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.
Monica Angle Contemporary Painting Large Scale Landscape Abstract 2014
By Monica Angle
Located in Buffalo, NY
An original acrylic on paper by American contemporary artist Monica Angle created in 2014. This work is being sold unframed. Wholesale framing is available in a variety of presenta...
Paper, Acrylic
$456Sale Price|50% Off
"Evening in purple." Original Oil Painting by Liliya Volskaya
Located in Zofingen, AG
The paintings are drawn with oil on the hardboard (back side made of the double cardboard). Evening in purple. This dream scene uses hues of purple, pink, blue, and blue. A gorgeous...
Canvas, Lacquer, Oil
$3,134
Eventide by Richard K Blades. Oil painting of the sea at sunset after a storm.
Located in Coltishall, GB
Richard K Blades is an expressive landscape painter working in the English Romantic tradition. He follows in a long line of artists such as Turner, Constable, Seago, Daubigney and C...
Oil, Board
"Dream of Isles" (2023) by Leigh Ann Van Fossan, Original Acrylic &Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Leigh Ann Van Fossan's "Dream of Isles" (2023) is an original, handmade oil and acrylic abstract painting with bright colors. Van Fossan was born in Vail, Colorado, and began oil ...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Blue Testament 6 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Modern Africa
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 Dan...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Snowman family
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this oil painting, I've captured the warmth of family ties against the chill of a winter's day. Through impressionistic strokes and an expressionistic palette, I aimed to evoke th...
Canvas, Oil
$6,472
The power. Strong, man, bird, masculine, yellow, large artwork, inner power
Located in Oslo, NO
This large and strong oil painting, called The Power, is part of Alter Ego series and is inspired by Carl Jung’s psychology. Warm yellows and oranges against deep black and blue. A s...
Canvas, Oil
The Structural Luminescence, Fine Art Botanical Abstraction Oil Painting
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
"The Structural Luminescence" by Elena Lukina (2022), from the conceptual series "The Architecture of Fragility". Executed as an authentic Alla prima oil painting on stretched canvas...
Canvas, Oil
Fantasy with Flowers 25
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
$219Sale Price|20% Off
Shepherd. Oil on canvas and cardboard, 24 x 26 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Shepherd. Oil on canvas and cardboard, 24 x 26 cm Victor Karnauh (1950, Dnepropetrovsk Oblast, Ukrainian SSR – 2012, Dnepropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine) – a painter, a monument designer...
Oil, Canvas, Cardboard
$2,250
Mother's Strength - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Modern
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
This artwork celebrates the resilience and unwavering strength of motherhood. The mother carries her child close to her heart while balancing the demands of daily life. Her calm expr...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Woven Identities 6 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Woven Identities is a body of work that explores the intersection of indigenous African heritage and modern global culture. In these paintings, I focus on hairstyle, tribal marks, dr...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$1,826
Lorenzo Viani, Signed Ink Portrait of a Man, Italian Expressionist Drawing
Located in Roma, IT
This signed ink drawing on paper by Lorenzo Viani (1882–1936) depicts the head of a man. Viani’s decisive lines give the face an immediate, expressive presence. The portrait reflect...
Paper, Pencil
$2,680Sale Price|20% Off
Don't Be Perfect, Be Real -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait Women
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 Eli...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Benavente Solis .bullfight original expressionist acrylic painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
bullfight original expressionist acrylic painting. Framed During its first exhibition in Paris, the French press catalogs it like "The Catalan Sorolla". Honorary Member of the MECOA...
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,800Sale Price|20% Off
Raw of Anxiety 2 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Landscape, Art Deco
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
My art speaks of humanity's struggles, pain, love, and success. This piece speaks of a passionate, persevering woman who believes in her handwork; she vows to succeed even when no on...
Canvas, Oil
Still life. 2007, oil on canvas, 60x73 cm. Signed
Located in Riga, LV
Still life. 2007, oil on canvas, 60x73 cm Sergey Inkatov Was born: 13.09.1971 in Baku. Painter Sergey Inkatov belongs to young generation of artists of Estonia. He was born in Ba...
