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.
$6,935
Les Champs III, Abstract Expressionist Acrylic on Canvas. 130cm x 130cm.
Located in Cotignac, FR
A large contemporary Abstract Expressionist Color-Field acrylic on canvas by French artist, Christian Manoury. Signed and dated to the back. Inspired by the wonderful countryside su...
Acrylic
$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
$3,850
Echoes of Resilience - 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Fashion
By Gobe Joseph
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 Gob...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Cow Boy -21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Floral, Mixed Media
By Gobe Joseph
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 Gob...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
"Compadres", Abstract, Expressionist, Green, Blue, Oil Pastel, Oil Painting
By Anita Loomis
Located in Franklin, MA
“Compadres” is a 50 x 40 inch oil painting on canvas by Anita Loomis. A work from her “Couples” series, this vibrantly colored abstract composition in cool blue, green, violet palette with pops of warm orange, captures a moment with two dear souls connecting. It speaks to unspoken bonds and deep friendships in lives shared. With a painting style that hints at Loomis’s stained-glass past as well as her appreciation of European expressionist painting and cartoon animation, her active painting surface is rich with symbols and distinctive marks. "Compadres" includes elements drawn in oil pastel. This painting is signed on the back and on the left gallery edge. Anita Loomis is a painter who works from her studio in Kittery, Maine. Communication is the underpinning focus of her oeuvre. For the “Tomorrowland” series, each painting offers semi-abstract settings with unusual plant and animal life thriving in spaces with simple architectural forms and structures. Through this series of paintings, the artist asks what possible new species will evolve as the Earth changes. Anita Loomis creates paintings that explore facets of human dialogue and relationships. Through painting, humor, and a deep curiosity about human imperfection, she investigates what it means to navigate communication with people who see the world through different cultural lenses. Loomis paints to shine a light on the common threads that connect our human experiences and spotlight the value of empathy. Loomis earned her BA in Studio Art from Framingham State University in Massachusetts, and her MA with a concentration in Arts Management from the University of Central Florida. She worked in the field of architectural stained glass for fifteen years and has focused on painting since 2004. She lives and works in Kittery, Maine. Her work has been exhibited at Miller White Gallery, South Dennis, MA; Fountain Street Gallery, Boston, MA, and various exhibitions in New England, Pennsylvania...
Canvas, Oil, Oil Pastel
Autumn Foliage, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
The painting portrays a tree with colorful foliage in the middle of a vast field. The leaves are painted yellow and red, with a hint of purple. The wind gentl...
Oil
$36,988Sale Price|20% Off
Ball. 1920's, oil on canvas, 65x92 cm
By Romans Suta
Located in Riga, LV
Ball. 1920's, oil on canvas, 65x92 cm Provenance: Romans Suta daughter Tatjana Suta (1923-2004) Artwork not signed Romans Suta Born on April 28, 1896 in the vicinity of Cesis (Lat...
Canvas, Oil
$1,079
Jubilation, Abstract Painting, Bright Layered Art, Medium Art for Large Spaces
Located in Deddington, GB
Layers of color and texture blend into an exciting composition. Michelle Marra, artist, abstract paintings for sale online and in our contemporary art g...
Canvas, Acrylic
$74,199
Nature morte au réchaud by Bernard Buffet - Still life, painting, Oil on panel
Located in London, GB
*PLEASE NOTE UK BUYERS WILL ONLY PAY 5% VAT ON THIS PURCHASE. Once an order is placed we will arrange the VAT of 20% to be reduced to 5% Nature morte au réchaud by Bernard Buffet (1...
Oil, Panel
$12,141
British 20th Century oil painting of 'The promised land' by Thomas Saunders Nash
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
THOMAS SAUNDERS NASH (1891-1968) The promised land Oil on board 28 x 20 in. (71 x 50.8 cm.) Painter of figure compositions, religious subjects, l...
Oil, Board
$5,900
Reverte in Car Acrylic Painting, Expressionist Style, 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
$14,000
Two Men Fighters Figurative Expressionist Oil Painting on Canvas, Framed, 1992
By Erwin Guillermo
Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL
Two Men Fighters 1992 Artist signed and dated lower left, also signed and titled on verso. Erwin Guillermo was born in Guatemala City in 1951. He is one of the best representatives of Guatemalan Art...
Canvas, Oil
Morning Bouquet by Hela - Contemporary flower oil pastel still life painting
By Hela
Located in DE
Hela is an emerging contemporary artist whose vibrant and playful paintings celebrate the quiet glamour of everyday life. With a focus on table settings, cocktails, glassware, and el...
Canvas, Acrylic
$3,200
Abstract Expressionist Oil Painting, Green, Red, Blue, "No Title"
Located in Franklin, MA
Katherine Borkowski-Byrne’s ‘No Title” is an oil painting on canvas 30 x 40 x 1.5 inches with spontaneous brushwork with mostly blues with accents of green, violet, red and orange. T...
