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.
Blooming balcony – Impressionist Landscape Garden Oil Painting Wall Art
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
This vibrant oil painting is an evocative landscape painting titled Blooming balcony created by the internationally registered artist Elena Lukina in 2020.As a comforting landscape p...
Canvas, Oil
Spring came!
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this oil painting, I embraced the raw vitality of expressionism to capture the essence of renewal. The figurative approach intertwines with the soft vintage touch, conveying a fin...
Canvas, Oil, Linen
$700
Baker. Happy, bread, bakery, bright, landscape, happiness, kind, framed, gift
Located in Oslo, NO
This painting called "Baker" is from the "We and Our Mountains" series of the artist. This is a right happy oil painting with a funny baker, who is absolutely satisfied with this ni...
Canvas, Oil
The legend of mountains. Love, family, parents, happiness, togetherness, couple
Located in Oslo, NO
"I painted this artwork about being together, being loved, and happy, which is perhaps the most important thing in life. "The legend of mountains" reflects this simple yet profound ...
Canvas, Oil
"Peaches" (2025) Still Life of Fruit and Ceramic, Acrylic/Charcoal Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Leigh Ann Van Fossan's "Peaches" is a charming acrylic and charcoal painting, created on canvas, which depicts peaches resting on a plate near a pitcher of sweet cream. Van Fossan w...
Canvas, Charcoal, Acrylic
$3,087
Eventide by Richard K Blades. Oil painting of the sea at sunset after a storm.
Located in Coltishall, GB
Richard K Blades is an expressive landscape painter working in the English Romantic tradition. He follows in a long line of artists such as Turner, Constable, Seago, Daubigney and C...
Oil, Board
$396Sale Price|43% Off
Fruit Market in Haiti, Expressionist Oil on Canvas, Framed, Circa 1990
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Title: Fruit Market in Haiti Artist: JM Gary Delly Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions (unframed): 9.8 x 7.9 in Dimensions (framed): 15 x 13 in Period: Approx. 1990-1999 Origin: Haiti Condition: Good, with frame included Description of the Artwork This painting captures a lively Haitian market scene, embodying the essence of Haitian primitivist art with its vibrant colors and thick impasto brushstrokes. The scene depicts a bustling marketplace where vendors and buyers interact, surrounded by piles of tropical fruits arranged in baskets. The figures are dressed in bright, contrasting tones, enhancing the painting’s dynamic and energetic atmosphere. The artist’s expressive, thick strokes and saturated colors create a sense of movement and liveliness. The composition is carefully balanced, with figures arranged in different planes, providing depth and perspective in an intuitive manner. The lush vegetation in the background and the bright blue sky add further context to the scene, situating it in the Caribbean setting. Haitian art, influenced by its African and Caribbean heritage, is known for its naïve style and depictions of everyday life. JM Gary Delly follows this tradition, celebrating the vibrancy of Haitian culture in his work. Comparable Artists This artwork shares stylistic similarities with renowned Haitian artists, including: Wilson Bigaud (1931-2010): A master of Haitian art, famous for his detailed depictions of everyday life and folklore. André Normil (1934-2015): Known for his naïve style and colorful representations of Haitian life. Laurent Casimir...
Canvas, Oil
$1,800
La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life) - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Africa
By Olajide Kuti
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
$3,501
Women. Landscape, landscape, modern, contemporary, semiabstract, warm colors
Located in Oslo, NO
This painting feels like stepping into a dream. Women in flowing black dresses stand quietly in warm, golden light. There's a softness in their mystery like they carry secrets, but t...
Canvas, Oil
Deserving More
By Bakare Abubakri-sideeq Babatunde
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
In "Deserving More," the central figure, a man, sits solemnly on a chair, his gaze piercing through the canvas to meet the audience's eyes. A subtle sadness etches his features, refl...
Fabric, Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
We are the same. Warm colors, friendship, man with a bird, together, closed eyes
Located in Oslo, NO
The painting "We Are the Same" shows a man with closed eyes alongside a bird, both captured in quiet stillness. The scene unfolds in soft, subtle tones, where presence and reflection...
Canvas, Oil
$700
Sunny corner. Small, framed, gift sized, landscape, happy, bright, sun, houses
Located in Oslo, NO
This painting is from the series "We and Our Mountains". Artwork is painted in the shades of orange, red, and gold evoking a sunlit landscape full of life and calmness. Nestled bet...
