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.
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic, Ink, Paper
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Mixed Media, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Watercolor
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Wood Panel, Oil
Early 2000s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Oil Pastel
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Paper, Ink, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Paper, Acrylic, Ink
Early 2000s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Artist Comments
The painting portrays a serene pond amid lush greenery. Featuring expressive brushstrokes, the piece conveys movement and bold contrast of complementary colors, adding visual appeal. Artist Janet Dyer's approach prioritizes capturing the energy of the scene over immediate representational details.
About the Artist
Artist Janet Dyer captures picturesque scenes from her travels in expressive and gestural landscapes. Her work reflects the changes brought on by the seasons, seizing the colors and mood and reinterpreting them into lively compositions. "I believe the process of creating art is equal in importance to the final product," says Janet. She started painting when she was nine and sold her first painting at thirteen at a country fair, where it won first prize. From ages eight to seventeen, she joined countless country fairs and relished seeing her works on display. Growing up in Ohio and Michigan influenced Janet's fascination with wide open spaces. Now living in New York State, she loves to travel whenever she gets the chance and finds inspiration everywhere she goes—particularly farms and France, and farms in France. "Luckily for me, landscapes are everywhere, so I'm spoiled for choice."
Words that describe this painting: water, pond, panoramic, trees, woods, expressionism, nature, acrylic painting, green
Pond with Yellow Trees...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic, Ink, Watercolor
1920s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic, Ink, Watercolor
20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Oil Pastel
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Watercolor
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Oil Pastel
1980s Expressionist Paintings
Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1980s Expressionist Paintings
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Charcoal, Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
Late 20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Artist Comments
Artist Diana Elena Chelaru depicts figures grooving to the pulsating beat of the music. Bright lights cast vibrant hues across the scene, adding an electrifying...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic, Ink, Paper
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Oil Pastel
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Alix Palo portrays a delightful still life of a bouquet in a vase. The harmonious blend of purple, green, and yellow brings out the vibrancy of the flowe...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Mixed Media, Charcoal
Artist Comments
This painting sets a moody tone, employing a mainly blue color scheme with expressive brushwork. The stylized ships evoke emotions rather than realistic portray...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
This painting follows the Fauvist style of using vibrant colors, expressive brushstrokes, and simplified drawings to depict the subject. The foreground captures the interior of a ship leading toward a bridge on the horizon. The treatment of the elements adds to the artwork's expressionist charm and graphic quality.
About the Artist
Artist Robert Hofherr paints fauvist expressions, infusing his work with a strong statement reflected in his bold application of colors and spontaneous brushwork. Robert refrains from depicting a scene in its literal sense and lets the viewer reimagine a piece with their imagination. Following art school, Robert spent decades as an advertising and graphic design professional. "After my children had grown and became independent, I reconnected with painting," shares Robert. Inspired by the French artists Maurice de Vlaminck and André Derain, he now paints in an unused bedroom in his home, often accompanied by the soothing melodies of classical music. When he is not working...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Steering clear from realistic details, this whimsical portrayal of a nighttime graveyard opts for stylized and simplified depictions of elements. The primarily ...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Board
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Paper, Acrylic, Ink
Artist Comments
The painting beautifully captures a blue globe adorned with an array of plants and flowers. The enchanting hues of light magenta and dark green create organic a...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
1960s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media
