Skip to main content

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.

to
882
750
602
650
643
799
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
15
960
2,469
6
8
27
41
34
61
109
126
90
118
40,584
36,839
22,743
8,618
4,709
3,284
2,545
1,239
1,169
950
895
434
280
1,680
1,211
544
1,459
1,165
947
523
364
306
301
269
252
215
181
172
131
126
110
84
80
78
72
68
3,287
2,062
1,766
1,730
1,263
44
42
39
38
30
848
163
1,480
1,270
Style: Expressionist
Tulips. Oil on cardboard, 50, 5x40 cm

Tulips. Oil on cardboard, 50, 5x40 cm

Located in Riga, LV

Tulips. Oil on cardboard, 50,5x40 cm Aleksandr Rodin (1922-2001) Painter Born in a family of farmers. Wife Rasma Lace - art scholar. Studied at the St...

Category

1990s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Cardboard

Evening sun. 1999, oil on canvas, 70x90 cm

Evening sun. 1999, oil on canvas, 70x90 cm

Located in Riga, LV

Evening sun. 1999, oil on canvas, 70x90 cm Bright, colorful landscape with trees Valdis Bush (1924-2014) studied at the Art academy of Latvia (1945 – 195...

Category

1990s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

'Amalfi Cove, Italy'  mixed media circa 2005
'Amalfi Cove, Italy'  mixed media circa 2005

'Amalfi Cove, Italy' mixed media circa 2005

Located in Frome, Somerset

'Amalfi Cove, Italy.' by Andy Gradwell circa 2005. Watercolor and pastel on paper. signed. Glazed oak wood frame 43cmx53cm Dry mounted painting 27cmx38cm A capriccio view of one of...

Category

Early 2000s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

'Pompeii' original signed painting circa 2005.
'Pompeii' original signed painting circa 2005.

'Pompeii' original signed painting circa 2005.

Located in Frome, Somerset

'Pompeii', a study plein air. signed original work 2005. watercolor on paper 45cm x 55cm. Painted wood glazed frame 72cmx87cm Gradwell focuses on been in the space and time and ma...

Category

Early 2000s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Faces, Expression, Depicting Calmness Serenity, Mixed Media, Sekhar Kar"In Stock"
Faces, Expression, Depicting Calmness Serenity, Mixed Media, Sekhar Kar"In Stock"

Faces, Expression, Depicting Calmness Serenity, Mixed Media, Sekhar Kar"In Stock"

By Sekhar Kar

Located in Kolkata, West Bengal

Re. the works : These are a set of 9 works of size 14 x 11 inches ( unframed work size ) . To get the best out of them we recommend placing them together in interesting ways . Few ...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Paper, Mixed Media

'Amalfi , Italy,  View of the Bay' signed original painting circa 2005.
'Amalfi , Italy,  View of the Bay' signed original painting circa 2005.

'Amalfi , Italy, View of the Bay' signed original painting circa 2005.

Located in Frome, Somerset

'Amalfi, view of the bay' circa 2005 signed original painting by Andy Gradwel b.1968. mixed media on paper (current site size) 27cm x 36cm glazed and mounted frame47cm x 56cm Eveni...

Category

Early 2000s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Mixed Media

Tree In Winter
Tree In Winter

Tree In Winter

Located in Sheffield, MA

Mabel Spencer Peterson American, 1886-1953 Tree In Winter Oil on canvas 16 by 20 ¼ in, w/ frame 24 by 28 in Signed lower right Born in Dunlap, Elkhart County, Indiana as the eldest...

Category

Early 20th Century Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Window to the Light
Window to the Light

Window to the Light

By Evelyne Ballestra

Located in Miami, FL

Evelyne Ballestra's work with signs, symbols and esoteric spirituality reflects her passion for the ancient past and represents a symbolic return to the ground from which we emerged. Her work creates a commentary about “beginnings” and the transmission of signs and emotions through visual elements evoking a spiritual essence to our scientific notion of etymology. After studying under Rolf Dürig, Ballestra began her flower...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

'Sardinian Cove, Evening Light' original painting c2003 signed
'Sardinian Cove, Evening Light' original painting c2003 signed

'Sardinian Cove, Evening Light' original painting c2003 signed

Located in Frome, Somerset

Sardinian Cove in evening light, Costa Smeralda by Andy Gradwell circa 2003. Mixed media on paper 31cm x 32cm Silver giltwood glazed frame by Academy Framers ( Royal College of Arts, London) 52cm x56cm. 'Water and Dreams' .A semi abstracted romanticised view of a bay on the Mediterranean Island using expressive color.. Fluid lyrical forms and line work expessive of the flora and mountainous backdrop and ocean...

Category

Early 2000s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

"Sailboats" Expressionist Seascape
"Sailboats" Expressionist Seascape

"Sailboats" Expressionist Seascape

Located in Austin, TX

By Pep Suari Acrylic on Paper 32 x 39.5” Framed About the Artist: Pep Suari, from Barcelona, Spain, captures the intense light of the Mediterranean in his works. Even in his inter...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Archival Paper

'Venice, Lagoon in morning Haze', mixed media on paper. Circa 2007.
'Venice, Lagoon in morning Haze', mixed media on paper. Circa 2007.

'Venice, Lagoon in morning Haze', mixed media on paper. Circa 2007.

Located in Frome, Somerset

View of the Guideca looking at the Ducal Palace and Saint Marks in morning haze light.. A Capriccio mooded piece to capture the essence of experience of Venice. Gradwell's raison d'e...

Category

20th Century Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Sunflower time, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Sunflower time, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Sunflower time, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Located in Yardley, PA

In this vibrant oil painting, I poured my heart into capturing the fierce beauty of sunflowers standing tall. Each stroke embodies the energy and warmth these flowers exude, blending...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

"Cat Scratching Table, " Oil Painting on Canvas Interior signed by Nicolas Dreux
"Cat Scratching Table, " Oil Painting on Canvas Interior signed by Nicolas Dreux

"Cat Scratching Table, " Oil Painting on Canvas Interior signed by Nicolas Dreux

By Nicolas Dreux

Located in Milwaukee, WI

"Cat Scratching Table" is an original oil painting on canvas by Nicolas Dreux. The artist signed the piece lower left. It depicts a cat and a bird in a pastel-colored interior. 18" x 14" art 27 1/4" x 23 1/4" frame Nicolas Dreux was born on March 10, 1956 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He began to paint as a student of painter Calixte Henri...

Category

1980s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Relationships and sentiments I, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Relationships and sentiments I, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Relationships and sentiments I, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Located in Yardley, PA

This was supposed to be an abstract painting like most of my artworks, but suddenly I had this desire to see some persons in it. So I was just drawing the silhouette of them and this...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

PAUL MAAS Les Vacances 1958 Family at the Beach Large Expressionist Oil Painting
PAUL MAAS Les Vacances 1958 Family at the Beach Large Expressionist Oil Painting

PAUL MAAS Les Vacances 1958 Family at the Beach Large Expressionist Oil Painting

By Paul Maas

Located in Rancho Santa Fe, CA

Provenance: Collection of the Artist Collection of Mr. & Mrs. Robert Warner, Washington, Connecticut Collection of the Washington Art Association, Inc. Private Collection, California...

Category

1950s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Mystic Bond, " Acrylic on Canvas
"Mystic Bond, " Acrylic on Canvas

"Mystic Bond, " Acrylic on Canvas

By Bruno Surdo

Located in Chicago, IL

Chicago-based fine art painter Bruno A. Surdo is classically trained in drawing and oil painting in the tradition of Renaissance masters. With strong command of the human form, Surdo...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Mixed Media

Portrait Of A Man
Portrait Of A Man

Portrait Of A Man

Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL

Portrait of a man Oil on artist board 28"x22" Artist signed lower left, gallery label on verso. Sylvain Vigny is a French painter born in Vienna (Austria) on April 8, 1903. He moved to Nice in 1934. He died in Nice on February 4, 1970. Self-taught artist, coming from Austria like Willy Eisenschitz...

Category

1960s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Expressionist portrait painting of Permeke's daughter
Expressionist portrait painting of Permeke's daughter

Expressionist portrait painting of Permeke's daughter

Located in Oostende, BE

Beautiful painting of the daughter of Permeke. The piece is signed and at the back you can read the titel on the label. Paintings by Permeke can be found in museums all over the world.

Category

1930s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Spring Parade, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Spring Parade, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Spring Parade, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Located in Yardley, PA

Inspired by my Dads garden, I remember watching my dad tend to the flower borders in our garden with love and care. I have painted "Spring Parade" with the same passion my dad has fo...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Insomnia
Insomnia

Insomnia

By Tom Bennett

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Expressionist figurative nude oil painting on fine printmaking paper. Colorful, active movement, broad brushstrokes, expressionist feel.

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Paper, Oil

SUGAR LIPS, Painting, Acrylic on Paper
SUGAR LIPS, Painting, Acrylic on Paper

SUGAR LIPS, Painting, Acrylic on Paper

By Victor Sheleg

Located in Yardley, PA

I only do original work. Each one is unique, so you only get one! My work is my emotions and you can see those emotions on the canvas - you can experience them every day you have th...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Love Song  Coney Island theme women bathers strong vibrant colors humor reds

Love Song Coney Island theme women bathers strong vibrant colors humor reds

By Stephen Basso

Located in Brooklyn, NY

oil on canvas 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...