Canvas, Oil
$2,400Sale Price|20% Off
Always and Forever: Expressionist Acrylic Painting on Canvas
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
"Always and Forever" is a captivating artwork that features a man and a woman, tenderly intertwined in an embrace that evokes a sense of timeless affection. The woman is positioned b...
Canvas, Acrylic
Friends. Family, friendship, strange creations, yellow, beige, whimsy, whimsical
Located in Oslo, NO
"This painting that I called "Friends" is from my favorite series "We and Our Mountains", "Friends" is a painting that appeals to my love for strange and mystic solutions, there’s so...
Canvas, Oil
$3,424
Monster's club. Symbolic childhood painting, brothers, boys room decor, twins
Located in Oslo, NO
"Monster's club" is an oil painting where two children stand among imagined monsters, reflecting the fears of childhood — created by the mind yet deeply felt. The painting speaks abo...
Canvas, Oil
$1,147Sale Price|40% Off
The Parade Ring at the Races, Gouache and Pastel, Signed, 1970s
By Maurice EMPI
Located in London, GB
'The Parade Ring at the Races', gouache and pastel on art paper, by Maurice Empi (circa 1970s). The Parade Ring, otherwise known as the paddock, is the pla...
Paper, Pastel, Gouache
$1,200Sale Price|20% Off
Black Melanin Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Expressionist, 21st Century
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Being black is our heritage, what we have inherited from the past to value and enjoy in the present, and to preserve and pass on to future generations. Shipping Procedure Ships in a...
Canvas, Acrylic
Snowman and Christmas trees
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this oil painting, I've captured a whimsical winter moment filled with joy and serenity. The snowman, graced with a cheerful smile, stands as a symbol of the simple pleasures and ...
Canvas, Oil
The Geometry of Shimmering Light, Impressionist Oil Painting, Canvas
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
"The Geometry of Shimmering Light" by Elena Lukina (2022), from the series "The Architecture of Fragility". In this artwork, the artist transcends the traditional botanical subject, ...
Canvas, Oil
$2,600Sale Price|20% Off
Ejima (Twins) - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Women, Love
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 Dan...
Canvas, Oil, Charcoal
$2,200
Les Non-Dits (The Unsaid) 2, - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
From The Things We Don’t Say Out Loud Series Men deserve flowers, too not just after the struggle but in the middle of it while becoming is still happening There are parts of us we l...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$1,643
The call of the ancestors. Family painting, mother and daughter, green artwork
Located in Oslo, NO
“The Call of the Ancestors” is part of Alter Ego series, inspired by Carl Jung’s psychology. The oil painting shows a young woman and her mother in a rural landscape. The scene is q...
Canvas, Oil
$3,835
The advisor. Bright, warm, inner world, faces, strong, strange, psychology
Located in Oslo, NO
“Adviser” shows a figure surrounded by creatures that feel half-memory, half-warning. The face is calm, almost distant, while the forms around it shift like unspoken hints. Bright am...
Canvas, Oil
1970’s Huge French Expressionist Green Landscape Avenue of Trees, signed oil
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The Avenue of Trees French Expressionist School, signed front and back Dated 1974 oil on canvas, framed framed: 37 x 44 inches canvas: 32 x 39 inches private collection, France the p...
Canvas, Oil
$3,040Sale Price|20% Off
Dialogue With Butterfly: Expressionist Acrylic Painting on Canvas
By Aba Linus
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
"Dialogue With Butterfly" is a captivating piece of art that portrays a man with a butterfly in his hand. This artwork is a visual representation of the profound connection between m...
Canvas, Acrylic
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Self Portrait -21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, Africa, People
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 Emma...
Canvas, Coffee, Mixed Media
View From Artist's Porch; Including his Two Sons, New Milford, Connecticut
By Johann Berthelsen, 1883-1972
Located in Dallas, TX
Johann Berthelsen (Danish/ American 1883 - 1972) View From Artist's Porch; Including his Two Sons, New Milford, Connecticut', Circa 1947/48. Oil on canvas. Signed lower right. P...
Oil
The Secret in Her Eyes, Romantic Realism Oil on Canvas Painting, 1980s
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Technical Sheet - Title: *The Secret in Her Eyes* - Artist: Rosendo González Carbonell - Technique: Oil on canvas - Dimensions: 24 x 20 inches - Framing: Unframed - Style: Romantic realism...
