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.
Mid Century French Expressionist Oil on Canvas, Vers La Durance
Located in Cotignac, FR
French Expressionist oil on canvas of a river and mountain landscape by Gisele Grant-Gapail. The painting is initialled bottom right, signed and dated to the back of the canvas and t...
Canvas, Oil
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
$1,560Sale Price|20% Off
Quiet Vessel - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Modern, Africa
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
So many memories, thoughts, and feelings we never want to forget—they refuse to fade away. In this place, the clock does not tick; everything is suspended in time. It is as if the w...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Raventos Citty original expressionist acrylic painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Manhatan 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 Barc...
Acrylic
Portrait of Young Girl Gouache Painting by Max Moreau, circa 1950
By Max Moreau
Located in Atlanta, GA
1950s Portrait in Gouache by Belgian Artist Max Moreau (1902–1992) A beautifully executed mid-century portrait depicting a young girl with gentle features and a serene expression, ev...
Paper, Gouache
$342
Contemporary abstract expressionist watercolor women paper "The blue dialogue"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary abstract expressionist painting, depicting two women in dance, was created by French artist Natalya Mougenot. It forms part of her ongoing series dedicated to women...
Paper, Watercolor
$1,000Sale Price|20% Off
Violin Tempo -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Neo-Expressionism, 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 Oso...
Canvas, Acrylic, Polymer
$2,680Sale Price|20% Off
Renew - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Children Art, Jewellery
By John Ali
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
$2,040Sale Price|20% Off
Serenity 2 Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Expressionist, 21st Century
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
La Ciotat
Located in Edinburgh, GB
A dynamic, expressive, and profound artwork that conveys all the power, freshness, and beauty of the marine element. The canvas unfolds a captivating scene: powerful turquoise-blue w...
Oil, Acrylic
The Luminous Crest: 40x60cm Oceanic Surge Impasto Oil (2023)
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
"The Luminous Crest" is a seminal work from the acclaimed series Oceanic Surge: The Sculpted, created by the contemporary visionary Elena Lukina. This 40x60 cm oil on canvas is a pro...
Canvas, Oil
The Sculpted Tide: 50x70cm Oil on Caravaggio Italy Canvas (2025)
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
"The Sculpted Tide" is a masterful 2025 original oil painting from the prestigious series Gravity of Light: Marine Chronicles. Created on world-renowned Italian Caravaggio canvas, th...
Canvas, Oil
$1,320Sale Price|20% Off
Bountiful Harvest -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Painting, Realism
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
This painting is a metaphor for a blessing on its way. Also, it captures the quiet edge between waiting and receiving; the moment when nothing has changed, but everything feels diffe...
Canvas, Oil
$913Sale Price|42% Off
Barcelona and Its People Oil Painting, Figurative Expressionism, 1979
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Title: Barcelona and Its People Artist: Josep Maria Martínez Lozano (1923–2006) Year: 1979 Technique: Oil on canvas mounted on board Dimensions: 29.13 x 21.65 in Condition: Unfr...
Canvas, Board, Oil
LLuis Ribas 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
E. Gert Fruit Still Life Painting w/Pitcher & Candelabra
By Edith Gert
Located in San Francisco, CA
Beautiful fruit still life painting w/pitcher & candelabra by Danish artist Edith Gert (1906-1983)
Canvas, Oil
$1,360Sale Price|20% Off
Le Col Rouge - 21st Century Contemporary, Expressionist Portrait, African Woman
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Africa This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issued by the Gall...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,320Sale Price|20% Off
Untitled 5 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, 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
Carnival Corn by Steve Tracy, Original 40x30" Oil on Canvas
Located in Loveland, CO
Carnival Corn by Steve Tracy 40x30" image size (48" x 38" including the ornate, gilded gallery frame) Original Oil on Canvas, Signed lower right as pictured. The piece showcases Trac...
Canvas, Oil
$1,480Sale Price|20% Off
Untitled 4 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, 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
$2,240Sale Price|20% Off
Lady In White 2 - 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Women, Modern
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
She holds on to her integrity and purity. Lady in white captures a desire to be hidden, but her presence is revealed through her unquenched innermost beauty. Lady in white captures h...
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,040Sale Price|20% Off
Simple Times - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Plants, Women
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
Air Tulips: Mixed, paper, acrylic, oil pastel, 57x81cm
Located in Zofingen, AG
‘Air Tulips’ is an immersive journey into the very heart of a bloom. In this large-format mixed media work (57x81 cm), the tulips are not just flowers—they are a vibrant, breathing f...
