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.
Tulsi Spirit, embodying the magical herb of India with iridescent pigments
By Janet Morgan
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Watercolor, mixed media, using resists. Janet Morgan’s explosive art captures the exuberance and deep wisdom we humans yearn to experience. Her sense of humor and spiritual depth s...
Mixed Media, Watercolor, Archival Paper
$22,349
'Village View in the Ardennes, 1927' by Henri Victor Wolvens (1896 – 1977)
Located in Knokke, BE
Henri Victor Wolvens Brussels 1896 – 1977 Bruges Belgian Painter 'Paysage Ardenne – Village View in the Ardennes, 1927' Signature: signed lower right 'H. V. Wolvens'; verso, notati...
Canvas, Oil
"Angela" Oil cm. 100 x 70 1979
Located in Torino, IT
Woman reclining, pink we send the work anywhere Edgardo CORBELLI (Turin, 1918 - 1989) From the traditional composition of the 1930s, the painting of Corbelli leads to technical and ...
Canvas, Oil
$1,712Sale Price|20% Off
The waterfront. 1990, oil on canvas, 53x85 cm
Located in Riga, LV
The waterfront. 1990, oil on canvas, 53x85 cm The artwork was published in the catalog - "Jānis Zemītis Glezniecība. Painting." Publisher: Al secco Ltd, 2010, on Page 37 In 1958 he ...
Canvas, Oil
$1,058
Emile Lafamé. Portrait of a man with a pipe, 1969. Cubist oil painting. signed.
Located in Paris, FR
Emile Lafamé (1934-2017) Portrait of a man with a pipe, 1969 Oil on canvas Signed and dated top right 65 x 54 cm Good condition Émile Lafamé (Émile Bogaert, known as) was born in ...
Canvas, Oil
Total Beach, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Whispy grasses sway in the foreground, leading the viewer's eye to a calm ocean horizon. Soft pastel hues with earthy tones paint...
Oil
$2,634Sale Price|20% Off
Autumn wind. Cardboard, oil, 85x100 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Autumn wind. Cardboard, oil, 85x100 cm Landscape in earth colors Valdis Bush (1924-2014) studied at the Art academy of Latvia (1945 – 1950), his favorite professors being A. Skride...
Oil, Cardboard
Seagull Games
Located in Zofingen, AG
Seagulls are playing over the sea, in flight and weightlessness, as a symbol of independence and freedom from the problems of humanity. Or is this Providence playing with the World
Oil
To Forge Peace , Wild Woman Series, colorful powerful nude female figure
By Janet Morgan
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Colorful image of a powerful woman encouraging us to go forge new pathways to peace. This painting is in a series called the Wild Woman which is also printed in a pocket sized book. ...
Mixed Media, Watercolor, Archival Paper
"Guapa"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
My first pet cat was red. When he grew up, he brought home his girlfriend. She was very beautiful, tricolor! ...Now I also have a ginger cat. But we don't live on the first floor. An...
Canvas, Oil
Surfs Up, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
With low tide, the sand stretches out towards the receding waterline, revealing a shallow pool of water reflecting the sky. A solitary cloud watches over the ...
Oil
$806Sale Price|30% Off
Old Town. 1980, oil on cardboard, 37x47 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Old Town. 1980, oil on cardboard, 37x47 cm Dzidra Bauma (1930) Dzidra Bauma works in watercolor technique. She paint figural compositions, portraits, landscapes, flowers and still ...
Oil, Cardboard
$2,681Sale Price|20% Off
Boundless world. 2011, oil on canvas, 65x81 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Boundless world. 2011, oil on canvas, 65x81 cm Sergey Inkatov Was born: 13.09.1971 in Baku. Painter Sergey Inkatov belongs to young generation of artists of Estonia. He was born ...
Canvas, Oil
Jaspar, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Julia Swaby
Located in Yardley, PA
Oil on loose canvas 215cm x 125cm PLEASE NOTE: This comes rolled in a tube and will need to be mounted by your local framers - it is too large to ship mounted. This beau...
Oil
$3,190
"Song 115" Acrylic on Paper Expressionist Horse & Bango signed by Karen Hopeting
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Song 115" is an original acrylic painting on paper by Karen Hoepting. The artist wrote the title of the painting in the upper right ad signed the piece as well. The painting depicts...
Paper, Acrylic
$1,552Sale Price|20% Off
Still life with roses. Oil on cardboard, 50x40 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Composition with roses. 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 o...
Oil, Cardboard
Under the Stars, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
The artwork depicts an expressionist city landscape at night, emphasizing emotions and subjective experience over realism. A woman's figure lies among the sta...
Acrylic
Bison 4
Located in Bozeman, MT
Lisa Bostwick has had pieces exhibited at the Legion of Honor, Napa Valley Museum, Marin Museum of Contemporary Art and the de Young Museum. Her North Am...
