Expressionist Art
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.
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Art
Watercolor
1960s Expressionist Art
Burlap, Oil, Canvas
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
The sky glows orange, its vibrant colors reflected upon the lake. Pine trees grace the horizon with their distinct silhouettes. While the far shore emits a fain...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
1920s Expressionist Art
Woodcut
1940s Expressionist Art
Watercolor
1940s Expressionist Art
Watercolor
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Metal
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art
Oil
1990s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1990s Expressionist Art
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Art
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Art
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Art
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Art
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Art
Mixed Media
2010s Expressionist Art
Mixed Media
2010s Expressionist Art
Pencil
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil, Canvas
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil
1990s Expressionist Art
Watercolor
1980s Expressionist Art
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Art
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Art
Acrylic, Cardboard
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil
1990s Expressionist Art
Mixed Media
1960s Expressionist Art
Carbon Pencil
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil
1990s Expressionist Art
Wood, Mixed Media, Wood Panel
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Intaglio, Paper
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Intaglio, Paper
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Intaglio, Paper
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Intaglio, Paper
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Intaglio, Paper
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Intaglio, Paper
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Intaglio, Paper
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Intaglio, Paper
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Intaglio, Paper
2010s Expressionist Art
Paper, Ink, Acrylic
Artist Comments
A pink spring-flowering bulb defies its seasonal nature and blooms in the fall. Its leaves brushed with gold paint, emerge from a green vase made from stamped papers. The bold colors and varying textures, made with glued leaves, some stamping, and carved marks, add dynamic energy to the composition.
About the Artist
In 1999, Jodi Dann seized the opportunity to become a full-time painter. Today, her paintings read like hazy memories of imagined faraway places. The compositions are abstract, but possess strong architectural elements, recalling bridges, arches, and doorways. Each piece retains an overall sense of place without prescribing a location, allowing the viewer to form an individualized connection with the work. Jodi paints from her cozy studio on her property in Oregon while listening to a variety of music on Pandora. She doesn’t feel the need to strive for perfection in her work. “Life isn’t perfect,†says Jodi. “Why force a painting to be?â€
Words that describe this painting: floral, collage, paper, papers, stamps...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Mixed Media
2010s Expressionist Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
A woman holds her dress as she walks on the beach. The bright golden light outlines her body, setting her apart from the abstract purple horizon in the background. With broad brushstrokes, artist Connie Millholland...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Photographic Paper