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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
Boy London 2 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Modern, Men
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Dan...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic, Oil

Unfinished Thought, female nude, abstracted figurative painting earth tones
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Expressionist, abstracted figurative female nude About Tom Bennett: With quick brushstrokes, Tom Bennett creates representational images of human figures and animals, emphasizing mo...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Interior with fruit . Colorful Expressionist Still-life Oil painting
Located in Segovia, ES
Interior with fruit (Interior con frutas). Expressionist Colorful Oil on wood panel Still life with view in the background, Author: Aracely Alarcón. Me...
Category

Early 2000s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

Into The Unknown 2 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Abstraction, Africa
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Ola...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Eniyan (Human) 11 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Beauty Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Eniyan is what we call human in my dialect Which means (created to make choices) The choices we make in life determine who we become and what we achieve We should always make good ch...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Basket in Red. Oil on panel. Expressionist Still-life with abstract background
Located in Segovia, ES
Basket in Red (Canasto en rojo). Aracely Alarcón oil on panel. Expressionist Still-life on abstract background. Dimension art : 38 x 46 x 03 cm. Dimen...
Category

Early 2000s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Panel, Oil

"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

Stardust - Soulful Colorful Large Abstract Striking Painting Expressionistic
Located in Cullinan, ZA
Title: Stardust Soulful Colorful Large Abstract Striking Painting Expressionistic In this large, delightful and striking artwork, the unity and bond of similarity and our uniquenes...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Acrylic

A small picodon ? Julien Wolf Contemporary Expressionist Painting
Located in Paris, FR
Oil on canvas 2017 Signed Unique work Julien Wolf is a French painter born in 1981 in Strasbourg, France. In 2007, he graduated from the DNSEP Art section at the Strasbourg Decora...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Devil: No Horns, Burning in Hell, African American Harlem Renaissance
Located in Miami, FL
In a 1971 interview with Ebony Magazine, Alvin Hollinsworth commented on his African Jesus Christ painting, "I have always felt that Christ was a Blac...
Category

1970s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Masonite, Oil

Beyond This Earth (Life Within) - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Nature
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Beyond This Earth explores the unseen realms that transcend the physical world. The painting weaves a cosmic landscape within a figurative image, symbolizing humanity’s connection to...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Emile's Tavern
Located in London, GB
'Emile's Tavern', gouache on paper (circa 1930s), by Lucien Génin. A tavern in French is called a 'guinguette'. With the rise in living standards from the 1860s along with the develo...
Category

1930s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Paper, Gouache

To The One Who Knows 1 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
This piece is the first of the "To the One Who Knows" duo and is part of the "Ode to Guardians and the Impuissant" series. It is an oil on canvas painting with a central female mode...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Linen

"Venice Twilight", 19th Century Oil on Canvas by Charles-Clément Calderon
Located in Madrid, ES
CHARLES - CLÉMENT CALDERON French, 1870 - 1906 VENICE TWILIGHT signed "C. Calderon" (lower right) oil on canvas 15-1/4 x 21-3/4 inches (38.5 x 55 cm.) ...
Category

Early 1900s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Benavente Solis Campo de Mallorca original expressionist acrylic painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
original expressionist acrylic painting. Framed During its first exhibition in Paris, the French press catalogs it like "The Catalan Sorolla". Honorary Member of the MECOART (Medit...
Category

1990s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Wood, Acrylic

Iris Mosaic
Located in Miami, FL
Her work with signs, symbols and esoteric spirituality reflects her passion for the ancient past and represents a symbolic return to the ground from which we emerged. Her work create...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Yellow Clown
Located in New York, NY
Bernard Lorjou has painting this subject "Harlequins" many times in watercolors, drawing , oil paintings and later on in the late 60's in acrylic, both on canvas, paper and some on m...
Category

1950s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Summer #4, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Acrylic on unmounted canvas. Belongs to a series started in the summer 2020. I like going to the beach to sketch people . The beach is a place where you get all types of live models ...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

"Reunion" Expressionist Figurative Man and Woman
Located in Austin, TX
By Pep Suari 32" x 39.5" Acrylic on Linen This figurative expressionist painting by Pep Suari depicts a man and a woman looking at each other with flowers between them. The colors o...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Linen, Acrylic

Girl & Rooster Enamel Glazed Ceramic Plaque Israeli Artist Awret Naive Folk Art
Located in Surfside, FL
This is a rare ceramic plaque painted with enamel glaze by famed Israeli German artist Irene Awret is signed Awret Safed on the verso. the actual glazed ceramic is 10X15 inches. Irèn...
Category

1950s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Enamel

Bohemian - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Surrealism, Africa, Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
"The Bohemian" is part of a new collection titled "Ode to Guardians and the Impuissant". It is a visual discourse on the frail but resilient nature of black women whom I call black h...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Linen, Oil