Acrylic, Wood Panel
$263Sale Price|20% Off
Asters. 1993. Paper, watercolor, 44x19 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Asters. 1993. Paper, watercolor, 44x19 cm Oskars Berzins (1940)
Paper, Watercolor
"Venice" -Church of Santa Maria della Salute- 1964 oil cm. 73 x 92
Located in Torino, IT
Venice,Italy,Blue, Edgardo CORBELLI (Turin, 1918 - 1989) From the traditional composition of the 1930s, the painting of Corbelli leads to technical and expressive results dominated...
Canvas, Oil
Carefree Day, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A cluster of trees stands in the middle of a vast field, their canopies merging to create a unified presence. Against the coolness of the blue sky, the orange...
Oil
$658Sale Price|20% Off
Flowers. 1997. Canvas, oil, 59x40 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Flowers. 1997. Canvas, oil, 59x40 cm
Canvas, Oil
Rays of Light, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A vibrant night sky stretches over the city. Ethereal blues mirror the celestial depths, while fiery oranges echo the birth of the stars. Geometric shapes and...
Acrylic
$1,392Sale Price|20% Off
Old Town. Catherine 's square. 2011, acrylic on paper, 48x68 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Old Town. Catherine 's square. 2011, acrylic on paper, 48x68 cm Old Town landscape with old wooden houses Dzidra Bauma (1930) Dzidra Bauma works in watercolor technique. She paint ...
Paper, Acrylic
$672Sale Price|35% Off
Summer dahlias. 1987. Paper, watercolor, 56x62 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Summer dahlias. 1987. Paper, watercolor, 56x62 cm Still life with flowers in a vase Dzidra Bauma (1930) Dzidra Bauma works in watercolor technique. She paint figural compositions, ...
Paper, Watercolor
$7,528Sale Price|20% Off
Guest. 1981, author technique on plywood, 89x54, 5 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Guest. 1981, author technique on plywood, 89x54,5 cm Mihailov Vyacheslav Sawich / Михаилов Вячеслав Саввич (1945) EDUCATION Painting Sculpture...
Plywood, Mixed Media
$1,693Sale Price|20% Off
Flowers. 1997. Oil on canvas, 60x45 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Flowers. 1997. Oil on canvas, 60x45 cm Valdis Bush (1924-2014) studied at the Art academy of Latvia (1945 – 1950), his favorite professors being A. Skride, L. Svemps, yet he did no...
Oil, Canvas
$1,552Sale Price|20% Off
Tulips. Double-sided 1975, canvas, oil, 50x40.1 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Red tulips. Abstract. 1975, canvas, oil, 50x40.1 cm double-sided Aleksandr Rodin (1922-2001) Painter Born in a family of farmers. Wife Rasma Lace - art scholar. Studied at the Stal...
Oil, Canvas
Moonlight, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
The artwork portrays an abstract depiction of the moon emerging in the sky. It invites exploration of artistic interpretations of a cosmic landscape. Captivat...
Acrylic
Autumn Breeze, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A group of trees stands close together, their autumn-tinted canopies blending into one. Their hazy surroundings mirror the softness of the cloud above. In the...
Oil
$1,392Sale Price|20% Off
Lilac. 2018, mixed media on canvas, 60x69.5 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Lilac. 2018, mixed media on canvas, 60x69.5 cm Still life with lilacs in a vase Dzidra Bauma (1930) Dzidra Bauma works in watercolor technique. She paint figural compositions, port...
Mixed Media, Canvas
$1,392Sale Price|20% Off
Rose Square by church. 2012, acrylic on paper, 44x55 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Rose Square by church. 2012, acrylic on paper, 44x55 cm Dzidra Bauma (1930) Dzidra Bauma works in watercolor technique. She paint figural compositions, ...
Paper, Acrylic
$3,500
Masquerade heart shaped male figure catching masked female figure cat watching
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 imagina...
Linen, Oil
$1,552Sale Price|20% Off
Tulips on the blue background. Oil on cardboard, 50x39, 5 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Tulips in vase on the blue background. Oil on cardboard, 50x39,5 cm Aleksandr Rodin (1922-2001) Painter Born in a family of farmers. Wife Rasma Lace - art scholar. Studied at the St...
Oil, Cardboard
Contentious Conversation, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
With sunlight streaming in from the left, the trees engage in a playful banter about who gets the spotlight. Overlooking a small pond alongside the shrubs, th...
Acrylic
$1,320Sale Price|31% Off
Tulips in vase. Oil on cardboard, 50x40, 5 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Tulips in vase. Oil on cardboard, 50x40,5 cm Aleksandr Rodin (1922-2001) Painter Born in a family of farmers. Wife Rasma Lace - art scholar. Studied at...