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Archival Paper
$4,520Sale Price|20% Off
Count Your Rainbows, Not Your Thunderstorms -21st Century, Contemporary Portrait
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique; it is not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Arti...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$913
"A Koi Paradise: The Rhythm of Life" (2025) – Original Oil on Canvas by E.Lukina
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
"A Koi Paradise" (2025) is an exquisite, intimate masterpiece from Elena Lukina’s internationally recognized series, "Vitality in Motion: The Koi Symphony" (2020–2025). This 21x30 cm...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
$576Sale Price|20% Off
Seaside at Saint Raphaël by Ernest Voegeli - Oil on Canvas 46x61 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Ernest Voegeli is an artist who has found his path through a combination of solid technique and a clear, insightful approach to color, form, and composition. While his work is primar...
Canvas, Oil
$11,600Sale Price|20% Off
Ian Hornak, Flowers in the Manner of Redon #8: Delphiniums and Poppies, 1998
By Ian Hornak
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Ian Hornak (1944–2002) Title: Flowers in the Manner of Redon #8: Delphiniums and Poppies (Les fleurs à la Manière de Redon #8: delphiniums and poppies) Year: 1998 Medium: Oil...
Oil, Panel
$1,480Sale Price|20% Off
Inner Peace - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Women, 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 (Issued by the Gal...
Canvas, Acrylic
Jordi Sarrà – Harlequin – Oil on Canvas – 28.5 × 23.5 cm
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
Jordi Sarrà – Harlequin – Oil on Canvas Oil on canvas. Signed by the artist in the lower left. Artwork: 27 × 22 cm (10.6 × 8.7 in.). Framed: 28.5 × 23.5 cm (11.2 × 9.3 in.). Origi...
Canvas, Oil
$2,400Sale Price|20% Off
Whimsical Mother Alkebulan - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait
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 Awofadeju Solom...
Stone
"Azure Pond Study" (2025) – Original Oil on Canvas by Elena Lukina
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
Immerse yourself in the serene beauty of "Japanese Spring Paradise," a painting where the fleeting charm of cherry blossoms meets the timeless grandeur of Mount Fuji. This original o...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
$10,000Sale Price|20% Off
Ian Hornak, Flowers in the Manner of Redon #7: Anemones, 1998
By Ian Hornak
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Ian Hornak (1944–2002) Title: Flowers in the Manner of Redon #7: Anemones (Les fleurs a la Maniere de Redon #7: Anemones) Year: 1998 Medium: Oil on panel Size: 16.3 x 13 inc...
Oil, Panel
20th Paris School Collage Cutout Artwork Wonderful Interior Design Options
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
"Collage" by Bernard Herzog (French, b.1935) signed lower corner signed and stamped verso with catalogue number photo collage cut outs on paper, unframed overall paper: 25.5 x 20 in...
Acrylic
$44,000Sale Price|20% Off
Ian Hornak, Primeval Landscape, 1985
By Ian Hornak
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Ian Hornak (1944–2002) Title: Primeval Landscape Year: 1985 Medium: Acrylic on canvas Size: 48 x 24 inches (121.92 x 60.96 cm) Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age...
Canvas, Acrylic
Emotional Metamorphosis 11: Lines of Illusion, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Petal-like shapes, vines, and organic forms overlap in this botanical painting. Created with acrylic paint, spray paint, and markers, the artwork features raise...
Acrylic
"Still life with butterflies"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
This work reconfigures the classical language of still life through an intentional act of overpainting and renewal. The original Dutch oil painting is not erased but absorbed as a hi...
Oil, Wood
Cornflower
Located in Coltishall, GB
Cornflower - bursts with life. Rachael employs dynamic brushstrokes, creating a sense of movement, suggesting a lively garden environment. Dappled spots of light lend a sense of dep...
Canvas, Wood, Acrylic
Large-Scale Modern Argyle Abstract Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By D.S. Silver
Located in Soquel, CA
Whimsical large-scale abstract presenting a modernist take on old-fashioned argyle shapes with contemporary color palate by D.S. Silver (American, 20th Century), a San Francisco, Cal...
Canvas, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
$2,150
Monstera 7, Layered Colorful Original Expressionist Garden Landscape Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
In the realm of vibrant expressions, Italian artist Giuseppe Beddru masterfully brings to life abstracted flora in a spectacular fusion of color and form. The canvas dances with an o...
Canvas, Mixed Media
Enchanted Garden, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Flowers fill a round vase, the leaves curling and extending outward. The organic forms flow with the geometric shapes on the table and in the background. Planes...
Acrylic
Sunlight on Trees, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Bright morning sun falls on a rural home surrounded by trees in Massachusetts. Sunlight brings out the vibrant reds, golds, and greens, balancing the white snow...
Acrylic
Giner Bueno Playa Acrylic Painting, Luminist Style, Framed, 1990s, Excellent
By Giner Bueno
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Giner Bueno (1935-2000) Painter from Alicante, son of the painter Luis Giner Valls. He studied at the School of Arts and Crafts of Valencia and finished his studies in Paris, where...
