Expressionist Landscape 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.
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Oil
1990s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Paper, Wax
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
A Massachusetts park in winter is reimagined with vibrant color and expressive brushstrokes. The cool-toned palette predominates, while the use of color adds ...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
A cluster of vibrant orange trees rises beneath an expansive sky brushed with delicate white clouds. In the foreground, a field of grass with reflective patch...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Oil
2010s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1940s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Paper, Watercolor, Pencil
20th Century Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard, Giclée
1960s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Oil, Masonite
1950s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Linen, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Peg Belcastro depicts the stream near her home that overflows its banks during spring snowmelt. Tall, slender trees surround the area. The mix of expre...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
Early 2000s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Paper, Watercolor
1940s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Billowing clouds swirl across the sky as a river meanders through the field below. Greens, purples, and blues dance throughout the landscape, while bold brush...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
20th Century Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Oil
2010s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
"Inspired by Paul Klee, I reimagined a quiet October evening with heavily textured colors and an emphasis on simplified linear elements," says artist Robert H...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Kip Decker displays a flourishing landscape with an expressionist approach. Colorful wildflowers abundantly grow by the ridge of a hill. He paints the ...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Sunlight filters through the fence and trees, giving the scene a warm and inviting glow. Yellows, blues, and greens evoke a sense of relaxation and tranquilit...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
1990s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Oil, Cardboard
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Oil, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
A lone tree stands in the middle of a vast meadow, with a single cloud hovering over it. Its leaves, painted in shades of yellow and red, subtly hint at the c...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Oil
2010s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Artist Comments
A row of slender trees lines a road in Provence, France. As artist Janet Dyer drove by, she was captivated by the configuration of the trunks against the pale...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Robert Hofherr shares an expressionist view of rocky outcrops in the forest. Bold color, energetic paint application, and a simplified drawing style he...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
1940s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1970s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
With sunlight streaming in from the left, the trees engage in a playful banter about who gets the spotlight. Overlooking a small pond alongside the shrubs, th...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
20th Century Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Oil
Late 20th Century Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Oil Pastel, Gouache
Late 20th Century Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Oil Pastel, Gouache
2010s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Paper, Watercolor
Late 20th Century Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Oil Pastel, Gouache
Artist Comments
With low tide, the sand stretches out towards the receding waterline, revealing a shallow pool of water reflecting the sky. A solitary cloud watches over the ...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Oil
Late 20th Century Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Watercolor