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Expressionist Figurative Photography

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
"Brooke (Blue Waves)" Photography 30" x 22" inch Edition 2/7 by Larsen Sotelo
"Brooke (Blue Waves)" Photography 30" x 22" inch Edition 2/7 by Larsen Sotelo

"Brooke (Blue Waves)" Photography 30" x 22" inch Edition 2/7 by Larsen Sotelo

By Larsen Sotelo

Located in Culver City, CA

"Brooke (Blue Waves)" Photography 30" x 22" inch Edition 2/7 by Larsen Sotelo NOT FRAMED - ships in a tube Signed and numbered by the artist. Comes with COA issued by the artist. G...

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21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Photography

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Archival Ink, Rag Paper, Giclée

Point Sur Light House, Big Sur, California - Cyanotype / Watercolor Landscape
Point Sur Light House, Big Sur, California - Cyanotype / Watercolor Landscape

Point Sur Light House, Big Sur, California - Cyanotype / Watercolor Landscape

By Cheryl Trotter

Located in Soquel, CA

Soft watercolor accents add to the beauty of this unique cyanotype and watercolor landscape of the Point Sur Lighthouse in Big Sur, California by Cheryl Trotter (American, 20th centu...

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1980s Expressionist Figurative Photography

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L’étoile, from the series Fantômes
L’étoile, from the series Fantômes

L’étoile, from the series Fantômes

By Diana Markosian

Located in Los Angeles, CA

L’étoile, from the series Fantômes, 2025. © Diana Markosian / Aperture Framed and Signed Magnum/Aperture square print sale Diana Markosian takes an intimate approach to her photogr...

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2010s Expressionist Figurative Photography

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"Model in black & white" Photography on canvas
"Model in black & white" Photography on canvas

"Model in black & white" Photography on canvas

Located in Carmel, CA

Malissa - "Model in black & white" Photography on canvas The photograph comes with a certificate of authenticity and a letter of appraisal.

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Nude Christ Like Figure on Infinite Road

Nude Christ Like Figure on Infinite Road

By Mitchell Funk

Located in Miami, FL

Signed and dated on lower right, numbered on verso, 3/15 Printed later, other size available, unframed . Exhibited, Images Gallery, New York

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1970s Expressionist Figurative Photography

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Skid Row Bowery Street Portrait  - The Streets of New York - Photojournalism
Skid Row Bowery Street Portrait  - The Streets of New York - Photojournalism

Skid Row Bowery Street Portrait - The Streets of New York - Photojournalism

By Mitchell Funk

Located in Miami, FL

Street Photographer Mitchell Funk breaks with tradition and shoots street photography in color. Today in 2022, this does not seem like a big deal. But 52 years ago, in 1970, it was q...

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Expressionist figurative photography for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Expressionist figurative photography 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 figurative photography created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of green, pink and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Ali Alışır, Mitchell Funk, Larsen Sotelo, and Cheryl Trotter. Frequently made by artists working with Digital Print, and Archival Pigment Print 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 figurative photography, so small editions measuring 9.25 inches across are also available. Prices for figurative photography made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $780 and tops out at $11,500, while the average work sells for $6,000.