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.
20th Century Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1970s Expressionist Art
Watercolor
1930s Expressionist Art
Paper
1890s Expressionist Art
Drypoint, Etching
1910s Expressionist Art
Woodcut
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
1920s Expressionist Art
Paper, Lithograph
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil, Wood Panel
1960s Expressionist Art
Oil
1950s Expressionist Art
Plastic, Oil
1920s Expressionist Art
Aquatint
Artist Comments
This painting captures an abandoned house nearly concealed by overgrown bushes. The sunlit road extends endlessly into the hori...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
1930s Expressionist Art
Watercolor, Gouache, Laid Paper
1960s Expressionist Art
Pastel
1980s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
Artist Comments
A cradled panel is laid with vintage sewing tissues as a mordant to adhere the beeswax. I did an underpainting in ink then used a prismatic palette to lead th...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Encaustic
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art
Lithograph
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
1950s Expressionist Art
Watercolor, Gouache, Laid Paper
1960s Expressionist Art
Oil, Canvas
1980s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1970s Expressionist Art
Screen
1970s Expressionist Art
Oil, Wood Panel
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Rebecca Klementovich paints a sparkling lake surrounded by quiet mountains. She captures the sun's rays, twinkling on the water's stillness. A tranquil...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
"Inspired by Paul Klee, I reimagined a quiet October evening with heavily textured colors and an emphasis on simplified linear elements," says artist Robert H...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Low buildings hide among nature in an abandoned day camp. The sunlight filters through the trees, painting the grass with a soft radiance. The expressive brus...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil, Wood Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Oil
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Drypoint
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art
Screen
1920s Expressionist Art
Woodcut
Artist Comments
A lone tree stands in the middle of a vast meadow, with a single cloud hovering over it. Its leaves, painted in shades of yellow and red, subtly hint at the c...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Oil
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1980s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1920s Expressionist Art
Woodcut
1930s Expressionist Art
Paper
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1920s Expressionist Art
Aquatint
1920s Expressionist Art
Paper
1950s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1930s Expressionist Art
Paper, Watercolor
1970s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1910s Expressionist Art
Engraving, Woodcut
1970s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
Artist Comments
The painting portrays a serene pond amid lush greenery. Featuring expressive brushstrokes, the piece conveys movement and bold contrast of complementary colors, adding visual appeal. Artist Janet Dyer's approach prioritizes capturing the energy of the scene over immediate representational details.
About the Artist
Artist Janet Dyer captures picturesque scenes from her travels in expressive and gestural landscapes. Her work reflects the changes brought on by the seasons, seizing the colors and mood and reinterpreting them into lively compositions. "I believe the process of creating art is equal in importance to the final product," says Janet. She started painting when she was nine and sold her first painting at thirteen at a country fair, where it won first prize. From ages eight to seventeen, she joined countless country fairs and relished seeing her works on display. Growing up in Ohio and Michigan influenced Janet's fascination with wide open spaces. Now living in New York State, she loves to travel whenever she gets the chance and finds inspiration everywhere she goes—particularly farms and France, and farms in France. "Luckily for me, landscapes are everywhere, so I'm spoiled for choice."
Words that describe this painting: water, pond, panoramic, trees, woods, expressionism, nature, acrylic painting, green
Pond with Yellow Trees...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
The painting portrays a tree with colorful foliage in the middle of a vast field. The leaves are painted yellow and red, with a hint of purple. The wind gentl...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Oil
1980s Expressionist Art
Etching
1960s Expressionist Art
Watercolor
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil, Canvas, Stretcher Bars
Early 1900s Expressionist Art
Paper
1960s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century Expressionist Art
Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Paper, Oil Pastel, Oil
1890s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph