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.
$1,292Sale Price|20% Off
French Mid Century Interior Wood Burner Stove Still Life Oil Painting Framed
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title French Mid Century Interior Wood Burner Stove Still Life Oil Painting Framed Key Details Artist: French School, mid 20th century, signed Title: Inter...
Oil
Purple Sail
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this painting, I've embraced the vibrant dance of colors and textures to capture a sense of both chaos and harmony. Using acrylic and oil, I've layered strokes passionately, letti...
Oil, Acrylic, Cardboard
Misty Morning in Vietnam, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A soft mist drapes over the narrow streets of a traditional Vietnamese town, muting the colors of weathered buildings with faded shutters and moss-covered tiles...
Acrylic
$2,360Sale Price|20% Off
Salt On My Face, Contemporary Seascape Oil Painting
By Penny Rumble
Located in Brecon, Powys
The Atlantic ocean at its most ethereal, when sea and sky mix in a delicate fading of colours. There is spray in the air and immediately you are transported into a mythical world of ...
Oil
Venice 2
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this painting, I've merged the vibrancy of acrylics with the depth of oils to capture the tranquil essence of Venice. The interplay of light and shadow, realism and impressionism,...
Oil, Acrylic, Cardboard
$1,670Sale Price|20% Off
Untitled. 1990. Cardboard, tempera. 50.5x39.8cm
Located in Riga, LV
Vladimir Glushenkov (1948-2009) (May 21, 1948, Riga - December 26, 2009, Riga) - painter, graphic artist, poet, translator. Vladimir Glushkenkov was born in family with Russian-Poli...
Tempera, Cardboard
Music of the Senses (Ballerina 2)
Located in Zofingen, AG
In creating this artwork, I embraced the fluidity of expressionism with dashes of impressionism and a touch of pop art allure. I sought to weave the language of music and dance into ...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Rye Bread. Oil on canvas, 98x98 cm. Signed
Located in Riga, LV
Still life with sunflowers. Canvas, oil, 60x80 cm
Canvas, Oil
Portrait of a Girl Naif Balinese Art Colorist Signed
Located in Pistoia, IT
This splendid expressionist portrait, signed Ngurah, is the work of renowned Balinese artist I Gusti Agung Ngurah Kresna Kepakisan, commonly known as Ngurah KK (b. 1947). Ngurah KK ...
Canvas, Oil
$20,298
'Deux filles – Two Girls' by Oscar Eishacker (1881 – 1961) French Painter
Located in Knokke, BE
Oscar Eishacker Avignon 1881 – 1961 Marseille French Painter 'Deux filles – Two Girls' Signature: signed lower left 'Eishacker', ± 1920 Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions: image si...
Canvas, Oil
$3,177Sale Price|20% Off
Boats at Low Tide by Rachael Dalzell. Acrylic on canvas with tray frame
Located in Coltishall, GB
This piece is based on a view over boats on the marshes in early spring. Rachael’s paintings are large, colourful and expressive. Her free and lively use of paint through various t...
Canvas, Acrylic
$802Sale Price|20% Off
1950’s French Expressionist Oil Dusk Landscape House & Bare Trees
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The House amongst Trees French Expressionist painter, mid 20th century oil painting on canvas, unframed painting: 10 x 13 inches provenance: private collection, France condition: o...
Canvas, Oil
$6,400Sale Price|20% Off
Untitled Abstracted Portrait
Located in Soquel, CA
Untitled Abstracted Portrait by David Fludd (American b. 1965). This moody and dynamic portrait is an excellent example of Fludd's work in the 1990s, which often featured distorted ...
Paper, Oil
Zebra in red
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this painting, I've unleashed a vibrant fusion of reds to capture the raw and wild essence of a zebra. The intense hues symbolize vitality and passion, while the expressive stroke...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
$856Sale Price|20% Off
1950's French Expressionist Oil Green Woodland Forest Landscape Oil on Canvas
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Green Landscape French School, mid 20th century oil painting on canvas, unframed painting: 9.5 x 12.5 inches condition: overall very good
Canvas, Oil
Eduard Braun "Two Men in Front of the Bar 1935" Berlin Expressionist
Located in Eltville am Rhein, DE
Eduard Braun Wetzlar 1902 – 1972 Berlin Two Men in front of the bar, 1935 Oil on canvas Signed and dated lower right Dimensions: 60 x 50 cm Frame: 69 x 59 cm Good original conditio...
Oil
Bouquet of mimosa
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
"In this exuberant expression of life, I've captured the vibrant essence of spring. My brushstrokes dance across the canvas, conveying the delicate yet robust nature of the blooms. T...
Canvas, Linen, Oil
$1,777Sale Price|20% Off
Colourful Abstract, Artisan Style, Expressionist Original Oil Painting
By Akos Biro
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
AKOS BIRO (HUNGARIAN 1911-2002) Oil painting on canvas, framed Framed size: 26.5 x 33 inches Beautifully colourful, original oil painting by the very popular and highly regarded Hun...
Oil
$269Sale 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 ...
