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.
$1,309Sale Price|30% Off
Lake view by A. Muller - Oil on canvas 60x73 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Work on canvas with a frame; total size 80x93 cm
Oil
'Summer Flowers', Paris, Salon d'Automne, Post-Impressionist California Artist
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
'Summer Flowers' by Irma Engel Grabhorn Paris, Salon d'Automne, Post-Impressionist California Artist ---- Signed lower right 'Engel' for Irma Engel Grabhorn (American, 1908-2003) an...
Canvas, Oil
$2,800
Deserving More: Mixed Media Expressionist Painting, Unframed
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
$5,000
In The Stillness of Thoughts -21st Century, Expressionist Modern, Child, Balloon
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, Acrylic
$10,178
If Only I Could - original abstract figurative landscape painting-contemporary
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Oil
Still Life with Wildflowers, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Vases and pots support an array of textured wildflowers, standing out against a rich, dark background. A freeform stripe pattern on the tablecloth adds rhythm a...
Oil
$450
Your Life's Matter 2 - 21st Century Contemporary Figurative, Portrait, 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 Eli...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$3,480Sale Price|20% Off
Gentleman 1 - 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, Pastel, Acrylic
$1,550
Still Life With Oil Lamp in a Room Interior, Expressionistic Oil on Canvas
Located in Stockholm, Stockholm
Expressionistic still life with oil lamp in a room interior, signed by Arne Roland Anderson (1915-1982) and probably painted in 1938. Oil on canvas. Signed a.r.a. lower left. Accordi...
Canvas, Oil
$1,760Sale Price|20% Off
Les Non-Dits (The Unsaid) 2, - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
From The Things We Don’t Say Out Loud Series Men deserve flowers, too not just after the struggle but in the middle of it while becoming is still happening There are parts of us we l...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
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
Sailing Ships, Modern Art Oil Painting on Board
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Unknown Title: Sailing Ships Medium: Oil on Canvas, signed "Thoms", lower left Size: 24 x 20 inches
Oil, Board
$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
"The Fragile Rhythm of Petals" Horizontal Oil Painting – 2017
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
This original horizontal oil painting from the series "The Silent Pulse of Decadence" explores the tension between structure and fading life. The composition presents a sharp contras...
Canvas, Oil
$4,266Sale Price|50% Off
"Expressionist Oil Painting 'Landscape', Canvas, Belgian, Circa 1928"
Located in London, GB
'Landscape', oil on canvas, by Charles Kvapil (1928). The artist, Kvapil, has scores of tremendous artworks which depict scenes in nature such as this one. Here, a bit of Mediterrane...
Canvas, Oil
$50,000
Cabeza de Nina Negra, Signed Exhibited at the Museo Guayasamín
By Oswaldo Guayasamin
Located in Miami, FL
Oswaldo Guayasamín creates a soulful and insightful portrait of a young black girl. The artist is known for his sensitive depictions of the raw human condition, systemic injustice, a...
Paper, Mixed Media, Oil
Somerset Lake by Joanna Commings, Original art, landscape art, Impasto art
Located in Deddington, GB
Somerset Lake by Joanna Commings [2021] original and hang signed by the artist Acrylics on canvas Image size: H:50 cm x W:60 cm Complete Size of Unframed Work: H:50 cm x W:60 cm ...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
German Expressionist Oil Painting Bruno Krauskopf Cubist Cafe Scene
Located in Surfside, FL
Bruno Krauskopf (Germany, 1892-1960) Outdoor Restaurant Bar Cafe Scene Oil on canvas Dimensions: Frame: H 34 in W 44 in. Canvas: H 30-1/2 in. W 40 in. ...
Canvas, Oil
$3,182
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
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
C'est le Passe que Nous Attendons
Located in Long Island City, NY
An oil painting by Theo Tobiasse from 1967. An expressionist-style textural painting of intensely dark and vivid color palette. Inspired from the artist's personal experiences of the...
Canvas, Oil
Three Rabbis at The Torah, Expressionist Judaica Painting
By Andre Elbaz
Located in Surfside, FL
In this painting the artist uses gestural brushstrokes, which causes distortion and exaggeration for emotional effect. Andre Elbaz uses as his subject three male figures with tefilin...
Paper, Gouache
Interminable, colorful abstracted male nude figure modern cubist
By Tom Bennett
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This is an oil painting on canvas with aggressive, active, colorful strokes representing a male nude figure from the waist up. Emotionally charged and...
Oil
Melanin - 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, Oil, Acrylic, Mixed Media
$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
$1,800
"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
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
$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
$706
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
$1,996Sale Price|20% Off
Large Vintage Expressionist Landscape Original Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
A gorgeous bright green expressionist landscape by Carl Ashby. From the collection of renowned painter Steve Wheeler. Nicely framed in a gold and black wooden floater frame. Measurin...
Oil, Canvas
$1,800Sale Price|20% Off
Mother's Strength - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Modern
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
This artwork celebrates the resilience and unwavering strength of motherhood. The mother carries her child close to her heart while balancing the demands of daily life. Her calm expr...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$10,019Sale Price|32% Off
Woman Surrealism Oil on Canvas Painting, Expressionist, Framed, 2000s
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Artist: Alvar Suñol Title: Figurative Composition Date: c.2000 Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions (canvas): 81 x 100 cm (31.9 x 39.3 in) Framed: Yes Condition: Excellent Alvar Suñol –...
Canvas, Oil
Abstracted Alchemy Contemporary Abstract Painting on Canvas
By Jodi Ferrier
Located in Washington, DC
Abstract Alchemy is a captivating 24" x 48" contemporary painting that explores the transformative power of color, gesture, and form. Layered with expressive brushstrokes and an eart...
Acrylic
Café de la Gare - Mid 20th Century French Expressionist Figurative Oil Painting
Located in Sevenoaks, GB
A superb mid 20th century French expressionist oil on canvas depicting a café de la gare (station café) as inscribed on the reverse. Numerous well dressed figures stand at the café ...
Canvas, Oil
Vintage Modernist Beach Sunset Vibrantly Toned Seascape Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage French expressionist beach scene. Framed. Measuring: 10 by 15 inches overall and 4 by 9 painting alone. Signed. Excellent condition, ready to hang and enjoy.
Oil, Board
Woman with a Chef's Hat, Expressionist Oil Painting, Framed, 1910s
By René Guinand
Located in Genève, GE
A compelling and psychologically charged portrait by Swiss painter René Guinand, signed and dated 1918. Executed in oil on canvas, this striking work depi...
Oil, Canvas
$226Sale Price|20% Off
Shepherd. Oil on canvas and cardboard, 24 x 26 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Shepherd. Oil on canvas and cardboard, 24 x 26 cm Victor Karnauh (1950, Dnepropetrovsk Oblast, Ukrainian SSR – 2012, Dnepropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine) – a painter, a monument designer...
Oil, Canvas, Cardboard
$709Sale Price|20% Off
Rouen Street Scene Thickly Painted 20th Century French Signed Oil Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist/ School: French Expressionist School, indistinctly signed Title: Rouen street scene Medium: signed oil painting on canvas, unframed. Siz...
Oil, Canvas
Expression with sunflowers 50X50
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In creating this vibrant piece, I embraced the vivid, passionate essence of sunflowers. My brushstrokes carry the emotion of raw energy juxtaposed with the gentle dance of light, hop...
Canvas, Oil
"On the Vine" (2023) By John McCaw, Expressionist Mixed Media Painting
By John McCaw
Located in Denver, CO
John McCaw's (US based) "On the Vine" is a beautiful original expressionist mixed media on canvas painting that depicts a ripe pepper plant with flowers in tow. John McCaw (b. 1967...
Mixed Media, Board
Crepe-Myrtle 2, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A crepe-myrtle tree blooms with delicate flowers that resemble colorful confetti. Its leaves sway gently in the breeze, glowing softly in the summer sunlight. E...