Timeless -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Modern Women, Floral
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube. This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Awofadeju Solom...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Colourful Abstract Portrait, French Expressionist Original Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
AKOS BIRO (HUNGARIAN 1911-2002) watercolour / gouache size: 11 x 7.5 inches Beautifully colourful, original painting by the very popular and highly regarded Hungarian/ French painte...
Category

Late 20th Century Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Reliefs Alpins
Located in Miami, FL
Her work with signs, symbols and esoteric spirituality reflects her passion for the ancient past and represents a symbolic return to the ground from which we emerged. Her work creates a commentary about “beginnings” and the transmission of signs and emotions through visual elements evoking a spiritual essence to our scientific notion of etymology. After studying under Rolf Dürig...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

My main enemy. Contemporary Figurative Oil Painting. Woman Power Symbolism. Red
Located in Zofingen, AG
ABOUT THE ARTWORK "My Main Enemy" presents a compelling narrative of self-reflection and inner turmoil. The canvas speaks volumes through the bold imagery of a woman holding her hea...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Curious - Joanna Flatau, Contemporary art, Expressionist painting
Located in Paris, FR
A tribute to Amy Winehouse Acrylic paint on canvas Signed Unique work Joanna Flatau was born in Varsaw, Poland. She graduated from Varsaw History of Arts University and from the F...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Portrait with Pearl Necklace
Located in Wien, 9
Deling with the work of Erich Waske today, one encounters first of all a number of reasons why this outstanding artist has fallen into such undeserved oblivion. In addition to the de...
Category

20th Century Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

Killed in Action (Paramour Lover 2) -21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
After a long journey her paramour lover was killed during an intense firefight in the military service, she was shocked when she heard about this cause her dead lover had told her on...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Sand Pit Hungarian American Painting Workers Horses European Modernism 1928 WPA
Located in New York, NY
Sand Pit Hungarian American Oil Painting Workers Horses European Modernism 1928 WPA The board measure 10 3/4 x 15 1/2 inches. The work was painted in Hunga...
Category

1920s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

"Trees and Sky" (2011), Original Expressionist Landscape Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
This piece measures at 8 x 6 in., and is framed at 11.50 x 9.50 in., ready to hang. Artist Biography: Carolyn Anderson, a nationally recognized artist, is an accomplished pastelist...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

"Landscape Study" (2011), Original Expressionist Landscape Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
This piece measures at 8 x 6 in., and is framed at 11.50 x 9.50 in., ready to hang. Artist Biography: Carolyn Anderson, a nationally recognized artist, is an accomplished pastelist...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Coll Bardolet Bolero Mallorquin original expressionist watercolor painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Bolero Mallorquin original expressionist watercolor painting. virtual frame Spanish painter maximum representative of the art of Mallorca at the end of the 20th century. Costumbrista...
Category

1990s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

The Triumph Of Love. Contemporary Impressionist Oil Painting
Located in Brecon, Powys
The Triumph of Love weaves symbolism with uplifting imagery. The painting is woven with free flowing brush strokes overlaying the canvas to create a stunning piece that is imbued wit...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Earth and Sky" (2025), Original Impasto Landscape Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"Earth and Sky" (2025) is a beautiful original impasto oil painting, created on linen panel by American artist Sandra Pratt, which depicts an abstracted landscape. Born 1978, Sandra...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

"Misty Morning" (2025), Original Impasto Landscape Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"Misty Morning" (2025) is a beautiful original impasto oil painting, created on linen panel by American artist Sandra Pratt, which depicts a quiet morning landscape. Born 1978, San...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Happy summer
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this expressive oil on canvas, vibrant hues dance with light and energy, capturing the essence of a sun-soaked meadow. The figure embraces the warmth, surrounded by the jubilance ...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"On the Pier" (2025), Original Impasto Oil Painting of Red House
Located in Denver, CO
"On the Pier" (2025) is a beautiful original impasto oil painting, created on linen panel by American artist Sandra Pratt, which depicts a picturesque pier with a red house. Born 1...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

If Only I Could original abstract figurative landscape painting-contemporary
Located in London, Chelsea
This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet Contemporary Art Gallery and online. Unframed size 100x130cm (39x51 inches) "If Only I Could" by...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Dancer in Red - Large Colorful Expressive Figurative Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Bettina Mauel expresses vitality and sensuality in her abstract and figurative paintings. “I paint what I experience,” she articulates. “This includes landscapes, dancers, and peop...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

First pressure Julien Wolf Contemporary art painting expressionnist colour
Located in Paris, FR
OIl paint on canvas Hand-signed on the back by the artist “At first glance, we are invited to a colorful carnival. Everything is movement here! As if Julien Wolf had tried to captur...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Swimmers" Vibrant Expressionist Figurative Scene
Located in Austin, TX
Pep Suari 14.75" x 40" Acrylic on Board
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Board

The mermaid buoy Julien Wolf Contemporary art painting expressionnist red yellow
Located in Paris, FR
Oil paint on canvas Hand signed on the back by the artist “At first glance, we are invited to a colorful carnival. Everything is movement here! As if Julien Wolf had tried to captur...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Piazza di Spagna Roma
Located in London, GB
'Piazza di Spagna, Roma' oil on canvas, by Yves Brayer (1933). At the bottom of the Spanish Steps, is one of the most famous squares in Rome. It owes ...
Category

1930s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Culture 5
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
People believe money is power in my society - because the leaders steal money to oppress and suffer the poor. But I realize the opposite of this is the purpose of living. We are all ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

"Secret supper in the Kuril Islands, in search of Pokemon Painting"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
This is not my first picture dedicated to the biblical theme "The Last Supper". It reveals a long-standing dispute between Russia and Japan over the Kuril Islands.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Resilient Beauty
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
The painting is a stunning portrait of a black African woman with an intricate afro hairstyle that dominates the canvas. The use of vibrant oil colors on Ankara fabric gives the painting a rich texture and a sense of depth as if the woman is emerging from the fabric itself. The woman's gaze is direct and unwavering, conveying a sense of strength and resilience in the face of adversity. The Ankara fabric, a traditional African textile, adds a cultural dimension to the painting, highlighting the importance of heritage and identity. The combination of traditional fabric and contemporary art techniques makes the painting a unique and powerful piece that celebrates the beauty and strength of black African women. The painting invites the audience to appreciate the rich cultural heritage and diversity of Africa and to recognize the beauty and power of African women. Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria. This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Bakare Babatunde...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Fabric, Canvas, Oil

Strike a pose - Joanna Flatau, Contemporary art, Expressionist painting
Located in Paris, FR
Part of "The Avignon Ladies" series Acrylic paint on canvas Signed Unique work Joanna Flatau was born in Varsaw, Poland. She graduated from Varsaw History of Arts University and f...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Confidant 1 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Women, Modern Love
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
A confidant is someone you trust deeply and confide in. They typically share personal thoughts, feelings, and secrets that you might not feel comfortable sharing with others. Dependi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Large Expressionist Oil on Canvas, Apartment Interior and Cityscape. Oil.
Located in Cotignac, FR
A mid century Expressionist oil on canvas of a man, child and cat in an interior with a cityscape beyond. The work is not signed but there are various notations to the top rear stret...
Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Untitled Abstracted Portrait
Located in Soquel, CA
Untitled Abstracted Portrait by David Fludd (American b. 1965). This moody and dynamic portrait is an excellent example of Fludd's work in the 1990s, which often featured distorted ...
Category

1990s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Paper, Oil

Better Tomorrow - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Children Art
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issued by the Gal...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Ballerina 4
Located in Zofingen, AG
In creating this piece, I immersed myself in the fusion of expressionism, impressionism, and pop art to capture the dynamic spirit of a ballet dancer. With acrylic and oil, I layered...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic, Oil

Jazz, Expressionist Portrait of Woman with Violin by Philadelphia Artist
Located in Doylestown, PA
"Jazz" is a figurative painting by Philadelphia born Expressionist painter Bernard Harmon from 1968. The 34" x 40" oil on board portrait features a young African American woman playi...
Category

1960s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Whimsical Mother Alkebulan - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube. This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Awofadeju Solom...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Stone

Recovery - Julien Wolf, 21st Century, Contemporary Expressionist Painting
Located in Paris, FR
Oil on canvas 2019 Signed Unique work Julien Wolf is a French painter who was born in Strasbourg in 1981, France. He graduated in 2007 at the DNSEP Art and Decorative Art section...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Sporadic fulmination-Julien Wolf 21st Century Contemporary Expressionist Drawing
Located in Paris, FR
Pastel and charcoal on paper 2020 Signed Unique work Julien Wolf is a French painter born in 1981 in Strasbourg, France. In 2007, he graduated from the DNSEP Art section at the St...
Category

2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Oil Pastel

Coll Bardolet Bolero Baile Mallorquin original expressionist watercolor
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Bolero Mallorquin original expressionist watercolor painting. Spanish painter maximum representative of the art of Mallorca at the end of the 20th century. Costumbrista work. With d...
Category

1980s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Benavente Solis Campo de Mallorca original expressionist acrylic painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
original expressionist acrylic painting. Framed During its first exhibition in Paris, the French press catalogs it like "The Catalan Sorolla". Honorary Member of the MECOART (Medit...
Category

1990s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Wood, Acrylic

Benavente Solis Campo de Mallorca original expressionist acrylic painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
original expressionist acrylic painting. Framed During its first exhibition in Paris, the French press catalogs it like "The Catalan Sorolla". Honorary Member of the MECOART (Medit...
Category

1990s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Wood, Acrylic

Somebody Call Me - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Expressionism, Africa
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Oso...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic, Polymer

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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