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.
Late 20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Oil Pastel, Gouache
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Ink, Handmade Paper
Early 20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Watercolor
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Coffee, Mixed Media
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Satin Paper
Early 20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
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
Early 2000s Expressionist Paintings
Board, Oil
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...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Paint, Cotton Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Board
Artist Comments
The painting captures a lively scene where a group of people dances joyfully, lost in the music with closed eyes. Their vibrant clothing and fluid movements i...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1980s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Resin, Chalk, Oil, Wood Panel, Graphite
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Ballpoint Pen, Paper
1980s Expressionist Paintings
Cotton Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Resin, Chalk, Oil, Wood Panel, Graphite
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Board
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Satin Paper
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Satin Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1970s Expressionist Paintings
Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Mixed Media, Watercolor, Archival Paper
1930s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1970s Expressionist Paintings
Oil
Early 2000s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Tall pine trees rise over the dunes of Asilomar Beach on the Monterey Peninsula. Patches of pink, orange, and white ice plants dominate the foreground. The vi...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1920s Expressionist Paintings
Oil
1970s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Mixed Media
Early 2000s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Wood, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic