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.
Anticipation of Love - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Modern
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
The lady rings on her fingers, except for one, symbolizing her commitment and love for her partner. The empty finger represents the promise of a marriage. The bike serves as a symbol...
Canvas, Acrylic
Down with flowers
Located in Torino, IT
The lights of The Lights Of Sinners are glimmers that burn out at dawn: when a new day supplants the dreams of the night, scattering the remnants of a bonfire or a ritual, or like th...
Oil
Passage Oil Painting on Canvas, Expressionist Style, 21st Century
Located in Miami, FL
Her work with signs, symbols and esoteric spirituality reflects her passion for the ancient past and represents a symbolic return to the ground from which we emerged. Her work creates a commentary about “beginnings” and the transmission of signs and emotions through visual elements evoking a spiritual essence to our scientific notion of etymology. After studying under Rolf Dürig...
Canvas, Oil
Flowers in the morning dew (110x180cm), Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By LE ANH TUAN
Located in Yardley, PA
Flowers in the morning dew The most beautiful flowers are in the early morning. When the dawn just dawned, the petals began to gradually bloom, with the water lily, the lotus in ...
Acrylic
Behind a Woman's Skirt: Expressionist Seascape, Oil on Wood, 2010+
By Darlene Katz
Located in San Diego, CA
This is a one of a kind original oil on wood panel expressionist seascape by Darlene Katz. Its dimensions are 24"x18". It is unframed. A certifi...
Oil
$2,638Sale Price|20% Off
Still life with fruits. 2009, canvas, oil, 81x65 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Still life with fruits. 2009, canvas, oil, 81x65 cm Sergey Inkatov Was born: 13.09.1971 in Baku. Painter Sergey Inkatov belongs to young generation of artists of Estonia. He was b...
Canvas, Oil
Elena Lukina: Solar Echoes: Miniature II. Gold. Radiant Vitality 2021
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In the landscape miniature "Solar Echoes: Miniature II" (2021), Elena Lukina focuses on the interplay of light and texture within a compact format. Painted on a deep cotton 3D canvas...
Canvas, Oil
Bright new day, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By LE ANH TUAN
Located in Yardley, PA
In this vibrant expression of nature's beauty, I've melded expressionism and impressionism with semi-abstract forms, using acrylics to celebrate life's invigorating essence. My brush...
Acrylic
Interior With Red Flowers On The Table Still Life
Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL
Interior With Red Flowers On The Table Large oil on canvas, signed lower right, title on verso. Born in 1952, Jean-Pierre Mocci arrived in Provence at the age of 8. Self-taught artist, he was interested in the visual arts from a very young age. Participating in many craft fairs, he exhibits paintings and art crafts. He is a complete artist who can be described as a "jack of all trades": oil paintings, watercolors, sculptures, bronzes and ceramics. But it is by painting his adopted Provence that Jean Pierre Mocci...
Canvas, Oil
Expressionist painting by California artist Byron Randall
Located in Colfax, CA
Expressionist painting on paper by California artist Byron Randall. Byron Randall, (1918-1999), was raised in Salem, Oregon, where he worked as a waiter, a harvest hand, a boxer, and...
Paper, Mixed Media
Paused, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
There is a comfort being with friends, whether talking or just standing together. These two paused on the street for a moment while the city continued to move on. The painting is sof...
Oil
Peach blossom, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By LE ANH TUAN
Located in Yardley, PA
Peach blossom is the most beautiful and popular flower in the North of Vietnam, loved by many people and displayed during Tet. Peach tree is considered the quintessence of the Fiv...
Acrylic
Peach blossom, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By LE ANH TUAN
Located in Yardley, PA
Peach blossom Peach blossom is the most beautiful and popular flower in the North of Vietnam, loved by many people and displayed during Tet. Peach tree is considered the quinte...
Acrylic
Peach blossom, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By LE ANH TUAN
Located in Yardley, PA
Peach blossom is the most beautiful and popular flower in the North of Vietnam, loved by many people and displayed during Tet. Peach tree is considered the quintessence of the Five ...
Acrylic
SAKURA- cherry blossoms, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By LE ANH TUAN
Located in Yardley, PA
About the Artwork Peach blossom is the most beautiful and popular flower in the North of Vietnam, loved by many people and displayed during Tet. Peach tree is considered the quinte...