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
$874Sale Price|20% Off
20th Century French Expressionist Provencal Landscape Green Hills & Town
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
'Green Hills in Provence' French School, late 20th century oil on thin board, unframed board: 13.5 x 18 inches the painting is in overall very good and sou...
Oil
Cascading Waves of the Caribbean, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Elena Lukina
Located in Yardley, PA
In this dynamic oil painting, I've captured the power and grace of the sea, blending impressionism with touches of realism to evoke the raw beauty of nature. The vibrant hues and exp...
Oil
$4,200
"Days Like This" - Acrylic Abstract Painting With Layered Color Fields
Located in Denver, CO
"Days Like This" (2023) is an original, handmade painting by Leigh Ann Van Fossan. Created with acrylic on canvas, the artwork measures 40 x 30 x 2 inches (101.60 x 76.20 x 5.08 cm)....
Acrylic, Canvas
$1,696
Magic Unicorn" animal painting portrait of an animal in oil of Volskya Lily
Located in Zofingen, AG
Magic Unicorn" animal painting portrait of an animal in oil of Volsky Lily. This magical painting will delight and make even the saddest person smile. It seems to me that if you ask,...
Oil, Acrylic, Paste, Canvas
Mid Century Expressionist Landscape, Oil on Canvas. The Countryside
Located in Cotignac, FR
Mid Century oil on canvas landscape painting by Franco Hungarian artist Elemer Vagh Weinmann. The painting is signed bottom right and is presented in a custom gilt frame with a white...
Canvas, Oil
$1,884Sale Price|20% Off
Elegant Female Portrait with Red Ceramic Jar and Blue Mediterranean Shawl Oil
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Elegant Female Portrait with Red Ceramic Jar and Blue Mediterranean Shawl Artist: Federico Molina Albero Title: Female Portrait with Red Ceramic Jar Technique: Oil on canvas Support...
Oil
$2,487Sale Price|20% Off
Still life. 2007, oil on canvas, 60x73 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Still life. 2007, oil on canvas, 60x73 cm Sergey Inkatov Was born: 13.09.1971 in Baku. Painter Sergey Inkatov belongs to young generation of artists of Estonia. He was born in Ba...
Canvas, Oil
Empathy. Kind, sympathy, hugs, semi abstract, warm colors, psychology, emotional
Located in Oslo, NO
Three beings merge in a silent embrace -a white animal, a blue woman with flowers in her hair, and another blue figure resting against her. Their bodies glow with orange and yellow w...
Canvas, Oil
Expressionist Oil Painting Paris Scene View Architectural Visionism Olivier Foss
By Oliver Foss
Located in Surfside, FL
"Street Scene" by Olivier B. Foss is an iconic artwork representational of mid-century French Expressionist painting. The artist's personal visionary style is at once gestural, power...
Canvas, Oil
"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
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
"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
$4,712
"The Hidden Veil of Roses" Oil Painting – Subsurface LuminousFlesh Impression
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
"The Hidden Veil of Roses" (2013) is an evocative original oil painting from the acclaimed series "The Inner Mirror: Echoes of Identity", exploring a profound psychological landscape...
Canvas, Oil
$1,800
Echoes of the Mind 2 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, 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 Bey...
Canvas, Oil
Expressionist Colorful Landscape Oil Paint : San Antonio
Located in Segovia, ES
San Antonio . Oil on canvas by Spanish artist Chico Montilla. Measurements: (H) 65 x (W) 81 x 2 (D) cm. Framed 85 x 101 x 5 cm. San Antonio, another expressionist view of the countr...
Canvas, Oil
Pacific Seaside Sunset, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
An oversized abstract seascape, inspired by the incredible sunsets along the California coast., The transient beauty of a sunset by the sea is expressed with vigorous brushstrokes an...
Acrylic
Focus Mixed Media 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, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$450
One More Shot 3 - 21st Century Contemporary Figurative, Sport, Football, 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