Canvas, Oil
$625Sale Price|40% Off
Market Day in Piazza Grande, Expressionist Oil on Board, 1940s, Framed
Located in London, GB
'Market Day in Piazza Grande, Locarno, Switzerland', oil on board, by unknown artist (1947-48). Locarno is an utterly charming Italian-speaking resort located on the northern shore o...
Oil, Board
Ewie - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Floral, Modern, Women
By Kum Cletus
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 Born in 1993 in...
Canvas, Acrylic
Staircase in Taormina Sicily Expressionist Oil Painting, Signed, 1967
Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL
Staircase in Taormina Sicily 1967 Artist signed lower right corner, canvas size (36x 40). Original vintage frame. Nicola Simbari was born in Italy and grow up in Rome. He studied a...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
$700
What are you dreaming about? Kind, warm, empathy, inner voice, friendship, pet
Located in Oslo, NO
A girl stands with her eyes closed, her deer beside her—two beings breathing in the same silence, bound by something older than words. This is an oil painting from "Alter Ego" seri...
Canvas, Oil
Reflection- 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Fashion
By Gobe Joseph
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 Gob...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
Emglish Peak District, Original painting, landscape, contemporary
Located in Deddington, GB
English Peak District is an Original Oil painting by Eleanor Woolley. The rugged landscape and climbing contours are the inspiration for this Oil Painting. I love the hills that go u...
Canvas, Oil
$450
Waiting for My Name to Return - 21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, People
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 Emma...
Canvas, Acrylic
Ian Hornak, Flowers in the Manner of Redon #8: Delphiniums and Poppies, 1998
By Ian Hornak
Located in Southampton, NY
This exquisite oil painting by Ian Hornak (1944–2002), titled Les fleurs à la Manière de Redon #8: delphiniums and poppies (Flowers in the Manner of Redon #8: Delphiniums and Poppies...
Oil, Panel
Afternoon Colors, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A path leads to Mt. Diablo in this Fauvist landscape. Artist James Hartman used thick layers of oil paint to create an expressive and textured outdoor scene. In...
Oil
$3,350
One Mind With Many Thoughts - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Sometimes, our thoughts can be the enemy. We need to be careful about our thoughts because we can lose ourselves. Life can be tough, filled with challenges and difficulties, but it's...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Expressionist African American Woman Portrait German Brazilian Harry Elsas
Located in Surfside, FL
Framed 20.5 x 18 image 14.5 x 12 Heinz Hugo Erich Elsas, (German-Brazilian 1925-1994) later known as Harry Elsas. Muralist, writer, designer best known as a painter. Born in 1925 in Stuttgart, Germany, 1n 1936 At the age of 14 he moved with his family to Sao Paulo, Brazil fleeing from World War II and of the persecution of the Jews. A self taught artist he was influenced by the Flemish artists, his work reveals remarkable influence of Brueghel and Hieronymus Bosch. He worked in the workshop of Portinari, participating in the Tiradentes mural. His work went through a post-Expressionist phase, culminating in the adoption of cubism and is characterized by the habit of creating a three-dimensional structure before painting a picture. In 1945, he was working with Lasar Segall...
Oil, Board
"Sarabono" (2009) by Jann T. Bass, Original Oil Painting of Landscape
Located in Denver, CO
"Sarabono" (2009) by Jann T. Bass is an original handmade oil painting that depicts a colorful flowery landscape. This painting measures 12 x 14 inches and is ready to hang.
Oil, Board
Flowers in the morning dew, 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 th...
Acrylic
$576Sale Price|20% Off
Purple Tulips, Abstract Expressionist Blooming Flowers, Vigorous Gestures, Flora
Located in Barcelona, ES
"Purple Tulips" is an abstract expressionist painting by Romina Milano where a dance of black gestures unfolds across colorful brushstrokes infused with ...
Ink, Acrylic, Watercolor, Handmade Paper
Hope Not Lost - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Abstraction, Balloon
By Olajide Kuti
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
Voices that aren't mine. Intuition, inner world, birds, red, whimsy, psychology
Located in Oslo, NO
“Voices That Aren’t Mine” is an oil painting from Alter Ego series, inspired by Carl Jung’s analytical psychology. The series explores the inner landscape of the self — the quiet ten...
Canvas, Oil
$700
Girl in a whited dress. Love, friendship, pet, landscape, kind, small, framed
Located in Oslo, NO
This oil painting is a nice story of love and friendship, about a young girl in a white dress and her goat pet, it captures a rural landscape dominated by mountains and houses that ...