Acrylic
$561
Titulado "Autoretrato" - Óleo sobre cartón entelado - Firmado y enmarcado
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
La obra va firmada por el artista en la parte trasera, fechada del año 1975 y titulada "autoretrato" El estado de conservación es bueno Se presenta enmarcada la obra (sin cristal) ...
Oil
$1,648Sale Price|20% Off
Seven tulips. Oil on canvas, 65x51 cm
Located in Riga, LV
7 tulips. 1979. Oil on canvas, 65x51 cm Aleksandr Rodin (1922-2001) Painter Born in a family of farmers. Wife Rasma Lace - art scholar. Studied at the...
Canvas, Oil
Elena Lukina: Solar Echoes: Relic Tea Light. Academic Style Oil Painting.
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In the still life "Solar Echoes: Relic Tea Light" (2017), Elena Lukina builds a sophisticated modern impressionism composition featuring a sunflower and a porcelain teacup curated fo...
Canvas, Oil
$1,511Sale Price|20% Off
Tulips on the black background. 1975, cardboard, oil, 50x39 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Tulips on the black background. Cardboard, oil, 50x39 cm Aleksandr Rodin (1922-2001) Painter Born in a family of farmers. Wife Rasma Lace - art schola...
Oil, Cardboard
Promeneur au Pigeonnier, Expressionist Oil on Board Landscape, Signed
By Jean Arène
Located in Cotignac, FR
French landscape, Expressionist oil on board by Jean Arene. The painting is signed bottom left, titled dated and signed to the back and is presented in the original 'Arene' frame sup...
Oil
Le Jardin Public Arles
Located in Boca Raton, FL
Maclet was born the son of a gardener and a laundress at Lihons in the Santerre region in Picardy. His family was poor and he began work very young as an assistant to his father. Pic...
Oil, Canvas
Flowers In A White Pitcher Still Life
Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL
Flowers in a white pitcher oil on canvas, signed, circa 1927. canvas 19 3/4 x 15 1/4 framed 25 3/4 x 21 1/4 Second still life painting available as shown on photo. Theresa Ferber Bernstein-Meyerowitz (March 1, 1890 – February 13, 2002) was a Polish-born American artist, painter, and writer. The only child of European immigrants Isidore and Anne (Ferber) Bernstein, Theresa was born in Krakow on March 1, 1890. She graduated from the Philadelphia School of Design for Women...
Canvas, Oil
$916
Teresa Llàcer – Sanvisens in His Studio – 1954 – Large Spanish Figurative Oil Pa
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
Teresa Llàcer - Sanvisens in His Studio, 1954 - Oil on Canvas - 60 x 73 cm Oil on canvas. Signed and dated 1954 in the lower left. Artwork: 60 × 73 cm (23.6 × 28.7 in.). Unframed. ...
Canvas, Oil
$1,520Sale Price|20% Off
Boy King - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Floral, African
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
There comes a point in life when a boy is expected to become strong before he even feels ready. The Boy King reflects that quiet transition, the space between struggle and resilience...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Forgotten but Not Gone, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Robert Hofherr presents a derelict structure forgotten in the woods in a bold expressionist style. A blue underpainting and high-energy palette bring the...
Acrylic
Expressionistic landscape oil painting 'Colors in the Breeze III'
By Ken Elliott
Located in White Plains, NY
'Colors in the Breeze III' 2021 by American artist, Ken Elliott. Oil on canvas, 30 x 30 in. / Frame: 31.5 x 31.5 in. This painting of a forest and a field comprises of colors in green, purple, yellow, pink, and blue. Framed in a gold painted frame. Colorado based artist Ken Elliott, focuses on the western landscape and its rich store of ideas and inspiration. Painting rural scenery, the artist does not try to recreate nature or attempt storytelling but instead, wields color boldly, creating vibrant, contemporary landscapes that are both animated and peaceful. Early in his career, he was a student of Wolf Kahn, who inspired his work. Since 1988, Elliott’s work has been exhibited in numerous galleries nationwide. His work is collected in corporate art...
Canvas, Oil
Anonimo pank, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Large Abstract portrait Painting, black&White on canvas ,work by Dimitris Pavlopoulos Painting created with acrylic . Colors: Black &White , Abstract Canvas Collection 2021 Size:...
Acrylic
$20,039
'Village Scene in Wallonia - Straimont 1933' by Floris Jespers (1889 – 1965)
By Floris Jespers
Located in Knokke, BE
Jespers Floris 1889 – Antwerpen – 1965 Belgian Painter 'Village Scene in Wallonia (Straimont), 1933' Signature: signed lower right and dated 1933 'Jespers 33' Medium: oil on panel...
Oil, Panel
"Prowl" Red Abstract Figurative Landscape Signed P. Gonzalez
Located in Houston, TX
Unique red landscape of a man standing under a tree with black lightening overhead. Done in an expressionist style similar to that of Edvard Munch. Signed, titled, and dated by possi...
Acrylic
Boho Style, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Inspired by Matisse's interior studies, artist Robert Hofherr transforms a bohemian-style living room into a study of decorative shapes and bold color. A vivid ...
Acrylic
Dallas, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Original oil on canvas on wooden stretcher, signed on the back. Certificate of authenticity included. :: Painting :: Expressionism :: This piece comes with an official certificate o...
Oil
Blue Coral, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A woman floats in her serene world of color and light. Artist Richard Johnson shares that he has become more observant of life over time. He sees the connection...
Acrylic
Fruit still life., Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Fruit still life. Teapot, bottle of wine, glasses, fruits in a vase on a bright abstract background. The painting was painted expressively with a spatula. Modern. Expressionism. Par...
Oil
$9,000
"6.5 Koi 23" Bright Red & White Koi Swimming in Swirls of Blue Water with Green
By Linda Holt
Located in Wellesley, MA
"6.5 Koi 23" is a complex work of koi fish swimming underwater filled with light and brilliant color painted in a lush and fluid style bordering on abstraction. Fish are in shades...
Canvas, Oil
Girl With A Pearl Earring - German Expressionist Pastel Portrait Painting
By Dina Gardner
Located in Boston, MA
Girl With A Pearl Earring 8.0 x 8.0 x 1.0, 3.0 lbs Pastel on illustration board Hand signed by artist Artist's Commentary: "The things that wake me up at night! I’ve started this...
Pastel
$20,000
Sand Pit Hungarian American Painting Workers Horses European Modernism 1928 WPA
Located in New York, NY
Sand Pit Hungarian American Oil Painting Workers Horses European Modernism 1928 WPA The board measure 10 3/4 x 15 1/2 inches. The work was painted in Hunga...
Oil, Board
Bison 1
By Lisa Bostwick
Located in Bozeman, MT
Lisa Bostwick has had pieces exhibited at the Legion of Honor, Napa Valley Museum, Marin Museum of Contemporary Art and the de Young Museum. Her North Am...
Acrylic, Wood Panel
Joan Cruspinera Large Bullfighting Scene Oil Painting, 1990s
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
Joan Cruspinera Large Bullfighting Scene Oil Painting, 1990s Oil on canvas. Signed by the artist. Artwork: 100 × 133 cm (39.4 × 52.4 in.). Original oil on canvas by Catalan artist J...
Canvas, Oil
Contrast, Contemporary Representational Art, Landscape, Canadian Artist
By Marie Rioux
Located in Houston, TX
Contrast is Contemporary Representational Art of a Canadian Landscape with a twist of Abstract. “Whatever my particular aim is, atmosphere is a...
Oil
$1,049Sale Price|25% Off
Woman in Blue: 20th Century Expressionist Oil Painting, Unframed
Located in Soquel, CA
Gorgeous figurative oil painting of a woman in blue by San Francisco artist Michael William Eggleston(American, 20th c.). From a collection of his works. Unsigned and unframed. Mic...
Oil, Canvas
Wish I Had A Garden, Painting, Acrylic on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Acrylic work on archival quality paper. This work was done during confinement in 2020. I had to remain in an apartment and I thought about how different it would have been if I had ...
Acrylic
$1,000
"Untitled (New Orleans Jazz Musicians)" painting on paper by Leo Meiersdorff
Located in Boca Raton, FL
"Untitled (New Orleans Jazz Musicians" painting on paper by artist Leo Meiersdorff. Signed Meiersdorff and dated 76 lower right recto. Framed in wood frame under plexi. Image size: 1...
Paint, Paper
Benavente Solis 8.6.2. Campo de Mallorca original expressionist acrylic painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
original expressionist acrylic painting. Framed During its first exhibition in Paris, the French press catalogs it like "The Catalan Sorolla". Honorary Member of the MECOART (Medit...