Canvas, Oil
Copons Flower Park Acrylic Painting, Expressionist, Framed, 1990s
By Joan Copons
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Original work of the Spanish artist Joan COPONS. -Barcelona-jardin. original acrylic painting
Canvas, Oil
$2,000Sale Price|20% Off
RED SHORE 2 - original painting by Paula Craioveanu Landscape
Located in Forest Hills, NY
"Red Shore 2 ", acrylic on canvas, 40x100cm, Shipped strected. Comes with a certificate of authenticity signed by the artist.
Canvas, Acrylic
$369Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary abstract floral painting purple flowers on paper "Amethyst dream"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
“Amethyst Dream” is a contemporary abstract floral painting by French artist Natalya Mougenot, created as part of her ongoing series dedicated to floral compositions. The work evokes...
Paper, Acrylic
"Untitled Female" Clothed Female Figure, Bright Colors, Detroit Symbols
Located in Detroit, MI
“Untitled Female" is a colorful piece by Richard Wilson that has meaning for native Detroiters through use of the blues and oranges - their "Tiger" baseball team's colors and the "D"...
Canvas, Acrylic
Abike 1 -21st Century Contemporary Figurative Portrait of Modern Woman, Umbrella
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 Ogu...
Canvas, Acrylic
Shielded Heart -21st Century Contemporary Figurative Portrait of Woman, Umbrella
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 Ogu...
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,400Sale Price|20% Off
"Lumberjack's Dream" - Textured Expressionist Composition in Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Soquel, CA
"Lumberjack's Dream" - Textured Expressionist Composition in Acrylic on Canvas Textured abstract composition by California artist Charles "Dave" Francis (American, 1951-2018). Brigh...
Canvas, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
$5,500
Freedom Flight -21st Century, Expressionist Modern Painting of Child on Balloon
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
Pruna Women Sketch for Bocaccio original watercolor painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Pere Pruna Ocerans (Barcelona, 1904-1977) was a Catalan painter and illustrator of figurative style. In 1920, with only 17 years and hardly any academic training, he traveled to ...
Watercolor
$5,000
Up Up and Away With Fido -21st Century, Expressionist Modern, Child, Balloon
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
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
'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
$650
"Agrigento" (2025), Impressionist Italian Countryside, Oil Painting on Panel
Located in Denver, CO
Painted plein air on a beach in Sicily. Kirsten Savage is one of Colorado’s top representational artists. As an avid world traveler and experienced mountaineer, Kirsten spends her t...
Oil, Panel
Studio Interior Still Life with Carved Wood Sculpture
Located in Surfside, FL
Lawrence Rothbort 1920-1963 Lawrence Rothbort, son of American Impressionist - Samuel Rothbort, was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1920, and achieved fame for his expressionist style pai...
Oil, Board
$3,600
Music Scale, Bright colors, Musical instruments violin bass male female figures
Located in Brooklyn, NY
ABOUT Stephen Basso Stephen Basso's highly original pastels and oil paintings are romantic, yet thought provoking fantasies. His whimsical works are alive with boundless imaginat...
Canvas, Oil
$1,012Sale Price|25% Off
Courtney Love and Guitar Abstract Expressionist Figurative
Located in Soquel, CA
Courtney Love playing blues - a dynamic abstract painting by San Francisco artist Michael William Eggleston (American, 20th century). From a collection o...
Canvas, Oil
$5,000
Silent Struggle -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, People, Expressionism
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
Messenger -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, People, Expressionism, Africa
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
The Messenger” is a portrait of presence both seen and unseen. Dressed in formal strength, the figure emerges from a clouded realm, flanked by ghostlike silhouettes that evoke spirit...
Canvas, Coffee, Mixed Media
$1,710Sale Price|40% Off
Dreaming in Color, Expressionist Reclining Female Figure
Located in Soquel, CA
A vivid, multicolored expressionist depiction of a gracefully reclining female figure by Bay Area artist Rick Rodrigues (American, 20th Century). Signed with the artist's symbol lowe...
Canvas, Oil
$1,950
RAVENTOS Winds Windows Garden Green original abstract mixed media
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
"JARDIN" original abstract mixed media painting RAVENTÓS Mª Assumpció – (San Sadurní d’Anoia, Barcelona 1930). Raventos trained at the elite Sant Jordi School of Fine Arts in Barcelo...
Canvas
"Banksy Nostradamus"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
A painting as a prophetic thought. A philosophical perspective on the sum of actions, the essence of humanity, and the future of the entire race. My images in my paintings come tr...
Oil
Pilgrim’s Way from Holy Island
Located in Deddington, GB
original oil on canvas Image size: H:104 cm x W:104 cm Complete Size of Unframed Work: H:104 cm x W:104 cm x D:4cm Sold Unframed Please note that insitu images are purely an ind...
Canvas, Oil
"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
Goddess of the Desert: paper, pastel, 2022
Located in Zofingen, AG
With vibrant oil pastels, I captured her piercing gaze beneath the veil, blending expressionism’s emotion and realism’s detail. The blue hues flow like desert skies, conveying streng...
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Archival Paper
Harlequin
Located in Boca Raton, FL
Bernard Lorjou (1908–1986) was a French painter, printmaker, and co-founder of the Expressionist movement L’Homme Témoin (“The Witness”). Known for his bold colors, dramatic composit...
Paper, Oil
"Donna con calze Rosse" Olio su cartone cm. 50 x 70 1984
Located in Torino, IT
Figura femminile con calze rosse Edgardo CORBELLI (Turin, 1918 - 1989) From the traditional composition of the 1930s, the painting of Corbelli leads to technical and expressive resu...
Oil
Eternal Payment in Fertile Land 2 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Apple
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 Penuel Heber Ma...
Paper, Charcoal, Pencil
Nigerian Prince 1 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Painting, Men, Texture
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.
Acrylic, Cardboard
Nigerian Prince 1 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Painting, Men, Texture
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.
Acrylic, Cardboard
Sillons, Blue Countryside, expressionism abstract, oil, Landscape, French
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Sophie Dumont is a french artist . She has been painting the landscapes of Normandy for 40 years. His painting is today recognized throughout the world. This painting is a countrysid...
Oil
$4,500
1950's Expressionist Interior Oil Painting Still Life with Flowers and Trumpet
Located in Surfside, FL
Herbert Katzman 1923-2004 (American artist active in New york, Illinois and Italy) Oil Painting Dated 1946. Signed. Dimensions; Sight-16" x 20", Frame-23.5" x 27". Provenance: this...
Canvas, Oil
$425
Van Gogh Style
Located in San Francisco, CA
Powerful little expressionist painting. With the vibrant colors and heavy impost, though it reminds me in the style of van Gogh. It is an oil on wood and it is signed. BOBAK. There a...
Oil
Jug with flowers, floral, still life, contemporary, wall art
Located in Deddington, GB
Jug with flowers is an Original Painting by Eleanor Woolley Painted in the Artist's Gloucestershire Studio, the flowers in this painting are impasto style with thick and fluid brushs...
Oil
$920Sale Price|20% Off
Jungle Panorama, Contemporary Expressionist Horizontal Landscape with Trees
Located in Soquel, CA
A lush, jungle setting bursting with plant life is depicted in panoramic view, in this horizontal botanical landscape by Bay Area artist Michael Pauker (American, b. 1957), c.1990s....
Canvas, Oil
Mind Emancipation 2 -21st Century Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Modern Men
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
The concept of colour, race, and inequality is the concept of the mind caused by the general norms of a society, nation, or world at large . The general norms of the world that place...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Mind Emancipation 3 -21st Century Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Modern Men
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
The concept of colour, race, and inequality is the concept of the mind caused by the general norms of a society, nation, or world at large . The general norms of the world that place...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$1,800
Unbroken Poise -21st Century Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Modern, Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
There’s a poise that comes not from perfection but from resilience and the quiet strength we all carry from within. This artwork speaks to the moments when life tests us, yet we choo...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$2,800
Language of Strings -21st Century Contemporary, Figurative, Music, Modern Men
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
The violin speaks where words fall silent—echoing resilience, tenderness, and the shared rhythm of our humanity. Its language is universal, reminding us that even in life’s division,...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Sigularity 2 gestural abstract femalefigure
By Tom Bennett
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Abstracted and expressive figurative painting featuring a woman's back and profile in a style that emphases abstract mark-making. It incorporates a variety of techniques, incorporati...
Oil Crayon, Oil, Board
"Naturamorta con fiori " cm. 70 x 52 Olio su tavola di legno 1970 ca
By Enzo FARAONI
Located in Torino, IT
natura morta con bellissima cornice in legno Enzo FARAONI (S. Stefano Magra, La Spezia, 1920/2017) Signed top right Enzo Faraoni is a great painter and engraver from Florence; he e...
Wood, Oil
$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
$2,900
Wish You Merry and Happy 2 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Holiday, Dog
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Season is the day that holds all time together with endless peace, joy, and love. Do not set aside your happiness season, do not wait to be happy in the future because the best time...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$18,800
Rudawa
Located in Boston, MA
"Rudawa" is a stunning example of the complexities of Michael Azgour's paintings. The artist carefully builds his pigments, allowing for glimpses into the numerous layers of paint be...
Acrylic
SAKURA - Cherry blossom, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By Hoang Phuong
Located in Yardley, PA
Cherry blossoms are very loved by the Japanese people, so in fact they exist as a symbol and the national flower of Japan. For the Japanese, Sakura zensen symbolizes beauty, fragilit...
Acrylic
Daybreak, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Strong morning light intensifies the vivid colors and dramatic contrasts across the trees and foliage, creating a striking visual impact. The tall trunk at the ...
Acrylic
Sonia and Todi
Located in Boston, MA
"Sonia and Todi" is a stunning example of the complexities of Michael Azgour's paintings. The artist carefully builds his pigments, allowing for glimpses into the numerous layers of ...
Acrylic