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.
Maximilien Luce (French, 1858-1941) Femme Lavant le Linge
Located in Dallas, TX
MAXIMILIEN LUCE (French, 1858-1941) Femme Lavant le Linge Estate stamped signature 'Luce' (lower right) Oil on canvas Canvas: 16 1/4 x 13 in. (41.3 x 33.0 cm) framed: 25 1/4 x 22 x 1...
Canvas, Oil
Church in the Square
Located in Sheffield, MA
Élisée Maclet French, 1881-1962 Church in the Square Oil on board 18 ¼ by 24 in, w/ frame 26 ¼ by 32 in Signed lower left Born in Lihons-en-Santerre April 12, 1881, Elisée Maclet b...
Oil
High on Love, Impressionist Animal Painting, Oil on Canvas, 2026
By Oksana 5
Located in Edinburgh, GB
"High on Love" is an expressive textured oil painting that captures a tender, intimate moment between a mother giraffe and her calf. Painted against a rich, shimmering golden backgro...
Oil
"The Rio Grande Near Taos III" (2006) By Joellyn Duesberry, Monotype
Located in Denver, CO
"Rio Grande near Taos" (2006) By Joellyn Duesberry is an original handmade monotype print that depicts an abstracted landscape with a forked river running through it. A self-taught ...
Paper, Monotype
$3,418
Survival colour - Julien Wolf, 21st Century, Contemporary Expressionist Drawing
By Julien Wolf
Located in Paris, FR
Pastel and charcoal on paper 2020 Signed Unique work Julien Wolf is a French painter born in 1981 in Strasbourg, France. In 2007, he graduated from the DNSEP Art section at the St...
Paper, Charcoal, Oil Pastel
$4,444
What should I do with the ball ? Julien Wolf Contemporary Expressionist Painting
By Julien Wolf
Located in Paris, FR
Oil on canvas 2018 Signed Unique work Julien Wolf is a French painter born in 1981 in Strasbourg, France. In 2007, he graduated from the DNSEP Art section at the Strasbourg Decora...
Canvas, Oil
"Summer glow" Contemporary figurative woman's portrait acrylic painting on paper
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“Summer Glow” by Natalya Mougenot is a contemporary figurative portrait painting depicting a woman at rest, created in acrylic on heavyweight professional acid-free Canson paper, var...
Paper, Acrylic
$1,197Sale 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
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Quiet Strength 1 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, Oil, Modern, Fashion
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, Oil
$2,240Sale Price|20% Off
Resilient Beauty: 21st Century Oil Portrait on Canvas, Unframed
By Bakare Abubakri-sideeq Babatunde
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
The painting is a stunning portrait of a black African woman with an intricate afro hairstyle that dominates the canvas. The use of vibrant oil colors on Ankara fabric gives the painting a rich texture and a sense of depth as if the woman is emerging from the fabric itself. The woman's gaze is direct and unwavering, conveying a sense of strength and resilience in the face of adversity. The Ankara fabric, a traditional African textile, adds a cultural dimension to the painting, highlighting the importance of heritage and identity. The combination of traditional fabric and contemporary art techniques makes the painting a unique and powerful piece that celebrates the beauty and strength of black African women. The painting invites the audience to appreciate the rich cultural heritage and diversity of Africa and to recognize the beauty and power of African women. 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 Bakare Babatunde...
Fabric, Canvas, Oil
Gloutorama - Julien Wolf, 21st Century, Contemporary Expressionist Drawing
By Julien Wolf
Located in Paris, FR
Pastel and charcoal on paper 2020 Signed Unique work Julien Wolf is a French painter born in 1981 in Strasbourg, France. In 2007, he graduated from the DNSEP Art section at the St...
Paper, Charcoal, Oil Pastel
$1,560Sale Price|20% Off
The Preparation - 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative, Africa, Music
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
A quiet moment before the music begins. Surrounded by scattered fragments, she gathers her thoughts onto paper while the cello waits beside her, holding the weight of the melodies ye...
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,096Sale 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
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
$46,500
Untitled
By Hunt Slonem
Located in Fairfield, CT
Hunt Slonem is a renowned painter known for producing Representational imagery and combining Abstract Expressionism. Slonem was born in Kittery, York County, ME. He attended Skowhega...