Wood, Acrylic
$2,240Sale Price|20% Off
Beauty We Carry 3 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Art Deco, Portrait, Floral
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Sometimes, becoming means learning to love the parts of yourself you once tried to hide. This piece is about that quiet moment when you stop asking the world if you are enough, and s...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$18,000
Upright Bass, Expressionist Portrait of Musician by Philadelphia Artist
Located in Doylestown, PA
"Upright Bass" is a painting by Philadelphia born Expressionist painter Bernard Harmon. The 40" x 34" oil on board group portrait of a musician is painted...
Oil, Board
Ship in the fog, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Original oil on canvas on wooden stretchers, signed on the front. Certificate of authenticity included. :: Painting :: Expressionism :: This piece comes with an official certificate ...
Oil
$2,600
Weight of We - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Whites, Black
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Ojú lárí, ọ̀rẹ́ ǹ dénú, this Yoruba proverb, which translates to "We only see faces, but true friendship is from within," emphasizes that real connection lies beneath the surface; it...
Canvas, Oil
People Watching, Painting, Oil on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Taking a moment to notice the people around you can make a difference in your day. It takes your eyes off your circumstances to look and wonder about the stories and lives of those a...
Oil
LLuis Ribas 5.5.2 Facade Urban Landscape. original figurative
By Lluis Ribas
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Lluís Ribas (El Masnou, Barcelona, 1949) is a Spanish painter whose large and hyper-realistic paintings reflect, above all, the beauty of women framed in nature, preferably in the se...
Acrylic
Blooming Love Story, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By Elisa Costa
Located in Yardley, PA
My work talks about memories and dialogues with various fabrics, laces, colours and textures. The process of transforming different materials into unique pieces inspires me. They ca...
Acrylic
Emile Albert Gruppe Bass Rocks 36x30
Located in Dallas, TX
Emile Albert Gruppe (American, 1896-1978) Bass Rock, 1967 Oil on canvas 30 x 36 inches (76.2 x 91.4 cm) Signed lower right: Emile A. Gruppe Signed, dated, and titled on the stretcher...
Canvas, Oil
$1,832Sale Price|20% Off
Peony Paradise" is an interior painting by Volskaya Lilia.
Located in Zofingen, AG
shipped in roll Peony Paradise" is an interior painting by Volskaya Lilia. The painting is executed in light, bright colors. The luxurious peonies are strategically placed at the e...
Oil, Canvas
The Shield of Heracles, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Title: "The Shield of Heracles" Artist: Derek Overfield The shield of Heracles, wrought by the hands of Hephaestus, appears in the account of the hero's ...
Acrylic
Ducks in Central Park, New York, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Ducks gracefully glide on a pond, echoing the harmonious rhythm of Central Park. The vibrant blue water reflects the bridge and surrounding fiery autumn foliage...
Oil
Closeness, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
The work is made on canvas of 100% high-quality and thick cotton. The Italian canvas is stretched on a solid pine wood frame with a profile thickness of 1.5 cm and a width of 3 cm. S...
Acrylic
$3,206Sale Price|20% Off
Before The Horse Race. Jori Duran expressionist high society sport scene
By Jori Duran
Located in Segovia, ES
The oil on canvas titled 'Avant la Course' (65 x 81 x 3 cm.) reflects the world of high society in the context of horse racing, a setting where eleganc...
Canvas, Oil
The sun is bright. Colorful, framed, warm, landscape, summer, small, hot, sunny
Located in Oslo, NO
The sun fills this landscape until everything seems touched by its heat. The village appears almost unreal, houses with unusual shapes, walls glowing in warm colors, and a space wher...
Canvas, Oil
Zen
Located in Edinburgh, GB
This oil painting presents a dreamlike aquatic world where stylized fish move among abstracted leaves and flowing organic forms. The composition combines figurative elements with exp...
Oil
Obstacles Ahead, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
She takes a deep breath and gets ready for her day. The path is clear at the moment but she knows she will run into obstacles. Here is that woman. Always observing and preparing for ...
Oil
"Grand Studio Celebration Variation, " Mixed Media signed by David Barnett
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Grand Studio Celebration Variation" is an original mixed media piece by David Barnett. The artist signed the piece in the lower right and used watercolor, ink, and iridescent acryli...
Archival Ink, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Watercolor, Rag Paper