Expressionist 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.
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Pigment
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Late 19th Century Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Pigment
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1960s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Watercolor, Gouache, Handmade Paper
Early 2000s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Mixed Media
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Watercolor, Gouache, Handmade Paper
Early 2000s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic, Wood Panel
1970s Expressionist Paintings
Charcoal, Oil, Board
1960s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Panel, Wood Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Paper, Watercolor
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
1960s Expressionist Paintings
Tempera
1970s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Cardboard
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Color, Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Acrylic, Giclée, Digital Pigment
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Canvas
20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Board
Artist Comments
The painting captures a lively scene where a group of people dances joyfully, lost in the music with closed eyes. Their vibrant clothing and fluid movements inf...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Wood, Oil, Jute
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Pastel, Cardboard, Carbon Pencil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Oil Crayon
Artist Comments
A town exudes a whimsical charm with its expressionist portrayal. The simple and non-traditional images of the houses, lamp posts, and residents burst with mute...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Lacquer, Oil
1950s Expressionist Paintings
Paint
1910s Expressionist Paintings
Paint
1960s Expressionist Paintings
Carbon Pencil
1980s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Watercolor
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Paper, Tempera, Watercolor
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media
Late 20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Wood, Oil
Early 20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Ink, Watercolor
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1930s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Paper, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil