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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
Peek a Bunny

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...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Paused, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Paused, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Paused, Painting, Oil on Canvas

By Debbie Pacheco

Located in Yardley, PA

There is a comfort being with friends, whether talking or just standing together. These two paused on the street for a moment while the city continued to move on. The painting is sof...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Expressionistic landscape oil painting 'Found Colors at the Snows Edge II'
Expressionistic landscape oil painting 'Found Colors at the Snows Edge II'

Expressionistic landscape oil painting 'Found Colors at the Snows Edge II'

By Ken Elliott

Located in White Plains, NY

'Found Colors at the Snows Edge II' 2023 by American artist, Ken Elliott. Oil on canvas, 48 x 60 in. / Frame: 49.75 x 61.75 in.This painting of a forest and snowy ground comprises of colors in blue, green, brown and white. Framed in a gold painted frame. Colorado based artist Ken Elliott, focuses on the western landscape and its rich store of ideas and inspiration. Painting rural scenery, the artist does not try to recreate nature or attempt storytelling but instead, wields color boldly, creating vibrant, contemporary landscapes that are both animated and peaceful. Early in his career, he was a student of Wolf Kahn, who inspired his work. Since 1988, Elliott’s work has been exhibited in numerous galleries nationwide. His work is collected in corporate art...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Italian Smooth Move - Blue Romantic Figure Painting

Italian Smooth Move - Blue Romantic Figure Painting

Located in Boston, MA

Italian Smooth Move Oil on cavas 36.0 x 48.0 x 1.25, 7.0 lbs Artist's Commentary: "This is a painting about the Italian boys / men I have dated in my life, who all seem to 'know...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Two Girls in School, Expressionist Portrait by Philadelphia Artist
Two Girls in School, Expressionist Portrait by Philadelphia Artist

Two Girls in School, Expressionist Portrait by Philadelphia Artist

By Bernard Harmon

Located in Doylestown, PA

"Two Girls in School" is a painting by Philadelphia born Expressionist painter Bernard Harmon. The 36" x 40.25" oil on board portrait of two figures is painted in a vibrant color palette. The painting is framed in a new, black wood frame and signed "Harmon" on verso. There is a second portrait the artist painted on the back of the painting. Figurative expressionism in the style of Alice Neel. Bernard Harmon was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1935. Harmon was primarily a portrait painter and a well loved teacher in the Philadelphia area. A graduate of the Philadelphia Museum School and Temples Tyler School of Art, Harmon traveled extensively in Europe and South America. Beloved by many, Harmon taught in the Philadelphia School District for 32 of his 54 years of life. Beginning his career as an art teacher at West Philadelphia High School, in the early 1960s he became one of the district's artists in residence, traveling from school to school to demonstrate for students how an artist works. Returning to the classroom, Harmon joined the art department at Central High School where he taught for 14 years and became an innovator in art curriculum, developing a program offering advanced placement art classes to gifted students. In his final years Harmon became a supervisor, mentoring teachers and overseeing programs in the Philadelphia school systems District #1. During his short life Harmon taught collage preparatory art classes at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, summer classes at the University of the Arts, and a Saturday program for gifted children at Drexel University. Among Harmon's portraits were commissioned by Philadelphia Jazz organist Jimmy Smith and Mayor Richardson Dilworth. Bernard Harmon was active in promoting African American Artist throughout his life time. He organized many early shows such as the "Afro American Artists...

Category

1960s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Skyline - Abstracted Lavender NYC Skyline Painting

Skyline - Abstracted Lavender NYC Skyline Painting

By Vian Borchert

Located in Boston, MA

Skyline 10.0 x 10.0 x 1.5, 1.0 lbs Arcylic Hand signed by artist Artist's Commentary: "This painting with purple, blue and lavender hues depicts a cityscape painting of New York ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Blue Water 2, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Blue Water 2, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

By Ray Brandolino

Located in Yardley, PA

I draw inspiration from nature and it’s vastness. I am painting more and more from how I feel and see our world. All works are copyrighted and all rights are reserved by the artis...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

spheres, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
spheres, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

spheres, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

By Jorge Calero

Located in Yardley, PA

Spheres are conceived as a hologram of growing fruits, turning branches and invisible forces taking place in the inner quantic space where marvelous animals strive to survive, a remi...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

