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.
$1,800
"Mexican Landscape Scene with Female Figures and Child" Expressionistic Style
Located in New York, NY
A strong modernist oil painting depicted in the Mid Century by Russian painter Michael Baxte. Mostly known for his abstracted figures on canvas or street scenes, this piece is a wond...
Oil, Masonite
Upper Delaware - American Landscape Painting. Moody Expressionist Landscape.
Located in Marco Island, FL
A moody expressionist painting of the Upper Delaware River, done in the style that earned John Fulton Folinsbee his well-deserved reputation as an exceptional landscape painter of th...
Canvas, Oil
$271Sale 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 ...
Acrylic
Tarrasso square. House in the countryside. Original acrylic painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Les Guilleries. Original acrylic canvas painting signed work Casimiro Martínez Tarrassó, a painter known simply as Tarrassó. He was trained at the La Llotja School in Barcelona. He c...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,400Sale Price|50% Off
Dancer in Red - Large Colorful Expressive Figurative Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Bettina Mauel expresses vitality and sensuality in her abstract and figurative paintings. “I paint what I experience,” she articulates. “This includes landscapes, dancers, and peop...
Canvas, Oil
"Untitled 2", Expressionist, Abstract, Green, Yellow, Blue, Oil Painting
By Dalvin Byron
Located in Franklin, MA
Dalvin Byron's "Untitled 2" is an intimate 14 x 18 inch oil painting on canvas glowing with deep phthalo greens, burnt sienna, and yellow ochre, dissolving into cool and watery blue-...
Oil, Canvas
$1,085Sale Price|20% Off
Large Mid Century French Expressionist Signed Oil Horse Racing Scene
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The Horse Race French expressionist artist, mid 20th century signed oil on artist paper, unframed artist paper: 20 x 25.5 inches provenance: private collection, France condition: ov...
Oil
Oil painting on canvas " Rough sea with coastline on the horizon " by Schubring
By Richard Schubring
Located in Gavere, BE
Schubring, Richard (1853-1902) Rough sea with coastline on the horizon Oil on canvas. Signed and dated lower right. “1895” Richard SCHUBRING is an artist born in 1853 and deceased...
Gold Leaf
Woman in Blue Abstract Expressionist Figurative
Located in Soquel, CA
Gorgeous figurative oil painting of a woman in blue by San Francisco artist Michael William Eggleston(American, 20th c.). From a collection of his works. Unsigned and unframed. Mic...
Canvas, Oil
2 Funny pink ballerinas. Original impasto Miniature oil painting.
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
This original oil painting captures two funny pink ballerinas in a lighthearted dance. The artist's use of impasto brings a delightful texture to the canvas, enhancing the ballerinas...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
$3,000
American Modernist Oil Painting Expressionist Vase, Flowers WPA Artist Ben ZIon
Located in Surfside, FL
Ben-Zion (1897-1987) Flower Piece with Black Vase Oil on board, Hand signed 'Ben-Zion ' lower right, with the artist 's label and label from Duveen-Graham gallery, NY. 16 x 7 3/4 in., unframed as intended, Born in 1897, Ben-Zion Weinman celebrated his European Jewish heritage in his visual works as a sculptor, painter, and printmaker. Influenced by Spinoza, Knut Hamsun, and Wladyslaw Reymont, as well as Hebrew literature, Ben-Zion wrote poetry and essays that, like his visual work, attempt to reveal the deep “connection between man and the divine, and between man and earth.” An emigrant from the Ukraine, he came to the US in 1920. He wrote fairy tales and poems in Hebrew under the name Benzion Weinman, but when he began painting he dropped his last name and hyphenated his first, saying an artist needed only one name. Ben-Zion was a founding member of “The Ten: An Independent Group” The Ten” a 1930’s avant-garde group, Painted on anything handy. Ben-Zion often used cabinet doors (panels) in his work. Other members of group included Ilya Bolotowsky, Lee Gatch, Adolf Gottlieb, Louis Harris, Yankel Kufeld, Marcus Rothkowitz (later known as Mark Rothko), Louis Schanker, and Joseph Solman. Over the course of the group's existence, seventeen artists exhibited as members of The Ten at nine different shows. The group's nine shows were held at galleries and locations around New York City, including one international exhibition in Paris. David Burliuk, Lee Gatch, John Graham, Earl Kerkam, Karl Knaths, Edgar Levy, Jean Liberté...
Oil, Wood Panel
Still life with peonies
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In creating this piece, I sought to capture the effervescence of nature's transient beauty. I used oil to express the delicate vibrancy of peonies, with my brushstrokes blending impr...
Canvas, Oil
Mid Century French Expressionist Oil on Canvas, Vers La Durance
Located in Cotignac, FR
French Expressionist oil on canvas of a river and mountain landscape by Gisele Grant-Gapail. The painting is initialled bottom right, signed and dated to the back of the canvas and t...
Canvas, Oil
Listen, I Am Here - 21st Century Expressionist Figurative Painting
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
'Listen, I am here' is an art Gbenga Eniafe created from the realities of his people. The everyday creative is overlooked even as he presses on. The purple represents his distinctive...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$3,250
True Friend 2 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Women Love Men
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, Acrylic
Benaavente Solis. home. field. poppies. Mallorca- original expressionist
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
home. field. poppies. Mallorca- original expressionist watercolor painting virtual frame Work of the Spanish artist BENAVENTE SOLIS. Watercolor on paper. Perfect state During its...
Watercolor
Letter to Grandma: Expressionist Acrylic and Charcoal Painting
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
There is no other love that’s as special as the love of a grandma. So warm and fuzzy, so calm and sweet, so cheerful and joyful. You never know the love of a grandparent until you become one. 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 Gallery) About Artist Oluwaseun Ojebiyi is a promising young Nigerian visual artist who was born in the year 1996 into a family in Oyo state richly endowed with a unique artistic inclination. He is gifted with unusual energy and a future that sparkles with excellence. His works are at once artistic and realistic and laced with active energy with the characteristic of curiosity in figure study. He delivers his works through drawing and painting with mastery usage of charcoal, pastel, Oil paint, and acrylic. His expressive works bring back fond memories of childhood experiences. His works reveal the bond, teamwork, genuine love, selflessness, and other fine qualities in African culture. His palette which contains a variety of colors is a great asset for his delivery, with its rich Shade of hues. Oluwaseun inspiration is divine, He is also inspired by both past and everyday life experiences. Oluwaseun Ojebiyi had an HND in painting from The Polytechnic, Ibadan. He also served an apprenticeship under the renowned international artist Oluwole Omofemi...
Acrylic, Charcoal, Canvas
"The Toreador" Pierre Ambrogiani (France, 1905-1985) Circa 1950s
Located in SANTA FE, NM
"The Toreador" Pierre Ambrogiani (France, 1905-1985) Oil on canvas Circa 1950's 28 1/4 x 20 3/4 (31 1/4 x 23 3/4 frame) inches Signed bottom right corner If the artists Diego Veláz...
Oil, Canvas
$18,000
Upright Bass, Expressionist Portrait of Musician by Philadelphia Artist
Located in Doylestown, PA
"Upright Bass" is a painting by Philadelphia born Expressionist painter Bernard Harmon. The 40" x 34" oil on board group portrait of a musician is painted...
Oil, Board
$450
Learning How to Breathe Again - 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
'Port-Vendres' Côte Vermeille, France, California, Large Post-Impressionist Oil
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Signed verso, 'Ant McNaught', (American, 1952-2026), titled 'Port de Vendres', dated 2022 and inscribed '(After Derain, 1905)'. This California Post-Impressionist and Abstract Expre...
Canvas, Oil
Sea of Blues N10, Abstract Blue and White Fish Patterns, Mediterranean Style
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 and reminds us of its natural beauty and the importance of its preservation. Details: Title: Sea of Blue N10 Medium: Mixed Media on Paper Size: 63 x 90 cm (28.4 x 35.4 inches). Year: 2021 * Frame is for illustrative purposes only. Artwork shipped carefully rolled and packaged in a tube. * Certificate of Authenticity provided. Enric Servera (Ciutadella de Menorca, 1970) lives and works between Barcelona and Menorca, Spain. His works explores the colors and forms of the ocean, inspired by the fauna and flora of the Mediterranean Sea. His work has shown in galleries across Spain, and is part of several public and private collections. Words that may describe this series of artworks are: Mediterranean-inspired art, abstract sea...