Oil, Cardboard
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
$1,103Sale Price|24% Off
After sunset. 2002, oil on canvas and cardboard, 50x70 cm
Located in Riga, LV
After sunset. 2002, oil on canvas and cardboard, 50x70 cm Bright, colorful landscape with the river Valdis Bush (1924-2014) studied at the Art academy of Latvia (1945 – 1950), his ...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
$3,528
"Passeggiata tra i cipressi" by Enzio Wenk, 2015- Acrylic on Wood, Expressionism
By Enzio Wenk
Located in Bresso, IT
Translated title: "Stroll among cypresses" Acrylic on wood.
Acrylic, Wood Panel
$1,600
TiTi Dolores and Coquito sitting female portrait with pet chihuahua dark colors
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This recent painting is part on an ongoing series of humans and their non human companions. It is painted on linen canvas mounted on a cradled wood panel. Signed and dated by the art...
Linen, Oil, Wood Panel
Autumn Day, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A vibrant autumn scene unfolds as towering trees with golden leaves stretch toward the azure sky. The quiet neighborhood below hosts quaint houses nestling am...
Acrylic
Wintergreen, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A layer of snow wraps a serene forest. Painted with a limited color palette of Payne's Grey and Phthalo Green, accented with Titanium White, the scene exudes ...
Oil
Autumn Equinox, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A tranquil landscape welcomes the beginning of autumn. A cloudy sky stretches over the vast field and the ocean, adorned with scattered trees and a puddle. Th...
Oil
$2,705
"Faccia Ubriaca" by Enzio Wenk, 1993-1997 - Mixed Media on Canvas, Portrait
By Enzio Wenk
Located in Bresso, IT
Translated title: "Drunken face". Mixed media on canvas.
Canvas, Mixed Media
Le Cirque
Located in New York, NY
Le Cirque is a rare and most sought after image by the artist of the circus by collectors of Bombois. This painting shows the circus ring where the performers would perform, the audience of spectators, the ring master & the clown holding a bomb behind his back. It is a painting of GREAT detail. Bombois was a self taught artist and a strongman with the circus. Painting is in a 23 K. hand carved frame, linen mat & 23 K. gold leaf bevel & hand painted 23K. name plate. The painting & frame are in pristine condition. Photo certificate of Perls Gallery...
Oil
Blooming lilies pond, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Along with the lotus, the water lily is considered the most beautiful flower in the aquatic world. Water lilies have many shapes, many colors, and a pure fragrance that flies far awa...
Acrylic
Chasing Bubbles, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By Jorge Calero
Located in Yardley, PA
Quantum physics had revealed nowadays the existence of dark matter, as Heraclitus guessed long ago and we are still finding out the fundamental particles as the atomist guessed also....
Acrylic
Leo Ray, In the kitchen, Acrylic on canvas
Located in Tel Aviv, IL
Leo Ray, In the Kitchen, bright colors, Great characters, naive art, figurative, cat on a table, acrylic paint, Israei artist , Israeli art
Acrylic
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
Abandoned House, Southwest, Original Painting
By Janet Dyer
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
This painting captures an abandoned house nearly concealed by overgrown bushes. The sunlit road extends endlessly into the hori...
Acrylic
Venice, I miss you, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Imbued with my longing for the serene canals, this oil on canvas embodies my passion for the city's dance of light and shadow. Textured brushstrokes capture the fluidity of water and...
Oil
Leading a horse, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
The painting portrays a tranquil scene of a woman leading a horse through shallow water. it carries a sense of tranquility, capturing a clear, sunny day with the light blue color of ...
Oil
'Positano' original mixed media painting signed c2005
Located in Frome, Somerset
'Positano' , Amalfi Coast of Italy. Signed original mixed media painting by Andy Gradwell circa 2005. mixed media on paper 50cmx 60cm Glazed wooden frame with limewax finish 80cm x...
Mixed Media
Lilaine Danino, Rose de sable, painting
Located in Tel Aviv, IL
Liliane Danino, Rose des sables, Queen of the desert, natural pigment, fabric and mixed media on canvas, hand-signed and dated lower right, woman of vi...
Mixed Media, Pigment
$11,400
Peek a Bunny
By Todd White
Located in Toronto, ON
22" x 22" Framed Original - Oil on Canvas Hand Signed by Todd Whit Todd white captures restaurant, night and Hollywood scenes with contrasting colors serving the viewer’s eyes as t...
Canvas, Oil
Water Lilies( 80x120cm morning in the lake), Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Along with the lotus, the water lily is considered the most beautiful flower in the aquatic world. Water lilies have many shapes, many colors, and a pure fragrance that flies far awa...
Acrylic
$1,265Sale Price|20% Off
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 ...
Paper, Mixed Media
$9,500
"Seven Koi 16" - Bright Abstract Fish Underwater - red/orange/yellow/blue/green
By Linda Holt
Located in Wellesley, MA
"Seven Koi 16" is a complex work of koi fish swimming underwater filled with light and brilliant color painted in a lush and fluid style bordering on abstraction. Fish are in shad...
Canvas, Oil
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
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