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

Midnight Lady B - 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 and red colours and ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Street lights, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Street lights, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Street lights, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Located in Yardley, PA

Original Oil painting by Ukrainian artist Alisa Onipchenko-Cherniakovska In this vibrant oil painting, I've captured the essence of energy and movement within an urban landscape. ...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Mid 20thCentury Modernist/Expressionist Still Life oil c1960
Mid 20thCentury Modernist/Expressionist Still Life oil c1960

Mid 20thCentury Modernist/Expressionist Still Life oil c1960

Located in Frome, Somerset

A fine mid 20th century Modernist/ Expressionist Still life oil circa 1960 Oil on canvas 47cmx 66cm Gallery frame 50cmx 66cm Wonderful bright expressionist palette painted with bold ...

Category

1960s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Oil Painting Titled: Bacall
Oil Painting Titled: Bacall

Oil Painting Titled: Bacall

By Christina Major

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

Custom framed Christina Major was born in Concord, New Hampshire in 1982. She has lived all over the world including Hawaii, France, New York and more currently Florida. Christina...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Autumn water lily pond, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Autumn water lily pond, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Autumn water lily pond, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Located in Yardley, PA

In this acrylic painting, I embraced the vibrant interplay of light and color to capture the ephemeral beauty of flowers bathed in morning dew. My brushstrokes, infused with the esse...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Dallas, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Dallas, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Located in Yardley, PA

Original oil on canvas on wooden stretcher, signed on the back. Certificate of authenticity included. :: Painting :: Expressionism :: This piece comes with an official certificate o...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Abstract flowers 13, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Abstract flowers 13, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Abstract flowers 13, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Located in Yardley, PA

This enchanting painting captures the ethereal beauty of white flowers in all their glory. With a soft and delicate color palette, this work of art evokes a feeling of serenity and t...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Hiraeth, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Hiraeth, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Hiraeth, Painting, Oil on Canvas

By Suzanne Williams

Located in Yardley, PA

In this piece, I aimed to capture the first rays of sunshine through a summer rain shower. As the light floods across the fields and mountains of Conwy, North Wales, it ignites the g...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Peter Jones, the King's Road, London
Peter Jones, the King's Road, London

Peter Jones, the King's Road, London

Located in London, GB

Executed with a palette knife, this painting by Henry Dawnay depicts the iconic King’s Road, with the Peter Jones, the famous superstore. The King’s Road was originally King Charles II’s private road, which he would use to travel between his palaces in St James’ and Hampton Court. Until the 1800s, access was only allowed for members of Royalty, courtiers and the aristocracy. The road become a hub of the Swinging 60s, with fashionistas, including the famous fashion designer Mary Quant, using it as a global hotspot. In the 1970s Led Zeppelin established their record label at number 484, and Vivian Westwood and Malcolm McClaren opened up their infamous ‘Sex’ clothing...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Going About Life, Painting, Oil on Wood Panel
Going About Life, Painting, Oil on Wood Panel

Going About Life, Painting, Oil on Wood Panel

By Debbie Pacheco

Located in Yardley, PA

Walking in the city I was struck by the gratitude of being able to go about life. The everyday coming and going that I sometimes take for granted suddenly brought me joy. This painti...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Blossom Bomb! Diptych, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Blossom Bomb! Diptych, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Blossom Bomb! Diptych, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Located in Yardley, PA

Welcome to "Blossom Boom!", an explosion of floral delight that will revitalise and energise you! A canvas bursting with flowers, from delicate daisies to vibrant Dahlias. Bright, bo...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Conversation with a friend, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Conversation with a friend, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Conversation with a friend, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Located in Yardley, PA

I register it and then part of it automatically goes to work. I'm not trying to paint literally, but I'm trying to bring the emotions being exerted on me closer to the viewer. A feel...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Strong Woman NEW, Painting, Acrylic on Wood Panel

Strong Woman NEW, Painting, Acrylic on Wood Panel

By Geert Lemmers

Located in Yardley, PA

Acrylic and oil paint and pastels on preprocessed wooden panel in wooden frame. Geert's works are built up in layers and provide a rich tapestry of emotions and experiences. The w...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Expressionist Tabletop Still Life by Philadelphia Artist
Expressionist Tabletop Still Life by Philadelphia Artist

Expressionist Tabletop Still Life by Philadelphia Artist

By Bernard Harmon

Located in Doylestown, PA

"Grey Still Life" is a tabletop still life by Philadelphia born Expressionist painter Bernard Harmon. The 24.25" x 28.25" oil on board painting is framed in a new black wood frame. Bernard Harmon was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1935. Harmon was primarily a portrait painter and a well loved teacher in the Philadelphia area. A graduate of the Philadelphia Museum School and Temples Tyler School of Art, Harmon traveled extensively in Europe and South America. Beloved by many, Harmon taught in the Philadelphia School District for 32 of his 54 years of life. Beginning his career as an art teacher at West Philadelphia High School, in the early 1960s he became one of the district's artists in residence, traveling from school to school to demonstrate for students how an artist works. Returning to the classroom, Harmon joined the art department at Central High School where he taught for 14 years and became an innovator in art curriculum, developing a program offering advanced placement art classes to gifted students. In his final years Harmon became a supervisor, mentoring teachers and overseeing programs in the Philadelphia school systems District #1. During his short life Harmon taught collage preparatory art classes at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, summer classes at the University of the Arts, and a Saturday program for gifted children at Drexel University. Among Harmon's portraits were commissioned by Philadelphia Jazz organist Jimmy Smith and Mayor Richardson Dilworth. Bernard Harmon was active in promoting African American Artist throughout his life time. He organized many early shows such as the "Afro American...

Category

1960s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

White Town, 8, Painting, Oil on Canvas

White Town, 8, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Located in Yardley, PA

White Ton, 8, oil on canvas, 60 x 80 cm, stretched on a gallery frame, edges painted, technique brush and painting knife, 10 layers; On our way was the “Accademia di Belle Arti ...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Purple Field, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Purple Field, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Purple Field, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

By silvia vassileva

Located in Yardley, PA

This impressionistic spring landscape bursts to life with a vibrant green field and blooming wild purple flowers. The fresh palette captures the essence of the season, evoking a sens...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Deviant Beauty, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Deviant Beauty, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Deviant Beauty, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Located in Yardley, PA

Deviant Beauty, oil on canvas, 120 x 120 x 3 cm I lay beneath lavender pendants and deep purple blooms. In the shade of the Wisteria tree I look at the beauty around me, the tangle...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

"The Saint of the Flaming City, " Oil on Canvas signed by Raymond Breinin
"The Saint of the Flaming City, " Oil on Canvas signed by Raymond Breinin

"The Saint of the Flaming City, " Oil on Canvas signed by Raymond Breinin

By Raymond Breinin

Located in Milwaukee, WI

"The Saint of the Flaming City" is an original oil painting on canvas by Raymond Breinin. It depicts a group of figures looking over an abstracted and green city as the colors of fire rage through the sky. The artist signed and dated the piece in the lower right. This painting was lent by the David Barnett Gallery to the Art Institute of Chicago for their 52nd Annual Exhibition. 30" x 40" art 39 3/4" x 49 3/4" frame Raymond Breinin, Russian/American painter & designer (1910-2000), was born in Vitebsk, Russia, where he commenced his art studies with Uri Pen (who was also the first teacher of Marc Chagall) and later attended the Vitebsk Academy of Art where Malevitch was the director. He came to the United States with his family in 1922. When he came to America he attended classes at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts. A painter of murals for the WPA, he was invited to join the Downtown Gallery in New York City, one of the foremost galleries at the time, where he exhibited in one man shows and group shows over a period of 18 years. The winner of numerous major prizes at the Chicago Art Institute and other museums, he also won the $1000 purchase prize at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's "Artists for Victory" exhibition. He designed the sets and costumes for Anthony Tudor's ballet, "Undertow" produced by the American Ballet Theater. He executed commissions for "Life", "Fortune" and "Redbook" magazines, for the Capehart Corporation, Eli Lilly...

Category

1940s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Fruit still life., Painting, Oil on Canvas
Fruit still life., Painting, Oil on Canvas

Fruit still life., Painting, Oil on Canvas

By Iryna Kastsova

Located in Yardley, PA

Fruit still life. Teapot, bottle of wine, glasses, fruits in a vase on a bright abstract background. The painting was painted expressively with a spatula. Modern. Expressionism. Par...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Ship in the fog, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Ship in the fog, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Located in Yardley, PA

Original oil on canvas on wooden stretchers, signed on the front. Certificate of authenticity included. :: Painting :: Expressionism :: This piece comes with an official certificate ...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Boy Waiting, Portrait of a Young Man by Philadelphia Artist
Boy Waiting, Portrait of a Young Man by Philadelphia Artist

Boy Waiting, Portrait of a Young Man by Philadelphia Artist

By Bernard Harmon

Located in Doylestown, PA

"Boy Waiting" is an oil on board portrait painting by Philadelphia born Expressionist painter Bernard Harmon of a young man with somber expression, sitting on a chair. This work features a second environmental portrait on verso. The painting is 41.75" x 35.75" in size and is signed "Harmon" on verso. Figurative expressionism in the style of Alice Neel. Provenance: Estate of the Artist; Gratz Gallery & Conservation Studio, Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Bernard Harmon was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1935. Harmon was primarily a portrait painter and a well loved teacher in the Philadelphia area. A graduate of the Philadelphia Museum School and Temples Tyler School of Art, Harmon traveled extensively in Europe and South America. Beloved by many, Harmon taught in the Philadelphia School District for 32 of his 54 years of life. Beginning his career as an art teacher at West Philadelphia High School, in the early 1960s he became one of the district's artists in residence, traveling from school to school to demonstrate for students how an artist works. Returning to the classroom, Harmon joined the art department at Central High School where he taught for 14 years and became an innovator in art curriculum, developing a program offering advanced placement art classes to gifted students. In his final years Harmon became a supervisor, mentoring teachers and overseeing programs in the Philadelphia school systems District #1. During his short life Harmon taught collage preparatory art classes at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, summer classes at the University of the Arts, and a Saturday program for gifted children at Drexel University. Among Harmon's portraits were commissioned by Philadelphia Jazz organist Jimmy Smith and Mayor Richardson Dilworth. Bernard Harmon was active in promoting African American Artist throughout his life time. He organized many early shows such as the "Afro American Artists 1800 - 1969" at the Museum of the Philadelphia Civic Center in 1969. He was considered a Renaissance man by friends and colleagues for his interests not only in art but music and theater as well. He was familiar and friends with many other African American artists such as Doc Thrash, Selma Burke...

Category

1960s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

In the radiance, Painting, Oil on Canvas
In the radiance, Painting, Oil on Canvas

In the radiance, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Located in Yardley, PA

In this painting I combine classical realism with abstract art. Warm greens, pinks and yellows predominate in In the Shining. In my painting, I want to tell the story of a girl full...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Girl in bikini, Painting, Acrylic on Paper

Girl in bikini, Painting, Acrylic on Paper

Located in Yardley, PA

I use my photos as a starting point. I change them up significantly to get a final composition that best conveys my sense of a work. :: Painting :: Expressionism :: This piece comes ...

Category

2010s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Ellen Hackl Fagan, Primer, 2001, Cotton Canvas, Acrylic Paint, Graphite
Ellen Hackl Fagan, Primer, 2001, Cotton Canvas, Acrylic Paint, Graphite

Ellen Hackl Fagan, Primer, 2001, Cotton Canvas, Acrylic Paint, Graphite

By Ellen Hackl Fagan

Located in Darien, CT

Ellen Hackl Fagan creates works of art focused on building a visual language. Primer is a large acrylic on canvas painting that was painted during the attacks on NYC on 9/11. She used the alphabet as a metaphor, as a way towards communicating anew with one another. The alphabet is a recurring theme in Fagan's work, ranging from interactive, ColorSoundGrammar works to painting, sculpture, lost languages...

Category

Early 2000s Expressionist Paintings

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic, Graphite

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.