Acrylic
$2,000Sale Price|20% Off
Tranquility: Expressionist Acrylic Painting on Canvas, 21st Century
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
"A Chapter of Tranquility" by Desmond Akindoju invites viewers into a serene tableau that captures the essence of peaceful coexistence. In this deligh...
Canvas, Acrylic
Giraffe
Located in Edinburgh, GB
This expressive painting portrays a giraffe against a vivid blue sky, using bold, textured brushstrokes and warm earthy tones to emphasize the animal’s graceful yet powerful presence...
Acrylic
$1,880Sale Price|20% Off
Boy London 2 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Modern, Men
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, Acrylic, Oil
$1,080Sale Price|20% Off
Tequila Gist 2 -21st Century, Contemporary, Expressionist, Modern, Mental Health
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 (Issued by the Gallery) About ...
Paper, Charcoal, Acrylic
$1,080Sale Price|20% Off
In My Dream - 21st Century, Contemporary, Expressionist, Modern, Mental Health
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 (Issued by the Gallery) About ...
Paper, Charcoal, Acrylic
Fantasy with Flowers 30
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Fantasy with Flowers" (series of 200+ pictures) paper 59x42cm On the paper acrylic, oil pastel, felt-tip pen, ink, gold leaf, pencils, silver,mixed media. Flowers are a smile of ...
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Archival Paper
$2,451
To Return. Richard K Blades. Oil painting of the sea at dusk Turner influence.
Located in Coltishall, GB
Moody skies over the sea. Richard K Blades’ To Return is a captivating artwork that captures the vastness and drama of a seascape, where earth and sky blend in a mesmerizing dance. ...
Oil, Board
From the “Smoke” series, Part I
Located in Edinburgh, GB
One of my central paintings from the “Smoke” series. A woman, taking a moment to rest—perhaps waiting for a friend, or perhaps not needing company at all. Only the viewer can judge t...
Acrylic
Reverte .Albarracin Acrylic Painting, Expressionist, Framed, 2000s
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
ANTONIO REVERTE OLIVA (Monteagua, Murcia, 1943 – Gavà, Barcelona, 2014). A self-taught artist, Antonio Reverte settled in Catalonia in 1961, in the Barcelona town of Viladecans. In ...
Acrylic
Strelitzia. The Vertical of Freedom. From the series “Botanical Improvisations”
Located in Edinburgh, GB
The strelitzia is a fantastic flower, unlike any other. It captivates and beckons. During one of my spring plein air sessions, while mastering new techniques in acrylic painting, I p...
Acrylic
"White peonies" still life of Volskyа Lilyа.
Located in Zofingen, AG
"White peonies" still life of Volskyа Lilyа. Realism, brush technique, palette knife, oil painting. Happiness and joy from contemplating beautiful flowers always fills my soul. This ...
Canvas, Oil
Gravity of Light: Marine Chronicles
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
A cornerstone of the 'Gravity of Light: Marine Chronicles' collection, this 2012 masterpiece marks the origins of Elena Lukina’s signature philosophy: "The Turquoise Silence." Painte...
Canvas, Oil
$2,239Sale Price|20% Off
Nothing Feels Better Than True Love - 21st Century, Expressionist, Figurative
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure FREE Shipping Worldwide Ships in a well-protected tube. This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. Abou...
Canvas, Acrylic
$6,500
Kathleen Vance, Newtown Creek Triptych, 2017, Gesso, Ink, Acrylic Paint, Wood
Located in Darien, CT
Kathleen Vance explores environmental issues such as water conservation and protection through positive stewardship of the land. She looks to convey an appreciation of nature and tra...
Gesso, Ink, Acrylic, Wood Panel
$1,480Sale Price|20% Off
Abstract Expressionist Composition with Electric Blue, Yellow, & Black
Located in Soquel, CA
Textured and energetic abstract expressionist composition with electric blue, yellow, and black, by an unknown artist. Signed and dated "Carol 98" in the lower left corner. Unframed,...
Canvas, Oil
Grey Colonial, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
The morning sun bathes a northeastern colonial house in golden light. Medium grey siding balances with rich gold highlights, while the house contrasts with the ...
Acrylic
$456
Abstract Expressionist spiritual acrylic painting on paper " When Angels Near"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This semi-abstract expressive spiritual piece "When Angels Near' was created by the French artist Natalya Mougenot, who delves into the theme of spirituality with a profound sense of...
Paper, Acrylic
Contemporary expressionist vivid watercolor painting paper " Beachside serenity"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary vivid expressive painting, "Beachside Serenity', was created by French artist Natalya Mougenot. Using watercolor paints on heavyweight, professional acid-free paper...
Paper, Watercolor