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.
$2,950
Post Soviet Avant Garde Judaica Rabbi Playing Violin (the Klezmer Fiddler)
Located in Surfside, FL
Genre: Contemporary Subject: People Medium: Oil Surface: Canvas Dimensions: 24" x 18" Yuri Yefimovitch Brusovany was born on November, 15th 1949 in Leningrad (St. Petersburg) Russi...
Canvas, Oil
Full Calm
Located in Zofingen, AG
In crafting this piece, I explored the tranquil interplay of light and texture over the serene expanse of water, reflecting a quiet sunset. The gentle blending of acrylic and oil in ...
Oil, Acrylic, Cardboard
$520Sale Price|27% Off
Purple Tulips, Abstract Expressionist Blooming Flowers, Vigorous Gestures, Flora
Located in Barcelona, ES
"Purple Tulips" is an abstract expressionist painting by Romina Milano where a dance of black gestures unfolds across colorful brushstrokes infused with ...
Ink, Acrylic, Watercolor, Handmade Paper
$1,320Sale Price|20% Off
"Welsh Coast at Ogmore" by the Sea Original Watercolor
Located in Soquel, CA
"Welsh Coast at Ogmore" by the Sea Original Watercolor Grey tones dominate this rocky coastal painting by John Addyman (Wales, 1929-2006), characterized by his use of muted tones, pr...
Watercolor, Laid Paper
Meneses Mallorca Coast original watercolor paper expressionist painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
coast original watercolor paper expressionist painting. This Catalan painter, settled for years in Mallorca, offers a series of landscapes in which the natural is treated in the imp...
Watercolor
Woman With Air Guitar and Musicians - Figurative Abstract in Oil on Canvas
Located in Soquel, CA
Modernist abstract figurative oil painting of a woman with musicians by San Francisco artist Michael William Eggleston (American, 20th century). Signed with monogram "MWE" and date...
Canvas, Oil
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Blue Testament 2 -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
$2,051
"Soul reflection" Contemporary figurative expressionist oil painting two women
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Soul Reflection" — Original Contemporary Figurative Oil Painting Depicting Two Women, 80 × 60 × 1.5 cm (31.5 × 23.6 × 0.6 in), by French Artist Natalya Mougenot "Soul Reflection" i...
Canvas, Oil
The Resonance of Light: Bouquet of Roses" Large Square Oil Painting – 2015
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
This original oil painting, representing a central part of the series "The Silent Pulse of Decadence", focuses on the narrative dialogue between silent objects and nature. The compos...
Canvas, Oil
Blooming balcony – Impressionist Landscape Garden Oil Painting Wall Art
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
This vibrant oil painting is an evocative landscape painting titled Blooming balcony created by the internationally registered artist Elena Lukina in 2020.As a comforting landscape p...
Canvas, Oil
Lady with a Parasol at the Beach, Mid-20th Century Oil on Canvas
Located in St. Albans, GB
Hubert Glansdorff Belgian 1877 – 1963 Signed bottom right Picture Size: 19 x 28" (47 x 70cm) Outside Frame Size: 27 x 36" (67 x 90cm) A rare chance ...
Oil
"Breathe in the Warm Salty Air" (2025) Original Acrylic Painting, Whimsical
Located in Denver, CO
Leigh Ann Van Fossan's "Breathe in the Warm Salty Air" is an original acrylic and charcoal painting depicting a blue vase with flowers next to a picturesque scene featuring a blue oc...
Canvas, Charcoal, Acrylic
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Solitude - 21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, Expressionism, 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 Emma...
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,507
"Shared Joy" Contemporary figurative expressionist oil painting of two women
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Shared Joy" — Original Contemporary Figurative Oil Painting Depicting Two Women, 80 × 60 × 1.5 cm (31.5 × 23.6 × 0.6 in), by French Artist Natalya Mougenot "Shared Joy" is an origi...
Canvas, Oil
Red city
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Rendered in pulsating red and blue tones, this urban landscape serves as a powerful visual metaphor for existential loneliness within a metropolis. The sharp contrast between the lon...
Oil
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Quiet Strength 2 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, Oil, Modern, Fashion
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, Oil
$1,520Sale Price|20% Off
Landscape 139 by Jean Krille - Oil on Canvas board 50x60 cm
By Jean Krille
Located in Geneva, CH
Jean Krillé’s paintings are known for their expressive use of color and dynamic, abstract forms, blending realism with abstraction in his depictions of nature. His landscapes often f...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
$1,160Sale Price|20% Off
Figures on the Street
Located in North Clarendon, VT
Beautiful oil on board painting, figures on a street circa 1930. Signed lower left, 14.5" x 11" painting, 19.5" x 16" framed. Alweil was born in Galicia and studied at the art acade...
Oil
Venetian Gondolas 2
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this piece, I poured my love for Venice into every brushstroke, blending expressionism and realism. The oil medium brings the shimmering water to life, while the gondolas gently f...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
$2,680Sale Price|20% Off
Don't Look Back, Your Life Isn't There Anymore -21st Century, Contemporary 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
Framed Expressionist Flowers Pastel Painting, Circa 1900
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Aurelio Tolosa y Alsina (Barcelona, 1861 - Barcelona, 1938) was a painter and decorator who developed his artistic activity mainly around the city of Barcelona. He was a pupil at fir...
Paper, Mixed Media
Joan Cruspinera Abstract Figures Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
Joan Cruspinera Abstract Figures Oil Painting on Canvas. Oil on canvas. Signed and dated by the artist. Artwork: 61.5 × 50 cm (24.2 × 19.7 in.). Framed: 64.5 × 53.5 cm (25.4 × 21.1 i...
Canvas, Oil
$8,050
Evening Mood, Original Painting on Canvas, Hand Signed, 36 x 48 in. Stretched
Located in Aventura, FL
Original oil on canvas painting. Hand signed on front; signed and titled on verso by the artist. Canvas is stretched. Artwork is in excellent condition. Stretched. Certificate of au...
Canvas, Oil
$729Sale Price|20% Off
Interior with Figure Oil Painting on Canvas, Framed, Circa 1960
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
La obra va firmada a mano por el artista en la parte inferior y fechada del año 1960 (creo) digo creo porque no sé si es 1950 o 1960... por la tela y el número diria que es 1960 Se ...
Oil
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Woven Identities 3 - 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
Blooming garden – Impressionist Landscape Garden Oil Painting Wall Art
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
This vibrant oil painting is an evocative landscape painting titled Blooming garden created by the internationally registered artist Elena Lukina in 2013.Notably, this original artwo...
Canvas, Oil
"Secret Garden" (2023) by Leigh Ann Van Fossan, Original Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Leigh Ann Van Fossan's "Secret Garden" (2023) is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a path surrounded by colorful flowers and trees arching over. Van Fossan was born in...
Canvas, Oil
$2,600Sale Price|20% Off
In Her Solitude - 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Women, Modern
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
In her solitude, she finds clarity. The world outside may move at an unforgiving pace, but here, in the quiet, she breathes. She sits with her thoughts, letting them rise and fall li...
Canvas, Acrylic
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Blue Testament 7 -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
$5,470Sale Price|20% Off
"Giuliana con cappello" Olio su tela cm. 50 x 60 1976
Located in Torino, IT
Opera espressionista ,sui blu e azzurri Edgardo CORBELLI (Torino, 1918 – 1989) Dal tradizionale impianto paesistico degli anni ‘30, la pittura di Corbelli sfocia in esiti tecnico-e...
Canvas, Oil Crayon
$1,000Sale Price|20% Off
This is One not Two - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Women
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
$2,600Sale Price|20% Off
In Her Solace - 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Women, Modern
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
In such a world, so chaotic. Snares and spells revolving. Finding one’s peace can be very demanding. Living life, very. Man cannot live without a pacifier, one that helps him recove...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,600Sale Price|20% Off
Independent Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Expressionist, 21st Century
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
At first glance, "Independent" captures the viewer's attention with its striking imagery of a woman wearing a vibrant yellow coat. The choice of yellow as the dominant color is symbo...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,380
Marina Diptych, Abstract Seascape Gestures in Blue, Acrylic Painting on Paper
Located in Barcelona, ES
This series by Enric Servera explores the relationship of humans to salt and seawater. The intention of these works is to submerge us into the sea, a salty treasure that surrounds us...
