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.
Tree of Life – Impressionist Landscape Garden Oil Painting Wall Art
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Tree of life" (2023) is a conceptual and metaphysical centerpiece within my "Garden of Resonance" series, exploring the eternal theme of spiritual rebirth. With this large-scale oi...
Canvas, Oil
Woman Reading in an Interior, Expressionist Oil Painting
Located in Genève, GE
Dimensions with frame: 46,5 x 41,5 x 5,5cm. Signed and dated "Eloise 68" along the right edge. This expressive portrait depicts a seated woman captured within a domestic interior, h...
Canvas, Oil
$3,323
Elena Lukina: The Final Glow, Abstract Gold Landscape Painting (Vienna 2026)
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
"The Final Glow" (2026) is the finale of the project "The Light of Transfiguration," functioning as an Independent Virtual Satellite for the Vienna fall season. The canvas manifests ...
Canvas, Oil
$486Sale Price|20% Off
Mid-20th Century French Expressionist Landscape River and Colorful Mountains
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Expressionist Landscape signed gouache painting on artist paper painting: 9.75 x 12.75 inches provenance: private collection, England condition: very good and sound condition Descr...
Gouache
Côte d’Azur
Located in Sheffield, MA
Michel Dureuil French, born 1929 Côte d’Azur Oil on Canvas 15 by 18 ¼ in, w/ frame 22 ¾ by 25 ¾ in Signed lower right Michel Dureuil was born in Paris...
Oil
Benavente Solís Coast BeachB original figuratif acrylic painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
landscape- original figuratif acrylic painting .virtual framed of the Spanish artist BENAVENTE SOLIS. Watercolor on paper. Perfect state During its first exhibition in Paris, the...
Watercolor
$1,200Sale Price|20% Off
"Carnival in Rio" - Colorful horizontal expressionist painting.
By Luis Filcer
Located in Miami, FL
The celebration of the yearly Carnival in exuberant Rio de Janeiro.
Paper, Acrylic
Marc Jesus Red Blue Table original expressionist acrylic paper painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
MARC JESUS VIVES - Ibiza 1966 Since 1984, he lives and works in Ciudadela de Menorca. (Balearic Islands) Between 1985 and 1988 he studied design in Ciudadela and the Mahon Costume...
Paper, Acrylic
$1,850
Gazing Through Ankara 2, Expressionist Oil on Canvas, Unframed
By Bakare Abubakri-sideeq Babatunde
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
"Gazing Through Ankara" is a captivating series of paintings that celebrates the beauty, diversity, and individuality of black African women through the exploration of eyewear and An...
Fabric, Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
Prince Choko - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Modern, Africa
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Dan...
Canvas, Oil, Charcoal
$1,189Sale Price|20% Off
Family on a Bench at the Port, Expressionist Oil on Board, 1970s
Located in London, GB
'Family Seated on a Bench at the Port', oil on board, by François Diana (circa 1970s). A painting with a very wholesome, homespun theme harks back to a more innocent time. A family i...
Oil, Board
The Rhythm of Ethereal Structures, Impressionist Oil Painting, Canvas
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
"The Rhythm of Ethereal Structures" by Elena Lukina (2022), from the series "The Architecture of Fragility". In this artwork, the artist transcends the traditional botanical subject,...
Canvas, Oil
Synchronized Traces of the Wind, Impasto Botanical Oil Painting, Fine Art
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Synchronized Traces of the Wind" by Elena Lukina (2022), from the series "The Architecture of Fragility". This authentic Alla prima oil painting on stretched canvas is calibrated to...
Canvas, Oil
$481
"Blooming pink" Contemporary expressionist still life floral painting on paper
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“Blooming Pink” is a vibrant original floral painting by French artist Natalya Mougenot, a contemporary expression of color, emotion, and painterly freedom. This 29.7 x 42 cm (appro...
Paper, Acrylic
Eternal Payment in Fertile Land 1 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Apple
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube. This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Penuel Heber Ma...
Paper, Charcoal, Pencil
$2,089Sale Price|30% Off
Row of Plane Trees In Winter - Maussane-les-Alpilles
By Yves Brayer
Located in London, GB
'Row of Plane Trees In Winter - Maussane-les-Alpilles', Provence, watercolour and pencil on art paper, by Yves Brayer (1946). A line of Plane trees greets visitors to almost every vi...
Paper, Watercolor, Pencil
Take the Cannoli food still life Italian pastry delicious tasty sweet treats
Located in Brooklyn, NY
oil paint on wood with a rough stippled texture. the artist sometimes primes his painting surfaces with a sand like material for a coarse texture. this part of his continuing series ...
Oil
SPRING FOREST, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By LE ANH TUAN
Located in Yardley, PA
In this piece, I embraced nature's renewal, channeling the vibrant vitality of spring through my brush. Employing acrylics, I layered hues and textures to convey the blossoming ene...
Acrylic
RAVENTOS. Piano original expressionist acrylic painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
"Barcelona" original expressionist acrylic painting RAVENTÓS Mª Assumpció – (San Sadurní d’Anoia, Barcelona 1930). Raventos trained at the elite Sant Jordi School of Fine Arts in B...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Water lily inspiration
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In creating this painting, I was inspired by the tranquil beauty of water lilies. I aimed to capture their serene essence and the dynamic interplay of light on water. This piece blen...
Canvas, Oil
$2,000Sale Price|20% Off
County Mayo Beach
Located in Booklyn, NY
This painting is one of the finest examples of Tom's painting style and materials. Color and paint burst across the canvas, imbued with movement of clouds, sun and water. From a distant shore, County Mayo...
Canvas, Oil, Pigment
$1,600Sale Price|20% Off
County Mayo Sunset
Located in Booklyn, NY
County Mayo Ireland is a very special place. My dear old friend Grace ended up settling here with her husband. Hers is a story of romance, love, illness, ...
Canvas, Oil
Titulado "Músicos" - Óleo sobre tela - Firmado y enmarcado
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
Firmado en la parte trasera Se presenta enmarcada la obra El estado es bueno Medidas de la obra: 73 cm. De altura x 60 cm. De ancho Medidas del marco: 78 cm. De altura x 65 cm. D...
Oil
Expressionist Large Oil Painting of Two Knitters, Signed, 73x92 cm
By Jean Arène
Located in Cotignac, FR
French Mid Century Large Expressionist oil on canvas of two seated Provencale figures, Le Tricoteur, by Jean Arene. The painting is signed and dated bottom left. Painted when Arene...
Canvas, Oil
$450
Carnation Flowers -21st Century Contemporary Nature, Floral, Landscape, Interior
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Eli...
Canvas, Acrylic
Blossoming Benevolence, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By Amanda Dagg
Located in Yardley, PA
"Blossoming Benevolence" is a captivating 20x20 inch acrylic on canvas painting that exudes warmth and vibrancy. The artwork features a thick, textured surface that adds depth and di...
Acrylic
Landscape with haystacks, Oluf Høst painting, oil on canvas, Bognemark, Denmark
Located in Aarhus C, DK
A rare and atmospheric work by the Bornholm painter Oluf Høst, executed in oil on canvas. The motif depicts a characteristic Bornholm landscape with haystacks at Bognemark on Bornhol...
Oil, Canvas
$1,520Sale Price|20% Off
Lofoton Morning, Norway
Located in Booklyn, NY
Verified original work by Tom irizarry. Handmade oil paint made by artist, pigments on canvas, 16 x 20 inches. Morning view of Lofoton mountain range, Norway. 2024. 16 x 20 inches, o...
Canvas, Oil, Pigment
$1,702Sale Price|40% Off
Still Life with Pineapple, Expressionist Oil on Panel, Circa 1960s
Located in London, GB
'Still Life with Pineapple', oil on panel, by Lucien Martial (circa 1960s). Like human life, fruit is perishable and ephemeral, and thus many believe th...