Paper, Acrylic, Watercolor
$1,850
Gazing Through Ankara 1, Expressionist Oil on Canvas, Unframed
By Bakare Abubakri-sideeq Babatunde
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
"Gazing Through Ankara" is a captivating series of paintings that celebrates the beauty, diversity, and individuality of black African women through the exploration of eyewear and An...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Fabric, Oil
Unfurling the Past 2-21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Painting, Oil, Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure FREE Shipping Worldwide 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 Authent...
Canvas, Oil
CATS
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this vibrant composition, I've joyfully blended impressionism with pop art, using acrylic and oil to bring to life these charming feline figures. The piece captures the warmth of ...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Serenity 2 Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Expressionist, 21st Century
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...
Acrylic, Canvas
Fried fishes, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Vyusal Rain
Located in Yardley, PA
Fried fishes , well done )) :: Painting :: Expressionism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the artist :: Ready to Hang: Yes :: Signed: Yes ::...
Oil
Monstera 1, Turquoise Green Layered Foliage Abstract Landscape Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
In the realm of vibrant expressions, Italian artist Giuseppe Beddru masterfully brings to life abstracted flora in a spectacular fusion of color and form. The canvas dances with an o...
Canvas, Mixed Media
African Boy Oil Painting on Canvas, Expressionist, 21st Century
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
African Boy is a series of paintings by talented artist Faith Gbadero. This series of Artworks captures the response and attitudes of African young adult...
Oil, Canvas, Acrylic
$1,100
Working without a Net Oil On Canvas Female Character Starry Moonlight REDUCED
Located in Houston, TX
Reduced from $1450. Working without a Net 20" x 20" oil Dogs sometimes accompany the pale bald “Everywoman” protagonist on her journeys that often take place beneath a starry moonl...
Canvas, Oil
$1,850
Echoes of Love -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Painting, Women Art
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 Elie HATUNGIMAN...
Canvas, Acrylic
Ray of Hope III, Expressionist Oil Painting on Canvas, 21st Century
By John Ali
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
"Ray of Hope," a poignant creation by artist John Ali, encapsulates a moment of contemplation and the subtle interplay between vulnerability and resilience. The artwork features a yo...
Oil, Canvas
$1,661Sale Price|20% Off
Oil on canvas French Expressionist Alsatian Village by E. Ritter France
Located in Valladolid, ES
Amazing and extraordinary oil on canvas painting is signed by Etienne Ritter in the lower right corner. It depicts a European village from the French region of Alsace, following the...
Canvas
Mint Freshness. Flower and Butterfly"
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Mint Freshness. Flower and Butterfly" by Volskaya Lilia. 350 g thick cardboard. Pastart design. The back of the painting is reinforced with 3-layer cardboard. The painting has a han...
Oil, Mixed Media, Cardboard
$1,148
Arms like a swan's wings Original impasto Miniature oil painting for living room
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Arms like a swan's wings" captures the ethereal beauty of the Swan Lake Ballet. I poured my passion into this original oil painting, expressing moti...
Canvas, Oil
A fated meeting in the rain Original impasto Miniature oil painting
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
This original oil painting captures a chance encounter on a rainy city street. The artist's skillful brushwork blends expressionism with realism, depicting a fleeting moment of conn...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
$2,500
Psalm 121 -21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Religious, Floral
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Anyone who went from nothing to greatness needed to trust God to watch over them. As the psalmist looked at the hills through which he travelled, his thoughts rose above the mountain...
Canvas, Oil
$2,506Sale Price|20% Off
Small city center. 2013. Cardboard, oil, 97x123 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Street view. 2013. Cardboard, oil, 97x123 cm
Oil, Cardboard
Sunny Terrace 25X35
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In crafting this piece, I've intertwined the essence of expressionism and impressionism, allowing the vibrant colors and bold textures to evoke feelings of warmth and serenity. The f...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard, Giclée
$450
Blue Testament 9 -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
$6,350
Look How Far You've Come -21st Century, Contemporary Figurative Portrait, Pigeon
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Stop being so hard on yourself. You’ve been through a lot, and that’s what led you to be so hard on yourself. Still, I want you to take a moment to look at how resilient you are, loo...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$450
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
Les Jockeys - Expressionist Animal and Figurative Painting by Gen Paul
By Gen Paul
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed expressionist oil, gouache and watercolour on paper figures and animals in landscape circa 1950 by French painter and engraver Gen Paul. This charming work depicts jockeys on ...
