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.
Falmouth Sunset and St Ives Harbour, Set of 2, Original, Landscape
Located in Deddington, GB
Falmouth Sunset is an Original Oil Painting by Eleanor Woolley. It was Inspired by trips to Falmouth last summer, looking across the estuary at the boats and the dramatic sunset. The...
Canvas, Oil
$456
Funny fashionable girls Original impasto Miniature oil painting for living room
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
I poured my emotions into these three figures, blending expressionism with a whimsical surreal touch. The oil paint is applied with an impasto technique, adding texture to the canvas...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
Ballerina. Original impasto oil figurative Medium painting.
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Ballerina" captures the ethereal grace of ballet, reminiscent of butterflies in flight. This original oil painting on fine Italian linen canvas depicts a ballerina, perhaps in a mom...
Canvas, Oil
The Holy Diver - Framed Figurative Textural Swimmer Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Reminiscent of the Fauvist movement and Italian classicism, Italian artist Giuseppe Beddru’s bold outlines, dynamic brushstrokes and contrasting use of color make his work visually e...
Plexiglass, Ink, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$4,395
Antique American Expressionist Oil & Gouache Painting of Ibiza Martin Baer 1935
By Martin Baer
Located in Portland, OR
Antique Expressionist Painting of Ibiza by the American Artist Martin Baer (1894-1961), 1935. Baer was born in Chicago and early in his career worked in Germany, North Africa, and Pa...
Oil, Watercolor, Gouache
Large Figurative Expressionist Oil Painting Rediscovered New York City Artist
Located in Surfside, FL
Jonah Kinigstein (b. 1923) is an American Postwar & Contemporary painter. He works in a figurative expressionist style. His works are featured in the Smithsonian American Art Museum,...
Oil, Board
Green day, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By LE ANH TUAN
Located in Yardley, PA
Flowers in the morning dew The most beautiful flowers are in the early morning. When the dawn just dawned, the petals began to gradually bloom, with the water lily, the lotus in ...
Acrylic
"Princess Diana, " an Oil Canvas signed by Alayna Rose
By Alayna Rose
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Princess Diana" is an original oil painting created by Alayna Rose. This piece was created shortly after the death of Princess Diana in 1997. The painting effectively captures the distance and sadness surrounding the event. Alayna Rose did not set out to make a tribute painting...
Canvas, Oil
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...
Canvas, Oil
Paysage à Saint Céré by Pinchus Kremegne, Oil on Canvas
Located in LE HAVRE, FR
This captivating landscape painting, titled 'Paysage à Saint Céré,' is an original oil on canvas by the celebrated artist Pinchus Kremegne (1890–1981), a distinguished member of the ...
Paint
John Begg Sr., Expressionist Portrait by Joseph Solman
Located in Long Island City, NY
In the mid-1960s Joseph Solman (American, 1909 - 2008) was commissioned to create portraits of the Begg family. This is a portrait of John Begg Sr., the patriarch of the mid-century ...
Oil, Canvas
Sea. Sailboat, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Elena Lukina
Located in Yardley, PA
Inspired by love for the sea, the sunny coast of Jurmala, where I live. Painting in positive colors, uplifting and ready to be in any interior. High-quality professional oil pain...
Oil
$2,240Sale Price|20% Off
Companionship -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Women, Birds, Interior
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
$3,480Sale Price|20% Off
We Outside 2 (Lagos Baddie Girl) - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Sunday in Lagos is a vibrant tapestry of culture, fashion, and social activity, and for a "baddie girl," it’s the perfect day to showcase her unique style and charisma. The city come...
Canvas, Ink, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$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
In the Light of the Stars, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A woman rests and dissolves into the vast night sky. Star-like spirals pulse gently around her body, creating a rhythmic sense of movement and calm. Flowers wea...
Acrylic
"Flooded Brandy Creek, Whiskeytown Park" (2014) Joellyn Duesberry, Oil on Linen
Located in Denver, CO
"Flooded Brandy Creek" (2014) By Joellyn Duesberry is an original handmade oil painting on linen that depicts a river rushing through a lush green landscape. A self-taught landscape...