Oil
Registry of unauthorized incarnations. Mystery painting, philosophy, psychology
Located in Oslo, NO
A red background holds traces of blue and white beings, half-formed, half-remembered. They seem to gather in quiet defiance, as if claiming a place in a world that never asked for th...
Canvas, Oil
$2,080Sale Price|20% Off
Love and Bond 2 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Whites, Black
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
There is a common thread that binds us all, and that is our shared humanity. Everyone has a general desire in their heart - to be seen, heard and understood. Each of us has dreams, f...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$1,280Sale Price|20% Off
Boubou - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Plants, Women, Africa
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 Josue M Pierre ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Yellow Durag - 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
$462
Richard Snowden (1950-2014) Impressionist 20thC Oil Painting Yorkshire England
Located in Cirencester, GB
ARTIST: Richard Snowden (1950-2014) British TITLE: "A Little Bit Left Of Horse Bay, Yorkshire" SIGNED: lower right MEDIUM: oil on canvas SIZE: 57cm x 48cm inclusive of frame CONDIT...
Oil
$2,040Sale Price|20% Off
Ajoke - 21st Century Contemporary Figurative Portrait of Modern Woman, Umbrella
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 Ogu...
Canvas, Acrylic
The red apple. Psychology, man and a woman, duality, couple, love story
Located in Oslo, NO
A young woman and a red-faced man merge into one figure, two inner states held in a single body. The image draws on Carl Jung’s psychology, where opposing forces coexist within the p...
Canvas, Oil
Man Original Figurative Drawing, Expressionist, Carbon Pencil, 1960s
By A. Costa
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Man. original figurative drawing painting. virtual frame Barcelona, 1904 - Barcelona, 1965 It was formed in Buenos Aires, in the Circle of San Lucas of Barcelona and the FAD. He wa...
Carbon Pencil
"Traditional Indian Lady"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
This painting celebrates the "strength, grace, and cultural richness of traditional women". Rather than a static portrait, I use dynamic color splashes and fluid paint drips to symb...
Canvas, Acrylic
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
$797Sale Price|36% Off
Music School Oil on Canvas Painting, Expressionist, Signed, 2009
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Title: Music School Artist: María Paulina Díez MacGrove (Colombia, 1974) Technique: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 46 x 33 cm (approx. 18.1 x 13 in) Support: Unframed canvas Date: 2009 Si...
Canvas, Oil
Raventos Piano and Scores original expressionist acrylic canvas painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Piano and scores original expressionist acrylic canvas painting RAVENTÓS Mª Assumpció – (San Sadurní d’Anoia, Barcelona 1930). Raventos trained at the elite Sant Jordi School of Fine...
Canvas
$272Sale Price|20% Off
20th Paris School Collage Cutout Artwork Wonderful Interior Design Options
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
"Collage" by Bernard Herzog (French, b.1935) signed and stamped verso with catalogue number photo collage cut outs on paper, unframed overall paper: 25.5 x 20 inches Highly unique ...
Acrylic
$2,680Sale Price|20% Off
To The One Who Knows 1 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Women
By Elisha Nyong
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
This piece is the first of the "To the One Who Knows" duo and is part of the "Ode to Guardians and the Impuissant" series. It is an oil on canvas painting with a central female mode...
Oil, Linen
Moment of the Evening, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
The seascape painting captures the quiet beauty of the coast just before sunset. Sharp blades of grass frame the foreground while calm blue water stretches towa...
Oil
$1,709
The landscape.Red mountains in the style of Paul Gauguin" original painting by L
Located in Zofingen, AG
The landscape.Red mountains in the style of Paul Gauguin" original painting by Lilia Volskaya.Size:55x75 cm. Cotton canvas, mineral pigments, natural environmental paints. Painting i...
Canvas, Oil
Nikolai Sinezouboff (1891- 1956) - "Night Street Scene"
Located in Wien, AT
A captivating and atmospheric nocturnal masterpiece by the renowned Russian avant-garde and École de Paris painter, Nikolai Sinezouboff (Nicolas Sinezouboff). The composition center...
Oil
Oil on canvas “Beach at dusk”, Ronald, after Georges Laporte, France
Located in Valladolid, ES
One of a kind oil on canvas depicting a seascape at dusk, signed Ronald, an artist from the second half of the 20th century. The composition features two distinct zones: the upper h...