Canvas, Oil
Edith Desternes, The Church Notre-Dame de l'Assomption in Auvers-sur-Oise, 1920s
Located in Saint Amans des cots, FR
Oil on canvas by Edith Desternes (1901-2000), France, 1920s. The Church Notre-Dame de l'Assomption in Auvers-sur-Oise. This church has been painted in ...
Canvas, Oil
Woman VI, Painting, Acrylic on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
In my pictures I try to combine the visual and the conceptual. For me, drawing is a medium of knowledge which, beyond direct expression, makes visible material and immaterial forces,...
Acrylic
$650Sale Price|72% Off
MId Century Animal Portrait: "Rooster" Pierre Bosco (1909-1993)
By Pierre Bosco
Located in SANTA FE, NM
"Rooster" Pierre Bosco, (1909-1993) Gouache on paper 10 x 9 (18 x 14 frame) inches Pierre Bosco showed an interest in art at an early age. His commitment and dedication to painting...
Paper, Gouache
$1,840Sale Price|20% Off
Fortitude Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Expressionist, 21st Century
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. A difficult time can be more...
Canvas, Acrylic
Patterns, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Bright sunshine after a major snowstorm creates a striking contrast across the landscape. In this expressionist painting, a blue sky casts strong, colorful shad...
Acrylic
$1,141Sale Price|44% Off
Mediterranean Female Figure Landscape Expressionist Oil Painting Large Canvas
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Mediterranean Female Figure Landscape Expressionist Oil Painting Large Canvas Artist: José Antonio Pineda Bueno (Motril, Spain, 1950) Title: Contemplación Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 73 × 60 cm (28.7 × 23.6 in) Signature: Signed lower corner Inscription: Titled and dedicated on reverse (“Contemplación”) Framing: Unframed Condition: Very good condition. Rich impasto surface with expressive brushwork characteristic of the artist DESCRIPTION Expressive Mediterranean figurative composition depicting a female figure seen from behind immersed in a luminous outdoor landscape. The painting is built through energetic impasto brushstrokes and a vibrant chromatic structure dominated by violets, magentas, blues and warm Mediterranean yellows. The gesture is direct, confident and painterly, creating a strong sensation of movement, atmosphere and sunlight. Female figures integrated into landscape environments represent one of the most recognizable and sought-after themes within José Antonio Pineda Bueno’s production. The composition balances expressive abstraction and figurative presence in a way that makes the painting highly decorative while maintaining strong painterly authority. Its vertical format and chromatic vibration make it particularly suitable for collectors of Mediterranean modern figurative painting or interiors seeking a luminous statement artwork with movement and presence. Signed and titled on the reverse: Contemplación. ARTIST BIOGRAPHY José Antonio Pineda Bueno (Motril, Granada, 1950) is a Spanish painter associated with contemporary Mediterranean figurative painting. After relocating to Barcelona, he developed his artistic training within the Catalan pictorial environment and worked professionally in both illustration and painting before dedicating himself fully to studio practice. A disciple of painter Pere Arribas Pérez, his work focuses on expressive color, Mediterranean light and female figures integrated into landscape spaces, which form one of the central themes of his artistic language. His paintings have been exhibited in Barcelona, Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, Paris, Nice and Toulouse and are present in numerous European private collections. ARTISTIC CONTEXT / PICTORIAL INSPIRATION The expressive chromatic vibration and Mediterranean luminosity of this work relate to the legacy of Joaquín Sorolla’s outdoor light treatment, while its structural simplification of the figure connects with modern Spanish figurative evolution represented by Manuel Hernández...
Oil
Coral Tulips Triptych
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this triptych, I poured my soul into each brushstroke, capturing the delicate, vibrant energy of coral tulips amid a dark backdrop. The contrast breathes life and passion into eve...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
Flowers n°2 Still Life Painting, Oil on Wood, Expressionist, 1941
Located in Genève, GE
Signed and dated "Fleurs Genève 1941 n°2", inscription on the verso. Dimensions with frame: 59 x 46 x 5 cm This expressive still life depicts a bouquet of flowers arranged in an orn...