Linen, Oil
$40,000
"Tilted" by Masri - Red, Yellow, and Black Expressionist Hand Painted Portrait
Located in Carmel, CA
Masri Hayssam (Lebanese, born 1965) "Tilted" 2024 Oil Paint, Acrylic Paint, Mixed Media, Canvas, Stretcher Bars The artist signed the bottom left and back of the painting. "Tilted" ...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
Mid-Century Modern "Lee Reynolds" Marshland Sunset Oil Painting – Newly Framed
By Lee Reynolds
Located in Incline Village, NV
Presenting an exceptional, atmospheric 1970s expressionist landscape painting from Vanguard Studios, hand-signed with stylized signature under the iconic commercial trade name "Lee R...
Canvas, Paint, Mixed Media
$2,280Sale Price|20% Off
Kyalli (Glitter) - 21st Century, Expressionist, Figurative Portrait, Oil, Women
By Sayeed Momoh
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
$795Sale Price|20% Off
Tulips with pear. Oil on cardboard, 50x40 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Tulips with pear. Oil on cardboard, 50x40 cm Aleksandr Rodin (1922-2001) Painter Born in a family of farmers. Wife Rasma Lace - art scholar. Studied at the Stalingrad School of Art,...
Oil, Cardboard
$5,266Sale Price|25% Off
"Donna con vestito rosso" olio cm. 50 x 70 1979
Located in Torino, IT
woman,red, Italian painter Edgardo CORBELLI (Turin, 1918 - 1989) From the traditional composition of the 1930s, the painting of Corbelli leads to technical and expressive results do...
Canvas, Oil
$1,160Sale Price|20% Off
Her Quest - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Impasto, Woman, Pink, Birds
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 (Issued...
Canvas, Acrylic
Resting Spearman, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Title: "Resting Spearman" Artist: Derek Overfield A resting spearman, javelin hanging loosely at his side, gazes away from the viewer. The tension of his occupation evident in hi...
Acrylic
$2,120Sale Price|20% Off
Gentle Hold of the Couch -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Painting, Oil
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, Oil
$2,120Sale Price|20% Off
The Fade Lives On -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Painting, Memories
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
This painting traces the evolution of Black hair culture, showing how each era defines its own sense of style and identity. From the clean Afro fades of the past to today’s expressive dread styles, the work honors transformation and continuity. The background recalls the classic Nigerian barbershop, where appearance reflected pride and community. The cracked surface links generations, reminding us that while trends shift, the spirit of self-expression endures. Each look carries the rhythm of its time. 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 Gallery) About Artist Oluwaseun Ojebiyi...
Canvas, Oil
$2,675Sale 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
$2,675Sale 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
$1,880Sale Price|20% Off
Closure - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Oil, Women in Fashion
By Sayeed Momoh
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
$2,280Sale Price|20% Off
Harirah: One of My Days - 21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, Women in Fashion
By Sayeed Momoh
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
Raventos Citty original expressionist acrylic painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Manhatan 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 Barc...
Acrylic
$11,250
"Westside Cafe" - Colorful Expressionist Sunlit Cafe Scene Acrylic Painting
Located in Carmel, CA
Maura Petersen (American, born 1956) "Westside Cafe" 2025 Acrylic Paint, Canvas, Stretcher Bars The artist signed the bottom right of the painting. In "Westside Cafe", Maura Peterse...
Canvas, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
$1,760Sale Price|20% Off
Maya - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Woman with Closed Eyes
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 Josue M...
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
Agustin Rio, Donas 1.Original crayons paper painting.
By Agustin Rio
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
A. Rio Barcelona .Original gouache paper painting . AGUSTIN RIO ( Barceona 1923 – Barcelona 1997) Formed in Llotja i al Cercle Artístic de Sant Lluc He appeared individually in 195...
Crayon, Cardboard
$1,560Sale Price|20% Off
Silent Conversations
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. Silent conversations offer a rare insight into personal journeys. Life is fickle and time is short. There’ll be highs and lows, make it all count. Nobody understands your journey like you do. About Artist IDORENYIN UMANA...
Canvas, Oil
$1,400Sale Price|20% Off
Tranquility: Expressionist Oil and Acrylic Painting on Canvas
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, Oil, Acrylic
$4,500
Moon Bathers festive colorful green Coney island beach denizens women humor
Located in Brooklyn, NY
oil on stretched canvas heavy duty stretchers framing not required signed and dated on reverse Stephen Basso's highly original pastels and oil paintings are romantic, yet thought provoking fantasies. His whimsical works are alive with boundless imagination, wry wit and fearless color. His shrewd social observations often translate into eerily humorous figurative scenes and narratives. Mr. Basso’s works evoke a high level of inquiry. The fanciful, yet keenly observed characters are unpredictable and evocative. The viewer vacillates between surprise, delight, and consternation. .) Seeking emotional honesty, he looked to the work of several "mentors": Max Beckmann, Francisco Goya, Willem de Kooning , Philip Guston , Marsden Hartley and Albert Pinkham Ryder...
Oil, Canvas
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
Sisters in Yellow 2: Expressionist Acrylic Painting on Canvas
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. A sister is a gi...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,480Sale Price|20% Off
Letter to Olive, Expressionist Oil Painting on Canvas, 21st Century
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, Oil
$1,320Sale Price|20% Off
Becky Acrylic Portrait Painting, Expressionist Style, 21st Century
By Kum Cletus
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 Born in 1993 in...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,480Sale Price|20% Off
Elizabeth, Expressionist Acrylic Portrait on Canvas, 21st Century
By Kum Cletus
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 Born in 1993 in...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,080Sale Price|20% Off
Crowning Glory: Expressionist Acrylic Painting of the 21st Century
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
$2,120Sale Price|20% Off
Insatiable Cravings: 21st Century Expressionist Oil Painting on Canvas
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, Oil
$1,199Sale Price|20% Off
Reality Isn't What It Used To Be: Expressionist Oil on Canvas
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. People are going through so much they are not courageous enough to speak about them because of societal prejudices. Our realities are no longer what it used to be! Often we are lost while trying to figure out ourselves and just in that moment, being lost could be a lovely place to find yourself. About Artist IDORENYIN UMANA...
Canvas, Oil
$1,999Sale Price|20% Off
Expressionist Acrylic Painting: Unique 21st Century Artwork, Unframed
By Aba Linus
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
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.
Oil, Board
$1,080Sale Price|20% Off
Expressionist Oil Painting on Canvas: As Far As You Can See
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. 'As ...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$3,750
"Burning", Contemporary Oil Portrait Painting on Canvas, Young Woman, Original
Located in Carmel, CA
Rizaldy Celi Jr. (American, Filipino-Vietnamese, born 1983) "Burning" 2025 Oil Paint, Canvas, Stretcher Bars The artist signed the back of the painting. In "Burning", Rizaldy captur...
Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars
$1,000Sale Price|20% Off
Elegance Oil Painting on Canvas, Expressionist Style, 21st Century
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, Oil
$11,500
'Bath Scene' by Maura Petersen - Colorful Expressionist Figurative Painting
Located in Carmel, CA
Maura Petersen (American, born 1956) "Bath Scene" 2023 Acrylic paint, Canvas, Stretcher bars The artist signed the bottom right of the painting. Maura Petersen's 'Bath Scene' is a v...
Canvas, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
$2,400
"Suspicion'", Abstract Expressionist, Blue, White, Black, Acrylic Painting
Located in Franklin, MA
Anne Johnstone’s “Suspicion” is 24 x 24 inches on cradled board. This abstract painting swirls with tension and motion, layering sweeping strokes of blue, white, black, and rust over...
Acrylic, Board
Fantasy with Flowers 75
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 74
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