Canvas, Oil
North West. Richard K Blades. Oil painting of the sea and sky Turner influence.
Located in Coltishall, GB
North West - a tumultuous seascape beneath a dramatic sky. Blades' textured brushstrokes that merge shades of deep indigo and soft pink, suggest an impending storm. The transition fr...
Oil, Board
$3,350
Don't Be Perfect, Be Real -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait Women
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, Oil, Acrylic
$1,867Sale Price|20% Off
19th Century Expressionist Lake and Mountain Landscape Oil Painting
Located in Genève, GE
Work on canvas
Oil
$700
Tranquility. Blue, small, night, landscape, gift sized, village, quiet, calm
Located in Oslo, NO
A quiet landscape rests in shades of blue and soft carmine, as if evening has gently settled over a dream. The hills dissolve into one another like slow breathing, and the air feels ...
Canvas, Oil
Large Oil Painting Circus Scene Clowns Rediscovered NY Artist Jonah Kinigstein
Located in Surfside, FL
Jonah Kinigstein "Death of a Clown" Large Oil on Board Painting of macabre circus scene with clowns Hand signed lower left and signed and titled verso Frame: 55 X 43 Image: 48 X 36 ...
Oil, Board
$817Sale Price|27% Off
The Secret in Her Eyes, Romantic Realism Oil on Canvas Painting, 1980s
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Technical Sheet - Title: *The Secret in Her Eyes* - Artist: Rosendo González Carbonell - Technique: Oil on canvas - Dimensions: 24 x 20 inches - Framing: Unframed - Style: Romantic realism...
Canvas, Oil
Full Calm
Located in Zofingen, AG
In crafting this piece, I explored the tranquil interplay of light and texture over the serene expanse of water, reflecting a quiet sunset. The gentle blending of acrylic and oil in ...
Oil, Acrylic, Cardboard
Ian Hornak, Primeval Landscape, 1985
By Ian Hornak
Located in Southampton, NY
This exquisite acrylic painting by Ian Hornak (1944–2002), titled Primeval Landscape, was executed in 1985. The masterfully conceived composition belongs to a pivotal and highly sign...
Canvas, Acrylic
Portrait of a Man - Early 20th Century Antique French Expressionist Oil Painting
Located in Sevenoaks, GB
A superb large early 20th century French expressionist oil on canvas depicting a seated man. Very similar to the work of Chaïm Soutine (1893-1943). Excellent quality depiction of th...
Oil, Canvas
$9,750
"Wild and Beautiful II" - Colorful Impasto Abstract Floral Inspired Oil Painting
Located in Carmel, CA
Sveta Hessler (Russian, born 1973) "Wild and Beautiful II" 2025 Oil Paint, Canvas, Stretcher Bars The artist signed the back of the painting. Sveta Hessler explodes the traditional ...
Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars
Solitude - 21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, Expressionism, 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 Emma...
Canvas, Acrylic
Sea of Blues N10, Abstract Blue and White Fish Patterns, Mediterranean Style
Located in Barcelona, ES
This series by Enric Servera explores the relationship of humans to salt and seawater. The intention of these works is to submerge us into the sea, a salty treasure that surrounds us and reminds us of its natural beauty and the importance of its preservation. Details: Title: Sea of Blue N10 Medium: Mixed Media on Paper Size: 63 x 90 cm (28.4 x 35.4 inches). Year: 2021 * Frame is for illustrative purposes only. Artwork shipped carefully rolled and packaged in a tube. * Certificate of Authenticity provided. Enric Servera (Ciutadella de Menorca, 1970) lives and works between Barcelona and Menorca, Spain. His works explores the colors and forms of the ocean, inspired by the fauna and flora of the Mediterranean Sea. His work has shown in galleries across Spain, and is part of several public and private collections. Words that may describe this series of artworks are: Mediterranean-inspired art, abstract sea...
Paper, Acrylic, Watercolor
Trying to Leave Myself 2 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, People
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 Emma...
Canvas, Mixed Media
$1,200
Interspecies Communication, colorful mythological swirling pattern orange tones
By Janet Morgan
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Watercolor, mixed media, using resists and metalic paints and old pastels. For Octopus and cephalopod fans. Janet Morgan’s explosive art captures the exu...
Mixed Media, Watercolor, Archival Paper
Sisters in Yellow 3
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. A sister is a gi...