Photographic Film, Magazine Paper
Old City
Located in Zofingen, AG
Town. The beauty of cities is different: there are cities with museums, such as Rome, Paris. Where to look at beautiful architecture! There are also small provincial towns where lif...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
"Angela" Oil cm. 100 x 70 1979
Located in Torino, IT
Woman reclining, pink we send the work anywhere Edgardo CORBELLI (Turin, 1918 - 1989) From the traditional composition of the 1930s, the painting of Corbelli leads to technical and ...
Canvas, Oil
$1,017Sale Price|20% Off
Mid 20th Century French Expressionist Oil Elegant Lady looking over Moonlit Lake
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist/ School: French School, circa 1950's Title: an expressionist painting depicting an elegant lady overlooking a moonlit lake view. Medium: oil on board, framed Framed: 13 x...
Oil
Mid-Century French Oil on Panel. 'The Arrival', Sailboats at Monte Carlo.
Located in Cotignac, FR
Mid 20th Century oil on panel view of sailboats in the port of Monte Carlo. The painting carries a monogram of the peace symbol and a date to the back of the panel. The artist has c...
Oil, Wood Panel
$1,076Sale Price|20% Off
ARMAND ROTTENBERG (1903-2000) LARGE FRENCH EXPRESSIONIST ABSTRACT OIL
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
"Ete Indien" by Armand Rottenberg (French 1903-2000) inscribed verso, oil painting on board, framed board: 52 x 39 inches frame: 53 x 40 inches Stunning original French expression...
Oil
$3,840Sale Price|20% Off
'Port de Vendres', Côte Vermeille, France, California Post Impressionist, Esalen
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Signed verso, 'Ant McNaught' (American, 1952-2026), dated 2020 and inscribed '(After Derain)'. This California Post-Impressionist and Abstract Expressionist artist studied at the Es...
Canvas, Oil
Philosopher
Located in Zofingen, AG
Series "THE ADVENTURES OF THE RED CAT RAMSES" CAT WORLD (500+) In my painting, I used acrylics and oils to express the playful yet philosophical reprieve of a colorful cat taking...
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Acrylic
Italian village
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this artwork, I've poured my soul into capturing the essence of a rustic Italian landscape, where the vibrant poppy fields dance under the sun's warm embrace. The path meanders, i...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard, Giclée
Enlighted, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Two figures gaze toward a light emerging from surrounding darkness, where directional strokes create a sense of flowing movement. A warm glow illuminates their ...
Acrylic
$4,059
Expressionist Figurative Portrait, Oil on Canvas, by a School of Paris Artist
Located in NANTES, FR
This work by Menachem Gueffen presents a very free portrait of a woman, halfway between figuration and expressionism. This painting is highly instinctive, the bold black outlines st...
Oil
In the arms of the Angel
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In creating this piece, I embraced the delicate dance between realism and expressionism, aiming to convey deep emotion. The soft interplay of light and shadow across the figure's for...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard, Giclée
Venice is Beautiful
Located in Zofingen, AG
In my artwork, I used expressive brushstrokes and a radiant palette to capture the allure of a serene, sunset-soaked scene. The gondolas rest gently on the shimmering water, under a ...
Oil, Acrylic, Canvas
Mas of Provence, Expressionist Oil Painting, Late 20th Century, Framed
Located in Genève, GE
Work on cardboard Molded frame in plaster and gilded wood 50 x 63 x 6 cm
Oil
Venice, Gondolier
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this painting, I captured the timeless spirit of Venice through expressive brush strokes and a muted palette. This piece, created with oil and acrylic, embodies the blend of seren...
Oil, Acrylic, Cardboard
Water lilies 6.
Located in Zofingen, AG
Water lilies 6. Bright, expressive composition: white, pink flowers on an abstract background, created with a brush and spatula. The picture is filled with positive, solar energy. Pa...
Acrylic
$3,500
Raventos Gig Vertical Barcelona original expressionist acrylic painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
"Barcelona" 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 B...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Bridge in Venice
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this painting, I embraced a fusion of expressionism and impressionism to capture the vibrant, almost pulsating energy of Venice. I used bold strokes of acrylic and oil to convey b...
Oil, Acrylic, Cardboard
$2,280Sale Price|20% Off
Berkeley School -- Male Dancer Figurative
Located in Soquel, CA
Wonderful figurative of male ballet dancers by Patricia Gren Hayes (American, 20th Century), 1980. Signed, titled and dated on verso. Presented in rustic w...
Canvas, Oil
$1,777Sale Price|20% Off
French Expressionist Fauvist Busy City Square Figures Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title French Expressionist Fauvist Busy City Square Figures Oil Painting on Canvas Key Details Artist: French School, circa 1970s Title: Busy City Street / Square Scene with Figures ...
Oil
$2,638Sale Price|20% Off
Pomegranates and Sunshine
Located in Coltishall, GB
Pomegranates and Sunshine was inspired by the warm Mediterannean landscape of Turkey's coast. A floral painting to make you happy. Rachael Dalzell's paintings are colourful and exp...
