Naked woman with white flowers"- Yellow ochre expressionist nude with flowers.
Located in Miami, FL
Romantic and expressionist nude artwork on canvas.
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

The King's Ring
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
The King's Ring is an intriguing artwork that portrays a man wearing a ring. The ring is the centerpiece of the artwork. The painting is oil and acrylic on canvas and is created usin...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Canvas, Oil

Mid-Century Modern Swedish Oil Painting, Framed Street Scene - Pedestrians
Located in Bristol, GB
PEDESTRIANS Size: 35 x 30 cm (including frame) Oil on board A small yet very impactful modernist street scene composition, executed in oil onto board. This composition presents a b...
Category

1950s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

"Passion" - Vertical expressionist female kneeling nude with flowers in ochre.
Located in Miami, FL
Romantic and expressionist nude artwork on canvas.
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Young, Gifted and Black
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Young, Gifted and Black is an original painting by Oluwasegun Joseph. Joseph created Young, Gifted and Black with Mixed Media on a 24W by 36H inches primed canvas. The artwork title...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media

Glamour Girl
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Glamour Girl is an original painting by Joshua Salami. Joshua created Glamour Girl with Oil and Acrylic on a 36W by 48H inches primed canvas. The artwork "Glamour Girl" is a stunnin...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Igbo Amaka (Igbo is Beautiful)
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Igbo Amaka (Igbo is Beautiful) is an original painting by Omoyemi Ogedengbe. Omoyemi created White Cape with Oil and Acrylic on a 36W by 42H inches primed canvas. The artwork "Igbo ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Cloaks 2: Condemn
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Cloaks 2: Condemn is an original painting by Victor Chigozie. Victor created Cloaks 2: Condemn with Acrylic on a 35.4W by 47.2H inches primed canvas. Cloaks 2: Condemn" is a poignan...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Mira on Pink Dress
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Mira on Pink Dress is an original painting by Theophilus Madaki. Theophilus created Mira on Pink Dress Oil and Acrylic on a 32W by 41H inches primed canvas. Mira on Pink Dress is a ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Anny
Located in London, GB
Original watercolor tempera on paper 41x41cm 2023 hand signed
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Music seet" original expressionist acrylic painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Music seet" original expressionist acrylic painting RAVENTÓS Mª Assumpció – (San Sadurní d’Anoia, Barcelona 1930). Raventos trained at the elite Sant Jordi School of Fine Arts in Bar...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Artist
Located in London, GB
Original watercolor on paper 2015 hand signed
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Alicia
Located in London, GB
original watercolor, ink, tempera on paper hand signed
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Tempera, Watercolor, Paper, Ink

Ballerina
Located in London, GB
original watercolor, ink, tempera on paper hand signed
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Watercolor, Paper, Ink, Tempera

"Unity II" / Catalog number P0067 / Oil pastel on cardboard
Located in KRAKÓW, PL
Oil pastel on cardboard. An expressive work showing petrified figures, which for many observers is an almost ready project of a monumental monument. Figurative paintings. Ready to Ha...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Pastel

"Aquarius" Oil Painting 31.5" x 51" inch by Sergey Dolmatov
Located in Culver City, CA
"Aquarius" Oil Painting 31.5" x 51" inch by Sergey Dolmatov Year: 2014
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Untitled Portrait
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
The woman stands in silence, her gaze fixed intently on some unseen point in the distance. Her profile is sharp, her features defined with a clarity that speaks of both strength and ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Cap of Many Colors
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
"Cap of Many Colors" is a captivating artwork that features a man wearing a colorful cap that is reminiscent of a rainbow. The piece is both visually striking and thought-provoking, ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Venus
Located in London, GB
original watercolor on paper hand signed 2016 22x16 cm
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Saturday
Located in London, GB
original watercolor, ink, tempera on paper hand signed
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Watercolor, Paper

Other Side
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
The Other Side is an original painting by Bright Toh. Bright created Other Side Acrylic on a 47.2W by 47.2H inches primed canvas. The world of art is filled with countless masterpie...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Bories-en-Provence Village Near Gordes, Large Oil on Canvas
Located in Saint Amans des cots, FR
Oil on canvas by Paul Clement (1906-), France, 1967. Bories-en-Provence near Gordes. Measurements : with frame: 106x87 cm - 41.7x34.25 inches, without frame: 100x81 cm - 39.4x31.9 in...
Category

1960s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Edith Desternes, The Church Notre-Dame de l'Assomption in Auvers-sur-Oise, 1920s
Located in Saint Amans des cots, FR
Oil on canvas by Edith Desternes (1901-2000), France, 1920s. The Church Notre-Dame de l'Assomption in Auvers-sur-Oise. This church has been painted in 1890 by Vincent van Gogh. At fi...
Category

1920s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Nature Call 1
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
The artwork titled "Nature Call 1" is a striking representation of a man sitting in the middle of two women, with each woman placing a hand on his shoulder while the man plays the gu...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Lady on Blue 1
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
"Lady on Blue 1" is a captivating piece of art that features a lady with blue skin sitting in a seductive pose. The painting portrays a woman who is both alluring and mysterious, wit...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Wait For Me
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
"Wait For Me" is a captivating artwork that depicts a man standing and leaning by the roadside under a starry night sky. The painting is oil and acrylic on canvas, and the use of col...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Resting at Evening, Israeli Modernist Painting
By Abraham Cohen
Located in Surfside, FL
Mid-century Israeli Modernist painting by Israeli artist Abraham Cohen
Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Destiny of a Young Man
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Destiny of a Young Man is an original painting by John Ayobamidele. John created Destiny of a Young Man Acrylic on a 29.5W by 41.3H inches primed canvas. Destiny of a Young Man depi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Expressionist figurative paintings for sale on 1stDibs

Find a wide variety of authentic Expressionist Paintings/style/expressionist/?currency=eur&per=21st-century-and-contemporary>paintings>figurative paintings 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 paintings created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, purple, red, orange and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Julien Wolf, Evelyne Ballestra, Sandra Jones Campbell, and Stephen Basso. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Oil 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 paintings, so small editions measuring 5.909999847412109 inches across are also available. Prices for figurative paintings 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 $82 and tops out at $65,520, while the average work sells for $3,098.

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