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.
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Mixed Media, Acrylic
1970s Expressionist Art
Ink, Mixed Media, Lithograph, Offset
Early 1900s Expressionist Art
Paper
1980s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1920s Expressionist Art
Etching
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1980s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1960s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars
1950s Expressionist Art
Paper, Crayon, Pencil
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil
Late 20th Century Expressionist Art
Wood, Oil
1950s Expressionist Art
Ink
Artist Comments
Artist Peg Belcastro depicts the stream near her home that overflows its banks during spring snowmelt. Tall, slender trees surround the area. The mix of expre...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
1940s Expressionist Art
Oil, Plywood, Laid Paper
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1970s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1950s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1950s Expressionist Art
Paper, Oil Crayon, Pastel, Ink
1960s Expressionist Art
Paper, Gouache
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
20th Century Expressionist Art
Oil, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Oil
1920s Expressionist Art
Paper, Lithograph
Late 20th Century Expressionist Art
Acrylic, Watercolor
1930s Expressionist Art
Archival Paper
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
1970s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
Early 1900s Expressionist Art
Paper, Mixed Media
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
1960s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1980s Expressionist Art
Monoprint, Oil
Artist Comments
A row of slender trees lines a road in Provence, France. As artist Janet Dyer drove by, she was captivated by the configuration of the trunks against the pale...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Robert Hofherr shares an expressionist view of rocky outcrops in the forest. Bold color, energetic paint application, and a simplified drawing style he...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
1940s Expressionist Art
Paper, Ink, Watercolor
2010s Expressionist Art
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1970s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1930s Expressionist Art
Paper
1910s Expressionist Art
Paper
1950s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1990s Expressionist Art
Screen
1980s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
20th Century Expressionist Art
Oil, Board
Late 20th Century Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1950s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
With low tide, the sand stretches out towards the receding waterline, revealing a shallow pool of water reflecting the sky. A solitary cloud watches over the ...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Oil
Early 1900s Expressionist Art
Drypoint
1990s Expressionist Art
Etching
1920s Expressionist Art
Paper, Lithograph
Artist Comments
Artist Robert Hofherr presents a colorful expressionist rendering of an ordinary woodpile. The piece gets subjected to the complete Fauvist treatment. Bold co...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
1970s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Oil
1950s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
Artist Comments
Artist Sharon Sieben presents an expressionist cityscape with spirited brushwork and vibrant hues. She pictures skyscrapers over the Big Apple in a dazzling a...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Oil
1930s Expressionist Art
Oil, Watercolor, Gouache
1970s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil