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Expressionist Paintings

EXPRESSIONIST STYLE

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.

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Style: Expressionist
Poolside 4-original figurative abstract female form painting-contemporary art
Poolside 4-original figurative abstract female form painting-contemporary art

Poolside 4-original figurative abstract female form painting-contemporary art

By Iryna Yermolova

Located in London, Chelsea

We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

The Dynamic Center, colorful, goddess with abstract elements, red, blue, yellow
The Dynamic Center, colorful, goddess with abstract elements, red, blue, yellow

The Dynamic Center, colorful, goddess with abstract elements, red, blue, yellow

By Janet Morgan

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Watercolor, mixed media, using resists. This piece is very much about the energy of the body and breath. We are just rediscovering the power of the breath to increase energy and gen...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Mixed Media, Watercolor, Archival Paper

If Only I Could - original abstract figurative landscape painting-contemporary
If Only I Could - original abstract figurative landscape painting-contemporary

If Only I Could - original abstract figurative landscape painting-contemporary

By Iryna Yermolova

Located in London, Chelsea

We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Liquid Amber
Liquid Amber

Liquid Amber

By Rachael Dalzell

Located in Coltishall, GB

Rachael Dalzell’s paintings are colourful and expressive. Her free and lively use of paint through various techniques, mean that Rachael’s work is as much about mood as it is of pl...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Acrylic

Looking Down at the Ranch, Abstract Expressionist Landscape
Looking Down at the Ranch, Abstract Expressionist Landscape

Looking Down at the Ranch, Abstract Expressionist Landscape

Located in Soquel, CA

Heavily textured, 1962 abstracted landscape by Humbolt area artist Alma B. Leamey (American, 1901-1996). The viewer looks out over a valley, with a ranch at the focal point. In the d...

Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"The Last Supper in the Kuril Islands, Tea with KAWS"
"The Last Supper in the Kuril Islands, Tea with KAWS"

"The Last Supper in the Kuril Islands, Tea with KAWS"

By Valery Tatar

Located in Edinburgh, GB

This work was the second in a series of works "Secret Dinner in the Kuril Islands." It serves as a continuation after the work "In Search of Pokemon". After the sale of this picture,...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Wood, Acrylic

'Zulu Dancers'
'Zulu Dancers'

'Zulu Dancers'

Located in Amsterdam, NL

‘Zulu Dancers’ Signed bottom right Hardman, titled on a sticker at the reverse and with address Walton End, Walton Lane, Bosham, Chichester, and Price 45 gns. Oil on board, 99 x 87...

Category

20th Century Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

"Jazzy" - Very Large Diptych Colorful Expressionist Jazz Band Figurative Scene
"Jazzy" - Very Large Diptych Colorful Expressionist Jazz Band Figurative Scene

"Jazzy" - Very Large Diptych Colorful Expressionist Jazz Band Figurative Scene

By Natalia Aandewiel

Located in Carmel, CA

Natalia Aandewiel (Ukrainian, born 1996) "Jazzy" 2024 Oil Paint, Canvas, Stretcher Bars The artist signed the back of the canvas. "Jazzy" by Natalia Aandewiel is an exuberant expres...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars

Vibrant Bowl of Cherries Oil Painting by Pierre Jerome
Vibrant Bowl of Cherries Oil Painting by Pierre Jerome

Vibrant Bowl of Cherries Oil Painting by Pierre Jerome

By Pierre Jerome

Located in Surfside, FL

approximate image size 13 3/4'' x 10 1/2'', frame size 22'' x 19''. Pierre Jerome French 1905-1982 During his 50+ year career as an artist, he won several major awards, including a...

Category

20th Century Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Multicolored Tulips 2
Multicolored Tulips 2

Multicolored Tulips 2

Located in Zofingen, AG

Sold and sent unframed -VIRTUAL FRAME.  You'll receive it rolled, in a tube. "Multicolored Tulips 1" is a vibrant floral painting rendered in oil stick on paper. The artist's abstrac...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Archival Paper

The artist and his muse
The artist and his muse

The artist and his muse

Located in Buffalo, NY

An original mid century portrait of an artist and his muse or model inside his studio. This work is signed "Simon" although a definitive artist has not been determined.

Category

1960s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Untitled
Untitled

Untitled

Located in San Francisco, CA

This expressive, figurative portrait is by Cliffton Peacock (1953- 2024). The painting measures 40 x 34 inches (42 x 36 inches framed.) It is composed of oil on canvas. The painting ...

Category

1990s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Man   original figurative  drawing painting
Man   original figurative  drawing painting

Man original figurative drawing painting

By A. Costa

Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL

Man. original figurative drawing painting. virtual frame Barcelona, 1904 - Barcelona, 1965 It was formed in Buenos Aires, in the Circle of San Lucas of Barcelona and the FAD. He wa...