Paper, Acrylic
Harvest. Bright, fall colors, warm, sisters, landscape, semiabstract, mountains
Located in Oslo, NO
"Harvest" glows with rich red, orange, and yellow tones, depicting two girls in a sun-drenched field beneath towering mountains. The warmth of the scene feels alive, capturing the si...
Canvas, Oil
$2,200Sale Price|20% Off
Somebody Call Me - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Expressionism, 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 Oso...
Canvas, Acrylic, Polymer
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
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Woven Identities 5 - 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
$790
Raventos Buildings City Litle original expressionist acrylic painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Raventos. buildings. city. original expressionist acrylic painting RAVENTÓS Mª Assumpció – (San Sadurní d’Anoia, Barcelona 1930). Raventos trained at the elite Sant Jordi School of F...
Acrylic
Two Woodsmen, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Two woodsmen stand in a sunlit spring forest in this Fauvist painting. The figures balance the large tree trunks and dense foliage around them. Bright colors an...
Acrylic
$1,633Sale Price|20% Off
French Expressionist Provence Luberon Poppy Field Oil Painting Ambrogiani Style
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title French Expressionist Provence Luberon Poppy Field Oil Painting Ambrogiani Style Key Details Artist: French School, mid 20th century Subject: Provençal landscape, believed to de...
Oil
Georges Braque (French, 1882-1963) - Nature Morte au Pot
Located in Dallas, TX
Georges Braque (French, 1882-1963) - Nature Morte au Pot Signed ‘G Braque' (underlined) bottom right Oil on canvas Canvas: 18 x 21.75 in. (45.7 x 55.2cm) Framed: 26 x 30 inches Executed circa 1959 Provenance: Galerie Beyeler, Basel, Switzerland. Galerie de l'Élysée (Alex Maguy...
Paint
$2,280Sale Price|20% Off
2Pac and Snoop Oil Painting on Canvas, Expressionist, 21st Century
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
"2Pac and Snoop" by James Ogamba Tochukwu is a striking artwork that pays homage to the iconic figures of 2Pac and Snoop Dogg, two influential fi...
Canvas, Oil
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Trying to Leave Myself 2 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, 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, Mixed Media
Mid Century French Expressionist Landscape Portrait, La Fermière Normande.
Located in Cotignac, FR
A mid-century French Expressionist oil on paper, laid on board, painting titled 'La Fermière Normande' (The Normandy Farmer) by Raphael Arnal. The painting is signed bottom right and...
Paper, Acrylic, Oil
$925Sale Price|20% Off
1950's French Modernist / Cubist Painting Signed, French Landscape
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist/ School: Title: French Roof Tops Medium: oil painting on board, unframed Measures: board: 8.75 x 6.25 inches Provenance: private collection, France Condition: The paintin...
Acrylic
$360Sale Price|20% Off
One More Shot 4 - 21st Century Contemporary Figurative, Sport, Football, Green
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
$2,613Sale Price|20% Off
Mid Century French Expressionist Portrait Man in Crown Framed Oil Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title Mid Century French Expressionist Portrait Man in Crown Framed Oil Painting Key Details Artist: French School, mid 20th century Title: Expressionist Portrait of a Man Medium: Oi...
Oil
"Red poppies and daisies in a vase" ( modern expressive floral painting)
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This modern colorful floral artwork "Red poppies and daisies in a vase " is full of vivid colors ( red, yellow, green, blue, purple) which are my tools of expression. I explore th...