Oil, Paper, Watercolor, Gouache
Fantasy with Flowers 66
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
Fantasy with Flowers 23
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
Woven Identities 1 - 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
$696
Poppies Red 2, Expressionist Acrylic and Oil Pastel on Paper, 2010+
Located in Zofingen, AG
NOT STRETCHED. You'll receive it rolled, in a tube. Ready for stretching. I recommend stretching your painting in a local custom framing shop or gallery. It will be the most affordab...
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Archival Paper
$1,495
19th Century Impressionist Manner Oil Seascape Winter Sunset Harbor Scene Signed
Located in Stockholm, SE
This marine oil on canvas resonates with French Impressionism of the late 19th century (reminiscent of the circle or followers of Eugène Boudin) and captures the fleeting poetry of w...
Canvas, Wood, Oil
Through the Trees, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist James Hartman began this painting by creating texture with homemade tools. He envisioned standing at the edge of the woods, looking through to an indistinct light. The oil colors were allowed to drip and settle into the textured surface, enhancing depth and movement, while his tools helped define the landscape in a way that captures shifting light.
About the Artist
When James Hartman was in art school, he became fascinated with the Society of Six, a group of artists who painted en plein air (outdoors) and exhibited together in the San Francisco Bay Area during the early 20th Century. James's paintings of the Northern California landscape pay tribute to some of the great Bay Area artists of the past. His expressive scenes feel alive through his vibrant use of color and his painterly brushwork. James’s paintings have an immediate visual impact from a distance, yet up close, dissolve into a series of confident marks and strokes. There is a simultaneous complexity and steadiness in his flattened, color-blocked planes. Knowledge and observation are essential elements of James’s working practice. To this end, he spends a large proportion of his time painting on location. His body of work captures the fresh and sunlit essence of the coastal California hills.
Words that describe this painting: trees, texture, bright, woods, sunlight, panoramic, forest...
Oil
$850
Raventos CADAQUES Small Vertical original expressionist acrylic canvas
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
RAVENTÓS Mª Assumpció – (San Sadurní d’Anoia, Barcelona 1930). Raventos trained at the elite Sant Jordi School of Fine Arts in Barcelona. Raventós expanded her studies in etching and...
Canvas, Oil
Sunny terrace
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
I poured my heart into creating this giclee print, a vivid dance of color and light that celebrates the serene beauty of nature. Inspired by the interplay of expressionism and impres...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard, Giclée
In the Dales, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Robert Hofherr captures a group of old barns in an expressive style. Executed quickly and energetically, the piece emphasizes instinct over overthinking....
Acrylic
$1,020Sale Price|20% Off
Pond with pink lilies
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In crafting this painting, I sought to capture the tranquility and ephemeral beauty of nature. Each brushstroke is a tender embrace of the lilies' delicate dance on the water's refle...
Canvas, Oil
Ben (Water in the Hole) -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Landscape, Men
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, this is not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issue by ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$937Sale Price|63% Off
Mid-Century French Expressionist Oil, 'Anniversary Flowers and Champagne'.
Located in Cotignac, FR
Mid Century Expressionist oil on canvas tablescape of flowers and Champagne. This wonderfully energetic painting straddles the line between impressionism and expressionism. The form...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
"The Quiet Resonance of Roses" Oil Painting – Contemporary Impressionism
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 the fleeting momen...
Canvas, Oil
Marsh Near the South River, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
This simple study of a southern Massachusetts marsh transforms the landscape through bold color and the removal of unnecessary detail. Expressive brushwork give...
Acrylic
Poch 8 Maria de las Mercedes Acrylic Painting, Expressionist, Unframed, 2010+
By Ramon Poch
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
8.-Maria de las Mercedes 115 x90 cm acrylic painting Born in Badalona (Barcelona). Photographer and advertising film director. Founding partner of the advertising production compan...
Acrylic
J. Meunie 6 Tree Almond Blossom Vertical original acrylic painting
By Julen Meunie
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
" ALMOND BLOSSOM original acrylic painting. framed Julien was born in 1948 in Vichy, France. He studied art and theater in Clermont-Ferrand at the same time as finishing his degree ...
Wood, Oil
Red poppies 40Х40 oil painting
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this oil painting, I've poured my passion into every brushstroke, capturing the wild spirit of nature through a vibrant dance of reds and subdued background hues. My expressionist...
Canvas, Oil