Category

1980s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Fold Into Place - Abstracted Landscape Oil Painting

Fold Into Place - Abstracted Landscape Oil Painting

Located in Boston, MA

Fold Into Place 23.5 x 19.5 x 0.75, 5.0 lbs Oil paint Hand signed by artist Artist's Commentary: "Light on water in Stuttgart, Germany, the first year of a new relationship and s...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

untitled, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
untitled, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper

untitled, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper

Located in Yardley, PA

Emotions are important. For example, when I look at a picture that caught my attention, I get in a certain mood that I think is very important. A starting point for the works are oft...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Pencil

"Evening on Kyiv Sea" Kyiv Ukraine, Painting, Oil on Canvas
"Evening on Kyiv Sea" Kyiv Ukraine, Painting, Oil on Canvas

"Evening on Kyiv Sea" Kyiv Ukraine, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Located in Yardley, PA

Instagram: @chebotaru.a "Evening on Kiev Sea," painted in 2022 at the Kiev Reservoir, captures the ambiance of a summer evening slightly touched by a storm. In the distance, waves ...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Turkey Crossing - Expressionist Colorado Landscape Oil Painting
Turkey Crossing - Expressionist Colorado Landscape Oil Painting

Turkey Crossing - Expressionist Colorado Landscape Oil Painting

Located in Boston, MA

Turkey Crossing Oil on cavas 36.0 x 36.0 x 1.25, 6.0 lbs Artist's Commentary: "This painting was inspired by a scene along Bingham Hill Road, near where I live here in Fort Coll...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Idea!, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Idea!, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Idea!, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Located in Yardley, PA

The new work of the artist from the new series "George Alamanou coast". The picture is laconic - the color of the sea and chalk cliffs tell us that Ludmila loves this magical place i...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Majestic Mountains, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Majestic Mountains, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Majestic Mountains, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Located in Yardley, PA

I was inspired to paint these majestic mountains from Glenorchy, New Zealand because of a painting class I took online. The scene lends itself almost perfectly to a balanced perspec...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Petal Dance, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Petal Dance, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Petal Dance, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

By Amanda Dagg

Located in Yardley, PA

Original impasto painting of a heart. Expressive textured painting on canvas and ready to hang from box to wall. Full of thick paint! SIZE: 20" wide x 20" High (50x50cm) MEDI...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Midnight Lady D - Female Nude, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Midnight Lady D - Female Nude, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Midnight Lady D - Female Nude, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Located in Yardley, PA

Original semi-abstract figurative acrylics painting on deep edge stretched canvas, painted edges and ready to hang. Colourful and textured using blue, lime green, red colours and the palette knife. Frontal image of seated female nude relaxing. Size 24" x 18" x 1.5"(61 cm x 46 cm x 3 cm). Quality art materials used...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

KAT, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

KAT, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Located in Yardley, PA

The mythical cat, usually the boss in a home... :: Painting :: Expressionism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the artist :: Ready to Hang: Y...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Rending Figure, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Rending Figure, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Rending Figure, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

By Derek Overfield

Located in Yardley, PA

Title: "Rending Figure" Artist: Derek Overfield Above is a semi-abstract figurative work done from life. The work is completed using a subtractive/additive method utilizing latex...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Lift Up and Let Go - Abstracted Colorful Figure Oil Painting

Lift Up and Let Go - Abstracted Colorful Figure Oil Painting

Located in Boston, MA

Lift Up and Let Go 75.0 x 67.0 x 2.0, 15.0 lbs Oil paint Hand signed by artist Artist's Commentary: "I painted this painting at a pivotal juncture in my life, and it represents l...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

1957 Vintage Mid Century Modern Portrait Oil Painting - Behind the Mask
1957 Vintage Mid Century Modern Portrait Oil Painting - Behind the Mask

1957 Vintage Mid Century Modern Portrait Oil Painting - Behind the Mask

Located in Bristol, GB

BEHIND THE MASK Size: 43 x 35 cm (including frame) Oil on board A bold and enigmatic mid-century figurative portrait, executed in oil onto board and dated 1957. The composition dep...

Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Sea. Sailboat, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Sea. Sailboat, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Sea. Sailboat, Painting, Oil on Canvas

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...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Artdoggy, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Artdoggy, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Artdoggy, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Located in Yardley, PA

I only make original works. Each is a one of a kind so you will have the only one! My artwork is my emotions and you can see that emotions on the canvas - You can experience it each...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

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.