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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
Period: 21st Century and Contemporary
Artist: Stephen Basso
The Yellow Bouquet seated female figure with flowers soft yellow and pink
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Seated woman in a pink suit strong yet warm color consistent with the artist's palette. It is painted on jute a coarse type of burlap mounted on a cradled wood board . Framing recomm...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Wood, Oil, Jute

Bird Trainers seated male standing female figure white tropical bird hot color
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Surrealistic, stylized magic realism oil painting of oversize bird and 2 people
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

The One That Got Away. Smoking man in antique bathtub soft green tones humorous
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This is an oil on wood painting. There is a rough stipple texture to this work achieved by mixing a pumice like compound into the primer. The work is consistent with the artists humo...
Category

Early 2000s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Wood, Oil

cold snap, strange character dressed for winter, red coat
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Oil on wood
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Wood, Oil

Strongman and Fire eater circus, coney island influences colorful carnival
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Oil on board mounted on a wooden frame suitable for immediate hanging. The board has been primed with an acrylic pumice gel giving the surface a rough texture visible from the photo...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Brass

Melodramatic Breakup romantic couple theme human drama humorous undertones
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Oil on canvas signed on reverse. Heavy duty stretcher ready for display
Category

Early 2000s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Surf N' Turf mermaid mythic figures interior food romantic undertones
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Oil on canvas heavy duty stretcher bars .Framing recommended but not necessary. Signed and dated on reverse. Part of an ongoing series of mermaids by the artist.
Category

Early 2000s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

COLD SNAP seated female figure on subway cool blue winter tones
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Oil painting on plywood signed on reverse. There is a rough texture to the surface of the painting a technique used by the artist on many of his wood paintings.
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Plywood, Oil

Priest dark muted color somber religious subject figure human condition theme
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Although painted 10 years ago the artist feels it is an appropriate image for these troubled times.
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Acrobats bright tropical colors man and toucan birds humorous narrative
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Oil on canvas signed and dated on reverse. Part ot a human and animal series by the artist
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Warm Reflections Florida theme water pool exterior warm colors tranquil theme
Located in Brooklyn, NY
oil on linen canvas heavy duty stretchers framing recommended but not necessary. signed on reverse
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

salty sue and kandy korn, colorful woman and bird humorous people pets
Located in Brooklyn, NY
one of a series of people and their pets painted on wood panel suitable for framed smooth texture
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Wood Panel, Oil

Slings and Arrows, cupids hearts night forest love valentine battle theme
Located in Brooklyn, NY
oil on stretched canvas on heavy duty wooden stretchers framing not required. part of recent valentine works with upcoming day in mind
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Color Pencil, Canvas, Oil

A Bronx Wedding, colorful dancing celebration w musicians blue sky butterflies
Located in Brooklyn, NY
*ABOUT Stephen Basso Stephen Basso's highly original pastels and oil paintings are romantic, yet thought provoking fantasies. His whimsical works are alive with boundless imagina...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

white mink, oil painting of urban scene, w snow, music reference in shadow
Located in Brooklyn, NY
*ABOUT Stephen Basso Stephen Basso's highly original pastels and oil paintings are romantic, yet thought provoking fantasies. His whimsical works are alive with boundless imagina...
Category

Early 2000s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Cupid Under Construction valentine hearts quasi romantic theme strong red colors
Located in Brooklyn, NY
oil on canvas heavy duty stretcher framing recommended but not required . painting part of a series of narrow vertical canvases depicting totem like stories
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Oil

Off Broadway multi figurative purple colors dancers women in gowns
Located in Brooklyn, NY
a recent painting signed and dated on reverse oil on stretched linen canvas heavy duty wooden stretchers framing recommended but not necessary.
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas, Linen

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Expressionist figurative paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Expressionist 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, orange, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Evelyne Ballestra, Julien Wolf, Stephen Basso, and Bernard Harmon. 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 1 inches across are also available.

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