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.
Fantasy with Flowers 40
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
Fantasy with Flowers 37
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
$1,800
French Israeli Surrealist Judaica Jewish Oil Painting Rabbi at Table, Bottle
Located in Surfside, FL
This is a small oil painting on on panel. A Rabbi at a Farbrengen 15.5 X 14.5 with frame. 6.5 X 5.5 painting alone Zwy Milshtein (Zvi Tzvi Milstein) BIOGRAPHY 1934 Born in Kishinev...
Oil, Panel
$6,534Sale Price|20% Off
Winter landscape. 1984, canvas, oil, 60x80 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Winter landscape. 1984, canvas, oil, 60x80 cm Slepyshev Anatoly Stepanovich (1932 - 2016) - Soviet and Russian painter, sculptor, graphic artist. Anatoly Slepyshev was a distinguished Russian artist and a recognised master who had a great talent and a distinctly recognisable style that cannot be confused with anyone. The most characteristic feature of his paintings is a swirl, maelstrom of colourful formations, vigorously, rapidly, almost frantically put on canvas in a burst of sudden emotion, of spontaneous sensuality. The artist brilliantly managed to blend the subjects of the Russian hinterland, simple village life with horse-driven carriages, small humble churches and familiar landscapes with refined, pompous images of French Rococo, the atmosphere inherent in the works of Jean-Antoine Watteau. This liberal, highly personal interpretation of the sophisticated French motifs of the XVIII century, processed by means of dashing Russian folklore, sometimes even containing vulgar, staggering elements, is very typical for many works by Slepyshev. Solo exhibitions 1967 Exhibition of watercolors by Anatoly Slepyshev. Central House of Artist, Moscow 1970 Anatoly Slepyshev. Drawing. Central House of architect, Moscow 1971 Anatoly Slepyshev. Print workshop, Moscow 1976 Exhibition in the flat of art historian Leonid Bazhanov, Moscow 1981 Anatoly Slepyshev. Painting. House of scientists of the Scientific Center of the USSR Academy, Troitsk 1982–1983 Ausstelung Anatoli Slepyschev, Nicolai Grizjuk. Kleine Galerie Hoger Sweda, Berlin, Germany 1983 Anatoly Slepyshev. Puskin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow 1984 Anatoly Slepyshev. Historical-Architectural and Art Museum of the New Jerusalem, Istra 1987 Anatoly Slepyshev. Exhibition of one picture. Dramatic theatre named after M. Ermolova, Moscow Anatoly Slepyshev. Drawing. Central House of Artist, Moscow 1989 Anatoly Slepyshev. Painting. AZLK Palace, Moscow Anatoly Slepyshev. MARS Gallery, Moscow Anatoly Slepyshev. Drawing. Moscow Gallery, Moscow Anatoly Slepyshev. Painting. Vadim Sidur...
Canvas, Oil
Figurative Expressionist oil Painting, Religious, Christ with Crown of Thorns
Located in Vilnius, Vilniaus apskr.
The paintings by Gailiūnas, who lives in Rokiškis but is well known across Lithuania, are outwardly rough in their brushstrokes, colour consonances and plots. The artist visually tal...
Oil
Fantasy with Flowers 36
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
Fantasy with Flowers 33
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
$12,000
Jewish Mexican Avant Garde Fiesta of Guadalupe Expressionist Oil Painting
By Yonia Fain
Located in Surfside, FL
Genre: Avant-Garde Subject: Abstract Mexican Landscape Medium: Oil Surface: Canvas Country: Mexico Dimensions: Yonia Fain Oil, 1947 Although this oil painting’s subject is predom...
Canvas, Oil
Risque – 13-12-21, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Corne Akkers
Located in Yardley, PA
A New Series Risque is the title of a new oil, in fact a new series. I felt this one was urgent and below I explain why. The lovely means by making my visual point is the depictio...
Oil
Mountain herbs
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Mountain Herbs" is a testament to the untouched beauty of nature, reflecting the quiet strength inherent in mountain landscapes. Rich textures of oil paint bring this landscape to l...
