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.
Artist Comments
In a tranquil garden, wildflowers daydream and create their own sunshine. Blue and gold blooms dominate the cluster, with red ones adding vibrant accents. Infus...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
A London flat takes a fauvist approach, emphasizing bold colors over detailed representation. The simple depiction of furniture and dynamic visual texture of th...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Pigment
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
A neighborhood with New England-style homes embraces a Fauvist treatment, resulting in a stylized landscape with textured underpainting and non-realistic colors...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Inspired by a Scottish folktale during her trip to Scotland, artist Sumner Crenshaw depicts two figures under the moon. In the tale, a selkie transforms into a ...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Panel
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
Artist Comments
Beneath the blue sky, a thicket of trees displays their autumn-tinted foliage. Thin clouds in the distance and wispy grasses in the foreground add depth to the ...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
A two-story mansion undergoes a fauvist transformation with its bright palette, stylized rendering, and expressive paint handling. The alteration of multi-tiere...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
A vibrant autumn scene unfolds as towering trees with golden leaves stretch toward the azure sky. The quiet neighborhood below hosts quaint houses nestling amon...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Drawing inspiration from Raoul Dufy's energetic landscapes, this depiction of St. Paul's Cathedral employs a wildly exuberant linear style to outline the struct...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
Early 2000s Expressionist Paintings
Pastel
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1930s Expressionist Paintings
Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Pigment
1950s Expressionist Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
A layer of snow wraps a serene forest. Painted with a limited color palette of Payne's Grey and Phthalo Green, accented with Titanium White, the scene exudes a ...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Low buildings hide among nature in an abandoned day camp. The sunlight filters through the trees, painting the grass with a soft radiance. The expressive brushs...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Poppies sway with the wind, creating a motion blur that adds a dynamic touch to the scene. Vibrant red tones sharply contrast with rich greens, highlighting the...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
An ordinary image of an urban house transforms into a stylized representation using expressive colors and paint handling. Linear elements replace many structura...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
A nude woman strikes a seductive pose, her hair hanging gracefully in sweeping curves. Created with oil paint and graphite, the piece started as an experiment f...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic, Cardboard
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Wood
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Wood, Acrylic
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic, Wood
Artist Comments
Food and tableware take center stage in this Fauvist still life. Instead of realistically arranging the objects on a tabletop, the piece evolved organically dur...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Pigment
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
This painting features a woman as the central subject, depicted with bold textures and spontaneous brushstrokes. Her white dress against the deep blue backgroun...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Gouache
Early 2000s Expressionist Paintings
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 2000s Expressionist Paintings
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
A tranquil landscape welcomes the beginning of autumn. A cloudy sky stretches over the vast field and the ocean, adorned with scattered trees and a puddle. The ...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Oil
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
Early 2000s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Wood, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
A serene and mysterious atmosphere envelops a snow-covered landscape. Traces of grass dot the foreground, while a shroud of fog softly blurs the distant tree li...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Oil