Category

1960s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Carbon Pencil

In The Artist's Studio Abstract
In The Artist's Studio Abstract

In The Artist's Studio Abstract

By D.S. Silver

Located in Soquel, CA

Large scale abstract painting of another abstract painting on artist's easel by California artist D. Silver (American, 20th Century), 1984. Signed and dated lower right corner and on...

Category

1980s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars

Colorado Summer
Colorado Summer

Colorado Summer

By Vaclav Vytlacil

Located in Wiscasett, ME

Oil pastel and watercolor on paper. Signed and dated to lower right edge 'Vaclav Vytlacil 1953'. Signed and dated to lower left edge 'Vytlacil 1953'. It is also titled on reverse. Pa...

Category

1950s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil Pastel, Watercolor

21st Century Framed Expressionist Acrylic Painting on Canvas
21st Century Framed Expressionist Acrylic Painting on Canvas

21st Century Framed Expressionist Acrylic Painting on Canvas

By Maria Asuncion Raventos

Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL

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 Barcelona. R...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic

Romanian Israeli Modernist Oil Painting Expressionist Figures Mothers and Babies
Romanian Israeli Modernist Oil Painting Expressionist Figures Mothers and Babies

Romanian Israeli Modernist Oil Painting Expressionist Figures Mothers and Babies

By Risa Propst Kraid

Located in Surfside, FL

Risa Propst Kraid (Romanian - Israeli, 1894-1983) Jewish Israeli Woman artist. enigmatic picture of either women picnicking or refugees huddling together. Painting and Sculpture Week, 1969 Painters and Sculptors Association in Israel, Haifa and the North Artists: Mordechai Avnieli, Irene Awret...

Category

1960s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Large Mid-Century Modern Abstract Urban Painting by Henriette Stolz, Cityscape
Large Mid-Century Modern Abstract Urban Painting by Henriette Stolz, Cityscape

Large Mid-Century Modern Abstract Urban Painting by Henriette Stolz, Cityscape

Located in Denver, CO

This dramatic mid-century abstract cityscape by American modernist Henriette “Yetti” Stolz (20th century) showcases her bold interpretation of urban energy and architectural form. Pa...

Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Putty, Panel

City Walk
City Walk

City Walk

Located in Zofingen, AG

NOT STRETCHED. You'll receive it rolled, in a tube. Ready for stretching. I recommend stretching your painting in a local custom framing shop or gallery. It will be the most affordab...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Archival Paper

Studio Interior Still Life with Carved Wood Sculpture
Studio Interior Still Life with Carved Wood Sculpture

Studio Interior Still Life with Carved Wood Sculpture

By Lawrence Rothbort

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...

Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Winter landscape
Winter landscape

Winter landscape

By Adolf Melnars

Located in Riga, LV

Adolfs Melnars (till 1940 – Adolfs Maslovskis) (1908.4.III – 1963.31.X) attended studio of K. Miesnieks (1928), studied in Latvia Art academy (1930 – 39) and graduated studio of G. ...

Category

1960s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Cardboard

Incarcerated Angel Among Them Oil On Wood Panel, Signed 1977
Incarcerated Angel Among Them Oil On Wood Panel, Signed 1977

Incarcerated Angel Among Them Oil On Wood Panel, Signed 1977

By Purvis Young

Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL

Incarcerated Angel Among Them 1977 Oil on wood panel, artist signed. Purvis Young (1943-2010) was an American artist from Miami, Florida. Best known for his paintings on objects and ...

Category

1970s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

"Late Night at the Studio", Contemporary, Factory Interior, Blue, Oil Painting
"Late Night at the Studio", Contemporary, Factory Interior, Blue, Oil Painting

"Late Night at the Studio", Contemporary, Factory Interior, Blue, Oil Painting

By Catherine Picard-Gibbs

Located in Franklin, MA

“Late Night at The Studio” by Catherine Picard-Gibbs is an Expressionist interior factory scene in a palette of teal-blue and yellow. This evocative 18 x 24 inch oil on panel painting focuses on light pouring out from the haunting depths of an empty hallway. This textural artwork is framed in a silver crackle floater frame with a black interior, making the framed size 19 x 25 x 1.5 inches. Catherine Picard-Gibbs paints with bold brush strokes, using vibrant colors to show emotion and movement in landscapes and urban scenes. Her inspiration comes from the nuance and drama of her everyday world. Her evocative works have been featured throughout Massachusetts, in New York, and in the Midwest. Picard-Gibbs is represented by Fountain Street Gallery...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Rabbi in Old Jerusalem Painting
Rabbi in Old Jerusalem Painting

Rabbi in Old Jerusalem Painting

By Isaac Frenel

Located in Surfside, FL

Yitzchak Frenel Frenkel, Israeli Master In 1920, he established the artists' cooperative in Jaffa and an artists' studio in Herzliya. Later that year, he traveled to Paris where h...

Category

20th Century Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

My Reflection - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Floral, Women, Africa
My Reflection - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Floral, Women, Africa

My Reflection - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Floral, Women, Africa

By Oyewumi Oyindamola

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...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic, Ballpoint Pen

"Takla Bey's Garden in Alese" - Expressionist Landscape
"Takla Bey's Garden in Alese" - Expressionist Landscape

"Takla Bey's Garden in Alese" - Expressionist Landscape

By Gloria Takla

Located in Soquel, CA

Vibrant depiction of an interior garden by Gloria Takla (American/German, b. 1940). Composed of saturated colors, this piece shows a simple snapshot of a palm tree framed by a bright pink wall. The palm is planted in an enclosed area of blue, set in the yellow ground. The tree is framed by an opening in the wall, with decorative elements on either side. Signed in the lower middle. Signed and titled on verso. No frame. Canvas size 36"H x 36"W Gloria Lerch-Takla (German, b. 1940) was born in Berlin and began her art education at night school there. Later she studied art at Western Wyoming College, the University of Alberta in Canada, and Roane State University in Tennessee. She also was a master class student of Hassel Smith at the College of Notre Dame (now Notre Dame de Namur University) in Belmont. A San Mateo resident, Takla often paints outdoors around the Bay Area, both along the coast and in city locations. Selected Exhibitions: 1983 - P.ART.A Galleries, San Mateo, CA 1985 - Oak Ridge Community Art Center, Oak Ridge, TN 1990 - Center for Integrated Systems, Stanford, CA 1998 - “Chroma” Two-Woman Exhibit - Gallery House, Palo Alto, CA 2005 - “Lieder in Color” - Gallery House, Palo Alto, CA Artist’s Statement: “As I have been traveling extensively, my subject matters are all unfolding like a picture book; special moments, views bypassing, caught by my eye from a car window, discarded or stored for later evaluation. I paint the past - events that I have lived through and places I have seen. I experience them first, then at a later time reflect on them, feel them through, then my interpretations of events and impressions are put on canvas.” "I paint in the German Expressionism style...

Category

Early 2000s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Symbolist Composition"
"Symbolist Composition"

"Symbolist Composition"

By Unidentified

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Artist: Unidentified Dimensions: Framed: 51 x 45 cm Artwork: 13 x 9 cm Medium: Oil on board/canvas Period: [Estimate based on style, e.g., Mid-20th Century / Contemporary] Style: Sy...

Category

19th Century Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Paul Manes - Untitled Sunflower, Painting 2021

Paul Manes - Untitled Sunflower, Painting 2021

By Paul Manes

Located in Stamford, CT

Untitled Sunflower Oil On Canvas 60" x 66" Paul Manes was born May 4, 1948, in Austin, Texas. He began his professional career in New York City in the early 1980s. His art has bee...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Paint, Oil

"Chapel of Three Moons", Expressionist Church Interior, Golden, Oil Painting
"Chapel of Three Moons", Expressionist Church Interior, Golden, Oil Painting

"Chapel of Three Moons", Expressionist Church Interior, Golden, Oil Painting

By Catherine Picard-Gibbs

Located in Franklin, MA

“Chapel of Three Moons” by Catherine Picard-Gibbs is an expressionist interior church scene. This evocative 24 x 30 x 1.5 inch oil on canvas painting depicts a mysterious golden encrusted chapel with a figure praying and a suggestion of a ritual taking place. The textural brushwork in rich gold contrasted with purples and blues add drama to this dynamic painting. Catherine Picard-Gibbs paints with bold brush strokes, using vibrant colors to show emotion and movement in landscapes and urban scenes. Her inspiration comes from the nuance and drama of her everyday world. Her evocative works have been featured throughout Massachusetts, in New York, and in the Midwest. Picard-Gibbs is represented by Fountain Street...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Michaelmas daisy
Michaelmas daisy

Michaelmas daisy

By Rachael Dalzell

Located in Coltishall, GB

Michaelmas daisy is an explosion of color and energy, showcasing a mesmerizing floral composition. Dominating the foreground are bold, purple flowers that draw the eye with their int...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Acrylic

Spindle and clover
Spindle and clover

Spindle and clover

By Rachael Dalzell

Located in Coltishall, GB

Spindle and clover bursts with energy, showcasing a lush, abstract floral scene. Rachael skillfully blends soft, swirling strokes with more defined, bold accents, creating a sense of...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Acrylic

Rose hip and cosmos
Rose hip and cosmos

Rose hip and cosmos

By Rachael Dalzell

Located in Coltishall, GB

Rose hip and clover bursts with an explosion of floral energy. A rich tapestry of blooming flowers dominates the scene, painted with a vivid palette ranging from deep magenta and ele...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Acrylic

Expressionist paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Expressionist paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add paintings created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, orange, purple, green and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Iryna Kastsova, Maria Asuncion Raventos, Masri Hayssam, and Evelyne Ballestra. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Oil Paint and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Expressionist paintings, so small editions measuring 1 inches across are also available.