Oil, Board
$1,000
Bloom - 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Modern, Women, Floral
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Ola...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,500
Escapade 2 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Modern, Africa
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
This piece was born from a moment of stillness, a quiet observation of how we carry entire landscapes within us. I kept thinking about how we often stand between mountains we did not...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$1,260
Locarno
Located in Genève, GE
Dimensions with frame: 50 x 61 x 3,5 cm. Monogrammed and dated "YLG 40" in the lower left corner. A serene and atmospheric village scene depicting rustic European houses nestled alo...
Oil, Wood Panel
Young Girl in Pink
By Béla Czóbel
Located in Chicago, IL
Béla Czóbel, Paintings, Watercolors, Drawings, R. S. Johnson Fine Art, Chicago, 1996: no. 60 and reproduced on page 95 of catalogue.
Canvas, Oil
Culture 3 Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Expressionist, 21st Century
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure FREE Shipping Worldwide Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authent...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,375
Elena Lukina: Solar Echoes: Chromatic Radiance. Radiant Vitality Series. 2023
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Solar Echoes: Radiant Vitality" series, Elena Lukina focuses on the interplay of chromatic vibration and atmospheric depth. Painted on a canvas, the artwork translates the rhythmic ...
Canvas, Oil
$1,650
Set of 2: Luminous Coastline, Mount Fuji and Cherry Blossoms at Lake Kawaguchiko
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
Set of 2 paintings 1. "Luminous Coastline" is an exquisite 2024 original oil painting from the prestigious series Gravity of Light: Marine Chronicles. Created on world-renowned Ital...
Canvas, Oil
$74,623
Nature morte au réchaud by Bernard Buffet - Still life, painting, Oil on panel
Located in London, GB
*PLEASE NOTE UK BUYERS WILL ONLY PAY 5% VAT ON THIS PURCHASE. Once an order is placed we will arrange the VAT of 20% to be reduced to 5% Nature morte au réchaud by Bernard Buffet (1...
Oil, Panel
Peach blossom in Spring (60cm x 80cm), 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
$4,500
Eclipse with Four Characters, Oil on Canvas, Signed, 1928, Framed
Located in Saint Amans des cots, FR
Oil on canvas by Amedee de La PATELLIERE, France, 1928. Eclipse with four characters. With frame: 63x54 cm - 24.8x21.25 inches ; without frame: 41x33 cm - 16.15x13 inches. Format 6F...
Canvas, Oil
"Lighthouse of Peggy's Cove" - Impasto Expressionist Coastal Landscape Painting
By Sandra Pratt
Located in Denver, CO
"Lighthouse of Peggy's Cove" is a beautiful original impasto oil painting, created on linen panel by American artist Sandra Pratt, which depicts a lighthouse on a rocky peninsula, st...
Oil, Board
"Bouquet of flowers with mimosas", 20th Century Oil on Canvas by Moïse Kisling
Located in Madrid, ES
MOÏSE KISLING French-Polish, 1891 - 1953 BOUQUET OF FLOWERS WITH MIMOSAS signed and dedicated "à Edith Mara, Kisling" (lower left) oil on canvas 13 x 88-1/2 inches (33 x 22.5 cm.) fr...
Canvas, Oil
Mama's Backyard -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Women, African
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Dan...
Canvas, Charcoal, Oil
"Silence in distortion"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Painted from life, this work explores intimacy, vulnerability, and the physical presence of the human body. The figure is simplified into large geometric planes and slightly fracture...
Plywood, Acrylic
8 Inner Garden Oil Painting on Canvas, Expressionist, 2010s, Unframed
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
THE PROJECT: INDEPENDENT PAVILION VENICE 2026 This work is a cornerstone of the "In Minor Keys: The Turquoise Silence" series — a large-scale artistic manifesto created specifically ...
Canvas, Oil, Linen
Bright day. blue, small, landscape, sunny, light, bright, framed, happy
Located in Oslo, NO
This is a painting from the series "We and our mountains" . A bright landscape of turquoise skies, yellow hills, and small houses scattered across the countryside. The strong colors...