Canvas, Acrylic
Amroth seascape at night
By Rupert Aker
Located in Deddington, GB
Amroth seascape at night by Rupert Aker [2021] original Oil on board Image size: H:30 cm x W:40 cm Complete Size of Unframed Work: H:40 cm x W:40 cm x D:3cm Frame Size: H:33 cm x W:...
Oil, Board
$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
"Valley View" (2009) by Jann T. Bass, Original Oil Painting of Landscape
Located in Denver, CO
"Valley View" (2009) by Jann T. Bass is an original handmade oil painting that depicts a lush green valley with a small lake in the middle. This painting measures 9 x 12 inches and i...
Oil, Board
Mid Century Expressionist Matador
Located in San Francisco, CA
Beautiful mid century mystery painting. Expressionist bull fighting oil on canvas with fabulous fauvist colors. It is signed upper right corner, but I cannot make it out. Painting me...
Oil
Mountain Range, Oil Painting on Canvas by Jalal Gharbi
By Jalal Gharbi
Located in Long Island City, NY
A large oil painting of a dramatic Mountain Range by Tunisian-born artist, Jalal Gharbi (1920 - 2005). The painting measures 30 x 40 inches and the frame 37.5 x 47.5 inches.
Canvas, Oil
"Dream of Isles" (2023) by Leigh Ann Van Fossan, Original Acrylic &Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Leigh Ann Van Fossan's "Dream of Isles" (2023) is an original, handmade oil and acrylic abstract painting with bright colors. Van Fossan was born in Vail, Colorado, and began oil ...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$1,210
Sarita's Twist, Nude Painting, Life Painting, Figurative Art, Mute Colourful Art
Located in Deddington, GB
Sarita’s Twist by Judith Brenner [2022] original mixed media on paper Image size: H:84.1 cm x W:59.4 cm Complete Size of Unframed Work: H:84.1 cm x W:59.4 cm x D:0.2cm Sold Unfra...
Paper, Mixed Media
Meneses. MALLORCA. square. LANDSCAPE- original acrylic wodd painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
MAJORCA. LANDSCAPE- original acrylic wodd painting. This Catalan painter, settled for years in Mallorca, offers a series of landscapes in which the natural is treated in the impress...
Wood, Oil
$3,151
Peacocks 36. Figurative Oil Painting, Colorful, Pop art, Animals, Polish artist
Located in Warsaw, PL
RAFAŁ GADOWSKI (born in 1973) Studied at The European Academy of Arts in Warsaw Faculty of Painting, as well as at the Faculty of Graphic Art at the Cracow Academy of Fine Arts. He...
Canvas, Oil
$1,800
"Mexican Outdoor Scene with Figures" Expressionistic Style Oil Painting on Board
Located in New York, NY
A strong modernist oil painting depicted in the Mid Century by Russian painter Michael Baxte. Mostly known for his abstracted figures on canvas or street scenes, this piece is a wond...
Oil, Masonite
$2,152
Afternoon Stroll - 1950's French Expressionist Mid Century Landscape Painting
By André Beaucé
Located in Sevenoaks, GB
A beautiful large 1950's French expressionist oil on canvas depicting locals taking an afternoon stroll, by Paris painter André Beaucé. Excellent quality ...
Canvas, Oil
Revelation, abstract female Figure, back view, Paint strokes, colorful
By Tom Bennett
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Conremporay figurative painting created with heavy impasto and agresssive, active brush strokes featuring a semi abstracted female figure viewd from the back. A mixture of representa...
Canvas, Oil
One More Shot 1 - 21st Century Contemporary Figurative, Sport, Golf, Green
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, Oil, Acrylic
$1,520Sale Price|20% Off
Landscape 139 by Jean Krille - Oil on Canvas board 50x60 cm
By Jean Krille
Located in Geneva, CH
Jean Krillé’s paintings are known for their expressive use of color and dynamic, abstract forms, blending realism with abstraction in his depictions of nature. His landscapes often f...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
$1,580
No Ordinary Winter's Tale: Resilience, the War 1943, German Expressionist oil
Located in Norwich, GB
This is no ordinary winter scene. It is the story of prosecution and survival; of resolve and resilience during World War 2, as it was experienced by German Expressionist Heinz Lohma...
Oil, Board
$1,073Sale Price|20% Off
Large French Expressionist Floral Still Life Oil Painting
Located in AIGNAN, FR
Expressionist floral on a grand scale! This large and colourful modern oil painting on canvas is by French artist Colette Chasseigneaux (1925-2017). A gorgeous array of colour, but ...
Oil