Canvas
Raventos Framed Expressionist Acrylic Painting on Canvas
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
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 Barcelona. R...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Bories-en-Provence Village Near Gordes, Large Oil on Canvas
Located in Saint Amans des cots, FR
Oil on canvas by Paul Clement (1906-), France, 1967. Bories-en-Provence near Gordes. Measurements : with frame: 106x87 cm - 41.7x34.25 inches, without frame: 100x81 cm - 39.4x31.9 in...
Canvas, Oil
$1,230Sale Price|20% Off
Farmers and Horses with Carts, Oil on Cardboard, Framed, 20th Century
Located in Genève, GE
Work on cardboard signed Dimension with frame : 66.5 x 76.5 x 4.5 cm Farmers and Horses with Carts – European School, circa 1970 An expressive mid-20th century oil painting depicting a lively rural scene with farmers, horses and traditional wooden carts. The composition is animated by several figures gathered around two large horse-drawn carts, their imposing wooden wheels providing a strong structural element within the painting. Three horses — white, brown and dark grey — occupy the foreground, while the farmers, wearing broad-brimmed hats, are suggested through rapid and confident brushstrokes. The unidentified artist approaches the subject with considerable spontaneity, favoring movement, color and expressive brushwork over precise description. Earthy ochres and browns are enlivened by touches of green, white, blue and red, creating a warm and vibrant interpretation of rural life. Particularly appealing is the loose handling of the horses and figures, which gives the scene an immediate, almost sketch-like quality while retaining a strong sense of movement and narrative. Oil on cardboard. European School, circa 1970. Signed lower right; signature remains unidentified. Old handwritten annotations are visible on the reverse. Dimensions: 48 × 58 cm (18.9 × 22.8 in.). European School painting, farmers and horses painting, horse painting, horses and carts painting...
Oil, Cardboard
$2,000Sale Price|20% Off
Untitled
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, Oil, Acrylic
Rocky Mountain Fantasy No. 8, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A winding road disappears into Rocky Mountain National Park beneath a chartreuse sky filled with semi-circular clouds. Purple mountains rise beyond the forest, ...
Acrylic
$2,400Sale Price|20% Off
Little Sleep, Little Slumber - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Woman
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
This is an opening verse of a shared exhaustion that pushes and pulls between the body's need for rest and the unrelenting demands of survival. It plays on the biblical proverb (Prov...
Canvas, Mixed Media
Sullivan's Barn, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
The expressionist landscape painting depicts a weathered barn in southern Massachusetts. Artist Robert Hofherr simplifies the scene into bold blocks of color an...
Acrylic
El caballo rojo - Óleo sobre tela - Firmado y enmarcado
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
La obra va firmada por el artista en la parte inferior En la parte trasera, va nuevamente firmado, titulado y fechado del año 1994 Se presenta enmarcada la obra (leves faltas en la enmarcación) Medidas obra: 50 cm. de altura x 61 cm. de ancho Medidas marco: 52 cm. de altura x 63 cm. de ancho Buen estado de conservación el de la obra :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: BIOGRAFIA DEL ARTISTA: José Luis Marín...
Oil
Triptych "Ocean of possibilities"oil abstraction of Volskya Lilya.
Located in Zofingen, AG
Triptych "Ocean of possibilities"oil abstraction of Volskya Lilya. Do all artists have equal opportunities? Is talent an illusion or a gift from God? Whose paintings will remain in t...
Canvas, Oil
$1,025
Barca amarrada en el muelle - Óleo sobre tela - Año 1974 - Sin enmarcar
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
Firmado por el artista en la parte inferior En la parte trasera, va nuevamente firmado y fechado del año 1974 Se presenta sin enmarcar la obra Medidas obra: 50 cm. de altura x 61 ...
Oil
$1,139
Port de La Selva (Girona) - Óleo sobre tela - Año 1974 - Sin enmarcar
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
Firmado por el artista en la parte inferior En la parte trasera, va nuevamente firmado, fechado del año 1974 y titulado Se presenta sin enmarcar la obra Medidas obra: 50 cm. de al...
Oil
Puerto de Barcelona - Óleo sobre tela - Año 1974 - Sin enmarcar
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
Firmado por el artista en la parte inferior En la parte trasera va nuevamente firmado, fechado del año 1974 y titulado Se presenta sin enmarcar la obra Medidas obra: 50 cm. de alt...
Oil
$1,160Sale Price|20% Off
Embracing Self -21st Century Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Modern, Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Made of layers, memories, lessons, scars, and hopes. Some parts are soft, some messy, some still taking shape, but all of them matter. You are texture, movement, and story. You don’t...
Canvas, Acrylic
$3,829
Manyfaced. Man, masculine, inner world, faces, fish, bright, strong, strange
Located in Oslo, NO
“Many faced” 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 tension between opposi...
Canvas, Oil
$1,640Sale Price|20% Off
African Boy Oil Painting on Canvas, Expressionist, 21st Century
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
African Boy is a series of paintings by talented artist Faith Gbadero. This series of Artworks captures the response and attitudes of African young adult...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Elena Lukina: Radiant Vitality. Gold. Solar Echoes Series. 2022
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In the landscape "Radiant Vitality" (2022), which serves as a pivotal anchor within the "Solar Echoes" series, Elena Lukina focuses on the interplay of chromatic vibration and atmosp...
Oil, Linen
$1,714Sale 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
$490Sale Price|87% Off
The Theory on Jazz History
By Jose Borrell
Located in Atlanta, GA
This painting is in excellent condition and has only been shown in a gallery setting. The painting measures 78" x 35" and 81"x 38" with frame. Known for his hyperrealist nudes and portraits, Jose Borrell captures both the human form and emotions. Transcending beyond mere documentation, Borrell transmits the personality and essence of his subjects. His latest series focuses on twentieth-century American jazz saxophonist Ben Webster, and true to Borrell's signature trait, the paintings transmit the vibrant energy of the acclaimed musician. Born in 1909 in Kansas City, Missouri, Ben Webster studied violin in elementary school and taught himself piano. In 1927-1928 he played for silent movies in Kansas City and in Amarillo, Texas. After a friend introduced him to basic chords on the saxophone, he devoted himself to the instrument and played with many emerging orchestras in the bustling 1930s Kansas City jazz...
Canvas, Oil
$1,320Sale Price|20% Off
Give Me the Truth, Not Roses - 21st Century Expressionist Oil Painting
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
In the quest to find utopia, I realized the role of truth and honesty in society cannot be underemphasized. It takes a thousand lies to cover a truth and this could lead to damaging effects among people. A healthy relationship, family and society relies solely on the pedestal of honest and truth. I indulge my audience to not only admire the work of art but to also reflect upon this discourse. 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 IDORENYIN UMANA...
Canvas, Oil
$1,796Sale Price|20% Off
Vibrant Bathers Scene, Expressionist Oil on Canvas, Early 20th Century
Located in Genève, GE
Work on canvas Dimension with frame : 46 x 54.5 x 3.3 cm Vibrant Bathers Scene This expressionist painting captures a lively scene of nude figures gathered near the water, portrayed ...
Oil, Canvas
Autorretrato - Técnica mixta sobre tabla - Firmado - Año 1991
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
Firmado por el artista en la parte inferior y fechado del año 1991 En la parte trasera, va titulado "autoretrato" y nuevamente fechado del año 1991 La obra se presenta enmarcada co...
Mixed Media
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Bloom 1 - 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
$2,600Sale Price|20% Off
Eniyan (Human) 9 Acrylic Painting, Expressionist Style, 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
$2,120Sale Price|20% Off
Beyond the Limits, Expressionist Oil Painting on Canvas, 21st Century
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Beyond the Limits is a work that explains what youth in a developing country goes through. Most youth who have to experience the squalor of a developing economy are characterized by wholesale dejection and despair with many of them resorting to drug use and various crimes that jeopardized their lives. Many cannot see a future beyond their present abode. Artist Busari Adewale...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$846
Raventos Vertical Small City original expressionist acrylic painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
City original expressionist acrylic painting. virtual framed RAVENTÓS Mª Assumpció – (San Sadurní d’Anoia, Barcelona 1930). Raventos trained at the elite Sant Jordi School of Fine A...
Acrylic
Majorca original watercolor paper expressionist painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Majorca original watercolor paper expressionist painting.
Watercolor
$4,000Sale Price|20% Off
Onigele Yii Oil Painting of Black Woman in Ankara Head Tie
By Bakare Abubakri-sideeq Babatunde
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
The painting "Onigele Yii" depicts a striking black African woman wearing a vibrant Ankara head tie, known as gele, in the Yoruba language. Rendered with oil on canvas, the artwork c...
Fabric, Oil, Canvas, Acrylic