Canvas, Wood, Acrylic
Beautiful park
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In creating this piece, I poured my soul into capturing the serene yet vibrant essence of a park that whispers tales of tranquility and renewal. I employed expressive brushstrokes to...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard, Giclée
"Dark Cup on Grey" (2019) By Jon Doran, Original Oil painting
Evening colors by the river
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
"In this oil painting, I sought to capture the tranquil yet vibrant essence of nature's beauty. Melding impressionism with touches of realism, I've layered texture and color to evoke...
Canvas, Oil
BaoChun Tao Landscape Original Oil On Canvas "Yunnan Scenery Series VI"
By BaoChun Tao
Located in New York, NY
Title: Yunnan Scenery Series VI Medium: Oil on canvas Size: 31 x 25 inches Frame: Framing options available! Condition: The painting appears to be in excellent condition. Yea...
Canvas, Oil
$533Sale Price|20% Off
Provence Sunset French Expressionist Original Painting
By Akos Biro
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
AKOS BIRO (HUNGARIAN 1911-2002) watercolour/ gouache painting on card, signed size: 7.75 x 10.75inches Beautifully colourful, original painting by the very popular and highly regard...
Oil Pastel, Gouache
Mountain herbs
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this vibrant oil painting, I sought to capture the untamed essence of mountain herbs against the stark, majestic backdrop of towering peaks. Employing a blend of impressionism and...
Canvas, Oil
Port Roya 2
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this vivid work, I've melded acrylic and oil to breathe life into a bustling marina. Channeling the spontaneity of expressionism and the allure of impressionism, I invite viewers ...
Oil, Acrylic, Cardboard
Happy New Year 2 !
Located in Zofingen, AG
Embracing the vibrancy of pop art and the simplicity of primitivism, my creation merges joyful naiveté with hints of impressionistic texture. In this painting, crafted with acrylic a...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
HAPPY NEW YEAR !
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this piece, I've melded the warmth of acrylics with the depth of oils to capture a whimsical holiday moment. It's a playful embrace of pop art and naïveté, with a hint of primitiv...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Romance of the sea 21X30
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In creating this piece, I endeavored to embody the tranquil beauty of nature, blending the serenity of the sea with the vibrant liveliness of blossoming flowers. Utilizing the expres...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
Expression. Flower field.
Located in Zofingen, AG
Expression. Flower field. A sunny summer day, the whole earth is warmed by warmth, a flowering field, flowers, colorful poppies, the sky create an atmosphere of relaxation, harmony, ...
Acrylic
Summer. Flower field 17
Located in Zofingen, AG
Summer. Flower field 17. A sunny summer day, the whole earth is warmed by warmth, a flowering field, flowers, colorful poppies, the sky create an atmosphere of relaxation, harmony, r...
Acrylic
Love in the Night City
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this vibrant painting, I've married the boldness of pop art with the heartfelt touch of naive style. The use of acrylic and oil gives depth and texture, evoking the raw emotions a...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Blue pond
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In creating this artwork, I sought to capture the serene beauty of nature using the delicate dance of light and shadow upon water. This expressionistic approach emphasizes the tranqu...
Canvas, Oil
Bird in a Blooming Garden
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In creating this piece, I was moved by the serene beauty of nature, capturing a moment where a small bird perches amid blooming flowers. The brush strokes and oils allowed me to expl...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
$2,100
Raventos SHEET MUSIC Violin original expressionist acrylic paintig
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Partituras original expressionist acrylic paintig. RAVENTÓS Mª Assumpció – (San Sadurní d’Anoia, Barcelona 1930). Raventos trained at the elite Sant Jordi School of Fine Arts in Bar...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
GUITAR 2
Located in Zofingen, AG
In my painting, I captured the intimate embrace between human expression and music through vivid expressionist and impressionist brush strokes, underscored with a touch of pop art vi...
Acrylic, Archival Paper
$484Sale Price|20% Off
Mountainous Landscape Provence French Expressionist Original Painting
By Akos Biro
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
AKOS BIRO (HUNGARIAN 1911-2002) gouache/ watercolour size: 9.5 x 12.5 inches Beautifully colourful, original painting by the very popular and highly regarded Hungarian/ French paint...
Oil Pastel, Gouache
"Pablo Picasso Kyiv"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
In this work, I embodied a dance of colors and emotions on canvas. Through oil and dedication, surrealism blends with figuration, expressionism meets futurism. I invite viewers into ...
Paper, Oil
$306Sale Price|20% Off
Colourful Abstract Portrait, French Expressionist Original Painting
By Akos Biro
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
AKOS BIRO (HUNGARIAN 1911-2002) watercolour / gouache size: 11 x 7.5 inches Beautifully colourful, original painting by the very popular and highly regarded Hungarian/ French painte...
Oil Pastel, Gouache
$748Sale Price|20% Off
Provence Countryside Landscape Red Roofs French Expressionist Original Painting
By Akos Biro
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
AKOS BIRO (HUNGARIAN 1911-2002) gouache/ painting board size: 9.5 x 10.75 inches Beautifully colourful, original painting by the very popular and highly regarded Hungarian/ French p...
Oil Pastel, Gouache