Oil, Wood Panel
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Reflection- 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Fashion
By Gobe Joseph
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 Gob...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
Woman with a Chef's Hat, Expressionist Oil Painting, Framed, 1910s
By René Guinand
Located in Genève, GE
A compelling and psychologically charged portrait by Swiss painter René Guinand, signed and dated 1918. Executed in oil on canvas, this striking work depi...
Oil, Canvas
$1,440Sale Price|20% Off
Echoes of the Mind 2 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Floral
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 Bey...
Canvas, Oil
$520Sale Price|20% Off
Unwind 1 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Abstraction, Modern, 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
$2,054
Oil on canvas Expressionist “Cabins of French Brittany”, after Georges Laporte
Located in Valladolid, ES
Exceptional oil on canvas depicting a coastal landscape with small cabins and fishing boats characteristic of French Brittany, signed Ronald, an artist from the second half of the 20...
Canvas
$204
Still life with Oranges and Owls, Oil On Canvas, Floral, Interior, Still life
Located in Deddington, GB
Still Life with Oranges and Owls is an Original Painting by Eleanor Woolley. Painted in the Artist's Gloucestershire Studio this miniature painting shows a still life of a selection of objects arranged by the Artist. Twos stone owls sit atop a stack of books, with two small oranges and a pear. A small jug of flowers slightly obscures the window. We can see out into the garden, where there are texturally painted trunks...
Oil
$7,450
Perfect Duet -21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Floral Mixed Media
By Gobe Joseph
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 Gob...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$2,600Sale Price|20% Off
Soul Sisters - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Women, Love
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 Dan...
Canvas, Oil
$2,853
Among the Wildflowers. Original Large Landscape Oil Painting on Italian canvas.
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Among the Wildflowers" captures a serene moment in a wild meadow, depicting a quiet connection between two figures. The artist skillfully blends expressionism, impressionism, and re...
Canvas, Oil
Expressionist Oil Painting of Young Woman By The Sea Cost, 1970s
Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL
Young Woman By The Sea Cost Artist signed lower right, canvas 35hx39w Nicola Simbari was born in Italy and grow up in Rome. He studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma, and in ...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
$520Sale Price|20% Off
Siblings 1 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Abstraction, Modern, 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
$1,440Sale Price|20% Off
La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life) - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Africa
By Olajide Kuti
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 Ola...
Canvas, Acrylic
Azure Opulence. Hydrangea, floral, modern impressionism, luxury interiors, azure
Located in Oslo, NO
"Azure Opulence" is an emotional yet refined work, filled with light, air, and a sense of natural splendor. The composition is built on a rich interplay of azure, ultramarine, lilac,...
Canvas, Acrylic
Spring – Impressionist Abstract Flower Tree Oil Painting Wall Art Canvas
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
This original oil painting is an atmospheric landscape artwork titled Spring, created by the registered artist Elena Lukina in 2022.Designed with an innate sense of balance, this pai...
Canvas, Oil
Raventos Square Poppies original abstract mixed media painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
"AMAPOLAS" original abstract mixed media painting RAVENTÓS Mª Assumpció – (San Sadurní d’Anoia, Barcelona 1930). Raventos trained at the elite Sant Jordi School of Fine Arts in Barce...
Canvas, Mixed Media
Harbor view
Located in Genève, GE
Work on cardboard Wooden frame 31 x 41 x 3 cm
Oil
French Fauvist Post Impressionist Oil Painting Frederick Serger Ecole de Paris
Located in Surfside, FL
Frederick Serger Genre: Post Impressionist Subject: Flowers, Poppies Medium: Oil Surface: Panel Hand signed lower left Frederick Serger (given name Frederick Bedrick Sinaberger) w...
Oil, Panel
Woman at a Loom Oil Painting, Signed Campigli, 1943
By Massimo Campigli, 1895-1971
Located in San Francisco, CA
Woman at a Loom Oil on canvas Signed Campigli, 1943 24" x 36" 31" x 43"
Oil
Flowers in a Decorated Vase – Jean-Louis Berger, Swiss Modernist Still Life
Located in Genève, GE
Work on canvas Signed “Jean Berger” lower right. Dimension with frame : 68.5 x 47 x 3.5 cm A richly painted floral still life by Swiss artist Jean-Louis Berger (1919–1995), depicting...
Oil, Canvas