Expressionist Interior Paintings
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.
1950s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Oil, Cardboard
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard, Giclée
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard, Giclée
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Cotton Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Linen
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
Artist Comments
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 Interior Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
A whimsical village emerges among trees. The carefully arranged houses and foliage form an engaging scene. The bright color palette reinforces the non-represent...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Interior Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Linen, Oil
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Linen, Oil
Artist Comments
Colorful trees provide refreshing shade to a cluster of farm buildings. Autumn foliage surrounds the scene, wrapping it in seasonal beauty. The bright palette a...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Interior Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
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 Interior Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Linen, Oil
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Oil, Giclée, Cardboard, Canvas
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Linen, Oil
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
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 Interior Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
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 Interior Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
A small northern UK town bursts to life through Fauvist expression and colors. The flattened perspective stacks buildings atop one another, with roads and ele...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Interior Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Cotton Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
Artist Comments
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 Interior Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard, Giclée
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
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 Interior Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Linen
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Houses take on geometric forms, with a single illuminated window adding a touch of charm to the title. The scene evokes an imaginative nighttime world, blendi...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Interior Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Interior Paintings
Canvas, Oil