Canvas, Oil
$7,500
"Florence Italy" Contemporary Yellow & Green Landscape Oil On Canvas By Masri
Located in Carmel, CA
Masri is a passionate Italian, US-based artist whose work has been exhibited in USA, the UK, Germany, Lebanon, Italy and Norway. His work is varied and known especially in Europe, an...
Canvas, Oil
''Winter dinner"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
“On the Square. Lviv” is a charming painting by Oleksandr Khrapachov that skillfully recreates the unique atmosphere of the ancient city. Created in 2017 during a plein air work, thi...
Canvas, Oil
'Breaking Waves Off Monterey', California Expressionist Oil Seascape, Carmel
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Signed lower left "Canete" for Robert Canete (American, born 1948), and painted circa 1990. This Carmel artist first studied with Vincent Rascon in the 1960s and, later, with Dwigh...
Masonite, Oil
Lovers - Night Of Passion 9, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Original semi-abstract figurative acrylics painting on canvas, painted edges and ready to hang. Colourful and textured produced using the palette knife. The 9th artwork in the series...
Acrylic
$2,560Sale Price|20% Off
Landscape 151 by Jean Krille - Oil on Masonite 80x100 cm
By Jean Krille
Located in Geneva, CH
Jean Krillé’s paintings are known for their expressive use of color and dynamic, abstract forms, blending realism with abstraction in his depictions of nature. His landscapes often f...
Masonite, Oil
The Artist III, Oil Painting, 1970 by Juan Garcia Ripolles
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Juan Garcia Ripolles, Spanish (1932 - ) Title: The Artist III Year: 1970 Medium: Oil on Canvas, signed l.r. Size: 19.5 in. x 24 in. (49.53 cm x 60.96 cm) Frame Size: 22 x 27 ...
Oil
$5,500
'Coastline', Expressionist California Landscape, San Francisco Woman Artist
By Alice Beamish
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
'Coastline' by Alice Beamish. Expressionist California Landscape, San Francisco Woman Artist ----- Signed lower right, "Beamish" for Alice Beamish (American, 1922-2011), titled verso and painted circa 1960. Provenance: The Vincent Price Collection...
Canvas, Oil
"Ballerina" Expressionist Scene
By Linda Dumont
Located in Austin, TX
Linda Dumont 10" x 8" - Oil on Panel
Oil, Wood Panel
$5,044
Contemporary Abstract Expressionist Color-Field Landscape, Les Champs VI
Located in Cotignac, FR
A contemporary Abstract Expressionist Color-Field acrylic on canvas by French artist, Christian Manoury. Signed to the back of the canvas. Inspired by the wonderful countryside surr...
Paper, Acrylic
My Front Yard in Canada
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Acrylic on paper
Paper, Acrylic
Morning with Mountain and Path
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Acrylic on paper.
Paper, Acrylic
"The Coward", Realist Self Portrait Oil Painting, Soft Earth Tones, Signed, 2025
Located in Carmel, CA
Rizaldy Celi Jr. (American, Filipino-Vietnamese, born 1983) "The Coward" 2025 Oil Paint, Canvas, Stretcher Bars The artist signed the back of the paint...
Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars
Little bird Chumichka
Located in Zofingen, AG
This piece captures the delicate spirit of a little bird perched quietly, radiating calm and gentle energy. I poured my love for nature into each brushstroke, blending realism with e...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
$1,240Sale Price|20% Off
Fehintola (Water in the Hole) -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Landscape
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, this is not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issue by ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,280Sale Price|20% Off
Ogo Enyi (Water in the Hole) - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Landscape
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, this is not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issue by ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,800Sale Price|20% Off
Lonely With Thoughts 1 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, this is not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issue by ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,800Sale Price|20% Off
Lonely With Thoughts 2 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, this is not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issue by ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,800Sale Price|20% Off
Untitled 2 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Women with Large Afro Hair
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 Emma...
Canvas, Coffee, Mixed Media
R Poch Elle original acrylic painting
By Ramon Poch
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
acrylic painting Born in Badalona (Barcelona). Photographer and advertising film director. Founding partner of the advertising production company La Cosa de las Peliculas: He has ...
Acrylic
$3,651Sale Price|20% Off
Fields. 1970's, oil on canvas, 47x69 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Arijs Skride (1906.24.IX Madonna parish – 1987.22.XI Riga), painter. Arijs Skride was born into a farmer's family. Wife Gundega Vaska – graphic artist. At the age of 15, he passed ...
Canvas, Oil
Red Flamers
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Acrylic on paper
Paper, Acrylic
Monstera 1, Turquoise Green Layered Foliage Abstract 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
Coral tulips 3
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this piece, I poured my emotions into the vibrant coral tulips, capturing their delicate beauty through textured oil strokes. The interplay of expressionism and realism invites yo...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
Mini Monstera 1
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...
Mixed Media, Canvas
$2,280Sale Price|20% Off
Kyalli (Glitter) - 21st Century, Expressionist, Figurative Portrait, Oil, Women
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. About Artist Sayeed...
Canvas, Oil
Jazz, Expressionist Portrait of Woman with Violin by Philadelphia Artist
Located in Doylestown, PA
"Jazz" is a figurative painting by Philadelphia born Expressionist painter Bernard Harmon from 1968. The 34" x 40" oil on board portrait features a young African American woman playi...
Oil, Board
Sunny Terrace 25X35
Located in Zofingen, AG
In crafting this piece, I've intertwined the essence of expressionism and impressionism, allowing the vibrant colors and bold textures to evoke feelings of warmth and serenity. The f...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard, Giclée
$3,880Sale Price|20% Off
Masked Elegance in Contemporary Threads 3 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Africa
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, Coffee, Mixed Media
$4,000Sale Price|23% Off
"The Form of Her Affection", Expressive Abstract Silhouette, Oil Painting, 2024
Located in Carmel, CA
Rizaldy Celi Jr. (American, Filipino-Vietnamese, born 1983) "The Form of Her Affection" 2024 Oil Paint, Canvas The artist signed the bottom right of the painting. In "The Form of He...
Canvas, Oil
$5,250Sale Price|19% Off
Horse Farmhouse Pink Purple White Mixed Media Painting on Canvas 48 x 36"
By Irena Orlov
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Farmhouse Horse Painting 48 x 36” inches, Mixed Media: Digital, Watercolor, Acrylic, Stucco, Crackle Paste, Gel Medium One-of-a-kind 2019 in Los Angeles SPECIFICATIONS: - Fine art c...
Canvas, Acrylic, Digital, Mixed Media
$60,000Sale Price|20% Off
'Light Keeper' by Masri - Stunning Expressionist Abstract Portrait - Mixed Media
Located in Carmel, CA
Masri (Lebanese-Italian, 1965) 'Light Keeper' 2022 Oil paint, magazine paper, mixed media, canvas, stretcher bars The artist signed the painting on the back and bottom left. 'Light ...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Magazine Paper, Stretcher Bars
$11,250
"Summer Cafe" - Colorful Bright Abstract Impressionism of a Sunlit Cafe Scene
Located in Carmel, CA
Maura Petersen (American, born 1956) "Summer Cafe" 2025 Acrylic Paint, Canvas, Stretcher Bars The artist signed the bottom right of the painting. In “Summer Cafe,” Maura Petersen re...
Canvas, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
$1,520Sale Price|20% Off
Landscape 137 by Jean Krille - Oil on Masonite 40.5x61 cm
By Jean Krille
Located in Geneva, CH
Jean Krillé’s paintings are known for their expressive use of color and dynamic, abstract forms, blending realism with abstraction in his depictions of nature. His landscapes often f...
Masonite, Oil
$1,400Sale Price|20% Off
Adanna (Cultural Fusion) -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Painting, Women
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. In the heart of the 21st century, a young woman proudly stands in her neon-hued attire a testament to her Igbo Nigerian...
Canvas, Neon Light, Acrylic
Blooming garden by the pond, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
In this oil painting, I poured my soul into capturing the enchanting interplay of light and shadows, where blooms dance above tranquil waters. Merging realism with impressionistic to...
Oil
German Expressionist Hand Carved Colored Original Wood Pane Art Israeli Bezalel
Located in Surfside, FL
This is original hand carved wood carving used to produce a woodcut print. Hand colored with painting. signed woodblock (unique piece, not a print) by Jacob Steinhardt 1887-1968 "Reuben Offering Food and Drink to Joseph" Hand carved and painted surface, painted in relief. Signed LR, dated LL. In thin wood painted frame, woodcut panel approx. 1/2" thick, raised on frame. panel within gold painted wood liner 16"H x 12.5 framed 22.5 x 18.75 Judaica biblical scene. Steinhardt, Jakob, Painter and Woodcut Artist. b. 1887, Yaacov Steinhardt was born in the then remote, largely Polish town of Zerkow in the Posen District of Germany. (poland/german) Immigrated 1933. Studies: 1906 School of Art, 1906 Studied in Berlin Arts and Crafts School. Berlin; 1907 painting...
Woodcut
$544Sale Price|20% Off
Snow-Covered Underwood by Ernest Voegeli - Oil on Canvas 46x55 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
Contrast, Contemporary Representational Art, Landscape, Canadian Artist
By Marie Rioux
Located in Houston, TX
Contrast is Contemporary Representational Art of a Canadian Landscape with a twist of Abstract. “Whatever my particular aim is, atmosphere is a...
Oil
$2,280Sale Price|20% Off
Harirah: One of My Days - 21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, Women in Fashion
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. About Artist Sayeed...
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
Voodoo Ceremony Outdoors with Vodou Chicken Sacrifice
Located in Miami, FL
In this work, Haitian Master Wilson Bigaud focuses on fleeting moments of a Voodoo scene. He depicts the sacrifices of two chickens to the spirits. It is a gift to the divine, a w...
Masonite, Oil
$1,000Sale Price|20% Off
Afro Crown 1 - 21st Century, Expressionist , Figurative Portrait, Human Hair
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
$3,880Sale Price|20% Off
Masked Elegance in Contemporary Threads 2 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Africa
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, Coffee, Mixed Media
$3,880Sale Price|20% Off
Masked Elegance in Contemporary Threads 1 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Africa
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, Coffee, Mixed Media
$1,249Sale Price|20% Off
Old Riga motif. 1972. Paper, watercolor, 50x41 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Old Riga motif 1972. Paper, watercolor, 50x41 cm The central focus of the artwork is on an old town, a historic district known for its antiquated architecture, cobbled streets, and...
Paper, Acrylic, Watercolor
'Field of Flowers', Monterey Coast, California Expressionist, Carmel, Stanford
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
'Field of Flowers' by Robert Canete. Monterey Coast, California Expressionist, Carmel, Stanford ----- Signed upper left, 'Canete' for Robert Canete (American, born 1948) and painte...
Oil, Board
$1,787Sale Price|20% Off
First furrow. 1980. Oil on canvas, 73x54 cm
Located in Riga, LV
First furrow. 1980. Oil on canvas, 73x54 cm Aleksandr Rodin (1922-2001) Painter Born in a family of farmers. Wife Rasma Lace - art scholar. Studied at...
Canvas, Oil
$2,702Sale Price|20% Off
Golden Light
Located in Coltishall, GB
Golden Light is inspired by the beautiful colours and flowers that Rachael and her lovely dog Sandy see on their walks along the autumnal country paths of the Norfolk Broads as the s...
Canvas, Wood, Acrylic
$2,702Sale Price|20% Off
All is quiet
Located in Coltishall, GB
All is quiet… An expressive painting filled with the colours and emotions of an early morning winter walk through the crisp Norfolk countryside, following the weaving rivers of the N...
Canvas, Wood, Acrylic
Morning Frost
Located in Coltishall, GB
Morning Frost… An expressive painting filled with the colours and emotions of an early morning winter walk through the crisp Norfolk countryside, following the weaving rivers of the ...
Canvas, Wood, Acrylic