Canvas, Oil
Benavente Solis .bullfight original expressionist acrylic painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
bullfight original expressionist acrylic painting. Framed During its first exhibition in Paris, the French press catalogs it like "The Catalan Sorolla". Honorary Member of the MECOA...
Canvas, Acrylic
$4,000
In Bloom - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Realism, Nude, Black and White
By Sayeed Momoh
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
As in the process of the creation of In Bloom, a blatant ensembling of thoughts and becoming lurked around the process, masked and dropped against a suspended figure in an intimate-a...
Paper, Charcoal
Summer. Flowers. Herbs., Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Summer. Flowers. Herbs. A holiday of succulent herbs on a summer day, the whole earth is warmed by warmth, clear skies, bright wildflowers, poppies create an atmosphere of relaxation...
Acrylic
$970
Pentium II, Expressionist Painting, Vigorous Gestures Icons, Acrylic on Paper
Located in Barcelona, ES
Details: Title: Pentium II Medium: Acrylic Painting on Watercolor Paper Size: 100x 70 cm (40x 28 inches). Year: 2026 Artist: Alberto de Blobs Artist's signature: Right corner * Fra...
Paper, Acrylic
"Venice Twilight", 19th Century Oil on Canvas by Charles-Clément Calderon
Located in Madrid, ES
CHARLES - CLÉMENT CALDERON French, 1870 - 1906 VENICE TWILIGHT signed "C. Calderon" (lower right) oil on canvas 15-1/4 x 21-3/4 inches (38.5 x 55 cm.) ...
Canvas, Oil
Jeremy on acid - Julien Wolf, 21st Century, Contemporary figurative painting
By Julien Wolf
Located in Paris, FR
Oil on canvas Signed Unique work
Canvas, Oil
$4,850
Even in Pain - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Modern, Love
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Set in a small, resilient village on September 1, 2022, ADEROGBA, a young artist, loses his eyesight due to a sudden illness. With a chain on his hands symbolizing pain. Devastated b...
Canvas, Acrylic, Oil
Echoes of a Loud Mind - 21st Century, Contemporary, Abstract, Mixed Media
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issued by the Gal...
Canvas, Charcoal, Acrylic, Pastel
Flower landscape
Located in Edinburgh, GB
In "Flower landscape", a lush, vibrant meadow bursts with rich textures of red, purple, and gold beneath a dramatic, glowing red sky punctuated by a solitary moon and a distant house...
Oil
The Silent Order of Transitions, Impasto Botanical Oil Painting, Fine Art
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
"The Silent Order of Transitions" by Elena Lukina (2022), from the series "The Architecture of Fragility". This authentic Alla prima oil painting on stretched canvas is calibrated to...
Canvas, Oil
$745
"Blue and gold" Contemporary figurative still life abstract acrylic painting
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Blue and Gold" is an original contemporary floral still life painting by French artist Natalya Mougenot, featuring a radiant bouquet of yellow flowers in a cobalt blue vase. Paint...
Paper, Acrylic
Ballerina 4
Located in Zofingen, AG
In creating this piece, I immersed myself in the fusion of expressionism, impressionism, and pop art to capture the dynamic spirit of a ballet dancer. With acrylic and oil, I layered...
Canvas, Acrylic, Oil
Bring Me To Life - Vibrant green abstract landscape painting
Located in Silverthorne, CO
This captivating contemporary oil on canvas is an evocative exploration of light and organic form. Utilizing a luminous palette of forest greens, emerald, and sky blue, the artist cr...
Canvas, Oil
Moment in winter, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By LE HAI LINH
Located in Yardley, PA
B?c tranh g?c v? kho?nh kh?c và o ?ông ph?n ánh tinh th?n không gian c?a c?nh v?t, b?u không khÃ
Acrylic
$2,704
Expressionist Watercolour Portrait Study, 20th Century, School of Max Pechstein
Located in Cotignac, FR
Surrealist Expressionist portrait, watercolour on paper. The painting is initial signed HP bottom right. To the backboard is an inscription: ' H M Pechstein etude portrait vers 1913 ...
Paper, Watercolor