Paper, Acrylic
Sawah Landscape
Located in Amsterdam, NL
A sawah landscape, Sumatra Signed and dated 'Sonnega '54' (lower right), and annotated 'Voor Jan de Bas 1-1-1970 / R de Bas' (on the reverse) oil on canvas, 50,5x60,5 cm Provenance: - Collection Pieter de Bas (1909-1979) Mr de Bas was head of the MULO school and acting head of the HBS school in Medan. Thence by descent to the present owner. Exhibited: - Hotel de Boer, Medan 1954, where acquired by the first owner. The light I observed everywhere was of a special quality, fluorescent blue, shone from nowhere but radiated from every point, oddly with great depth and intensity. The light in an entirely different dimension came from nowhere and went nowhere shimmering with the glow of a bright blue jewel. The most important thing I discovered was of being omnipresent and able to understand everything at the same time, yes I could fathom creation completely. Auke Sonnega, born March 9, 1910 in Leeuwarden, known as the painter, primarily of young Balinese men and women. Originally raised in the reformed denomination, the parents of Auke apparently practised theosophy and their children, including Auke were taught these principles. The talent for drawing revealed itself at an early stage which in 1926 lead to a 4-year study of textile design at the Academy for Art and Craft in Amsterdam. He completed the academy in 1930 and worked in a carpet factory in Twente until 1934 and then followed in his sister Aafje’s footsteps leaving the Netherlands to go to the Dutch East Indies where in 1935 he started working as a graphic designer with an advertising bureau in Batavia. He was able to travel through Java and Bali on the motorbike that he brought with him from Europe, and was paid for his travelogue, enhanced with his own photo’s which appeared in several Dutch newspapers and magazines. In the 1930’s two Europeans, Walter Spies and Rudolf Bonnet...
Canvas, Oil
$1,640Sale Price|20% Off
African Boy IV Painting, Expressionist Acrylic on Canvas, 21st Century
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
African Boy is a series of paintings by talented artist Faith Gbadero. This series of Artworks capture the response and attitudes of African young adults...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Girl & Plants Enamel Glazed Ceramic Plaque Israeli Artist Awret Naive Folk Art
By Irene Awret
Located in Surfside, FL
This is a rare ceramic plaque painted with enamel glaze by famed Israeli German artist Irene Awret (these are generally hand signed Awret Safed on the verso. I just have not opened t...
Enamel
Beautiful Garden – Impressionist Landscape Garden Oil Painting
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
This vibrant oil painting is an evocative landscape painting titled Beautiful Garden created by the internationally registered artist Elena Lukina in 2023.As a comforting landscape p...
Canvas, Oil
$3,190
Large modern expressionist figurative still life painting "Threefold Grace"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
"Threefold Grace" is a contemporary still life by French artist Natalya Mougenot, whose vibrant floral compositions celebrate color as emotion and gesture as language. In this radia...
Canvas, Linen, Acrylic
"Cossack Massacre" Vintage Original Expressionist Painting
By Simon Gaon
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage historical painting of a Cossack raid by Simon Goan. Oil on board. Measuring: 13 by 11 inches overall, and 10 by 8 artwork alone.
Oil
$4,280Sale Price|20% Off
Strong and Bold 3 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Women, Fashion, Hair
By Gobe Joseph
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
The painting “Strong and Bold” from the series painting of Emily’s Diary portrays a compelling depiction of an African woman adorned with a nourishing Afrocentric hairstyle The fac...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$854
Friendship. Friends, goat, landscape, kind, together, pet, bright, mountains
Located in Oslo, NO
A vibrant fauvist landscape where a girl and her little goat share a quiet moment of companionship among colorful mountains and village houses. The bright, expressive colors transfor...
Canvas, Oil
$272Sale Price|20% Off
20th Paris School Collage Cutout Artwork Wonderful Interior Design options!
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
"Collage" by Bernard Herzog (French, b.1935) signed and stamped verso with catalogue number photo collage cut outs on paper, unframed overall paper: 25.5 x 20 inches Highly unique ...
Photographic Film, Magazine Paper
$28,500
A Look at the Menu
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Sheffield, MA
Marcel Dyf French, 1899-1985 A Look at the Menu Oil on Canvas 21 ¼ by 25 ½ in, w/ frame 27 ¾ by 32 ¼ in Signed lower right Marcel Dyf (Marcel Dreyfus) was born in Paris on October ...
Oil
"Business News" (2009) by Jann T. Bass, Original Oil Painting of Landscape
Located in Denver, CO
"Business News" (2009) by Jann T. Bass is an original handmade oil painting that depicts two men sitting on a park bench. This painting measures 9 x 12 inches and is ready to hang.
Oil, Board