Expressionist Paintings
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.
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1930s Expressionist Paintings
Oil
1980s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Panel
Artist Comments
A vibrant blend of colors captures the energy of a bustling morning scene. Figures in motion stride across the composition, their forms loosely defined yet full...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Bold colors and expressive brushstrokes transform a secluded home nestled among trees. Shapes of color replace realistic details, inviting the viewer to interpr...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Wood, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Satin Paper
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard, Giclée
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard, Giclée
Artist Comments
Geometric forms depict a stylized group of buildings. Slivered and segmented images create intrigue and tension. The limited color palette keeps the focus on co...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic, Satin Paper, Oil Pastel
1970s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1960s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1980s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Lacquer, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard, Giclée
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Mixed Media, Cardboard, Handmade Paper, Felt Pen, Color Pencil, Paper, M...
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard, Giclée
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Wood, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
A woman lies under a vibrant night sky, the stars and planets illuminating her form. Bold colors and energetic directional brushwork add a hypnotizing energy to the composition. This piece is artist Diana Elena Chelaru's personal interpretation of the vast space.
About the Artist
Artist Diana Elena Chelaru creates vibrant expressionist works that explore human emotion and the cosmos. “Art is a means of communication, a way to express my thoughts, hopes, and joys,†says Diana. She uses form, lines, and color to bring her imaginative compositions to life, with inspiration drawn from Byzantine mosaics and Gustav Klimt’s decorative patterns. Diana received her BFA in Painting from George Enescu Art University and an MA in Art History from Queens College. Diana’s creative process is fluid and intuitive, guided by her emotions in the moment, with music as a constant companion. Her studio, located in the basement of her home, is kept clean and organized. When she’s not creating, Diana enjoys spending quality time with her family.
Words that describe this painting: Universe, stars, sky, night, meditation, celestial, space, flow, movement, planets, reclining, expressionism, nature, people, acrylic painting, blue
Star Gazing...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Board
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Canvas, Cardboard, Giclée
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Board
Late 20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Paper, Watercolor
Early 20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Ink, Watercolor
1920s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Board
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 2000s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Early 2000s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
1970s Expressionist Paintings
Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Graphite
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1960s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Masonite
Artist Comments
Artist Srinivas Kathoju captures the beauty of vast open fields, mountains, and distant horizons in this painting. Sweeping clouds fill the sky, reflecting th...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Oil