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Expressionist Art

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
Fantasy with Flowers 60
Fantasy with Flowers 60

Fantasy with Flowers 60

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 ...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Archival Paper

Early 20thC Modernist/Expressionist Large oil European Landscape c1930's
Early 20thC Modernist/Expressionist Large oil European Landscape c1930's

Early 20thC Modernist/Expressionist Large oil European Landscape c1930's

Located in Frome, Somerset

A good large post impressionist/expressionist Landscape oil circa 1938 oil on canvas 75cmx90cm Gallery frame 87cmx102cm Fields with a small dwelling painted in expressive impastoed b...

Category

1930s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

Fantasy with Flowers 20
Fantasy with Flowers 20

Fantasy with Flowers 20

Located in Zofingen, AG

"Fantasy with Flowers" (series of 200+ pictures)   paper 58x41cm  On the paper acrylic, oil pastel, felt-tip pen, ink, gold leaf, pencils, silver,mixed media. Flowers are a smile of ...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Archival Paper

Marc Chagall, Sisyphus, from Homer, The Odyssey, 1989 (after)
Marc Chagall, Sisyphus, from Homer, The Odyssey, 1989 (after)

Marc Chagall, Sisyphus, from Homer, The Odyssey, 1989 (after)

By Marc Chagall

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph after Marc Chagall (1887–1985), titled Sisyphos (Sisyphus), from Homer, Die Odyssee (The Odyssey), originates from the 1989 German-language folio published ...

Category

1980s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Marc Chagall, Moses I, from Drawings for the Bible, 1956
Marc Chagall, Moses I, from Drawings for the Bible, 1956

Marc Chagall, Moses I, from Drawings for the Bible, 1956

By Marc Chagall

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph by Marc Chagall (1887–1985), titled Moise I (Moses I), from Marc Chagall, Dessins Pour La Bible (Drawings for the Bible), Verve: Revue Artistique et Littera...

Category

1950s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Galactic Expressions - Abstract Expressionist Composition in Acrylic on Canvas
Galactic Expressions - Abstract Expressionist Composition in Acrylic on Canvas

Galactic Expressions - Abstract Expressionist Composition in Acrylic on Canvas

By Charles David Francis

Located in Soquel, CA

Galactic Expressions - Abstract Expressionist Composition in Acrylic on Canvas Bold abstract composition by California artist Charles "Dave" Francis (American, 1951-2018). The backg...

Category

Late 20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars

Gladiolus 2
Gladiolus 2

Gladiolus 2

Located in Zofingen, AG

"Gladiolus 2" captures the passionate spirit of blooming gladiolus. Fiery reds and glowing yellows express movement and vitality. The artist's bold, impressionistic strokes blend the...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Archival Paper

Expression with sunflowers 50X50
Expression with sunflowers 50X50

Expression with sunflowers 50X50

By Elena Lukina

Located in Zofingen, AG

In creating this vibrant piece, I embraced the vivid, passionate essence of sunflowers. My brushstrokes carry the emotion of raw energy juxtaposed with the gentle dance of light, hop...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Fragment of a sea wave
Fragment of a sea wave

Fragment of a sea wave

By Elena Lukina

Located in Zofingen, AG

In creating this painting, I sought to capture the essence and vitality of the sea. With each brushstroke, I instilled the raw power and restless spirit of ocean waves. This piece, c...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Cardboard

Row of Plane Trees In Winter - Maussane-les-Alpilles
Row of Plane Trees In Winter - Maussane-les-Alpilles

Row of Plane Trees In Winter - Maussane-les-Alpilles

By Yves Brayer

Located in London, GB

'Row of Plane Trees In Winter - Maussane-les-Alpilles', Provence, watercolour and pencil on art paper, by Yves Brayer (1946). A line of Plane trees greets visitors to almost every vi...

Category

1940s Expressionist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Pencil

Letter To Grandma
Letter To Grandma

Letter To Grandma

By Oluwaseun Ojebiyi

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...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Charcoal, Acrylic

Two Figures Mixed Media On Linen
Two Figures Mixed Media On Linen

Two Figures Mixed Media On Linen

By Jürgen Görg

Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL

Two Figures oil, graphite on linen canvas 40x30 framed. Jurgen Gorg was born in 1951 in​, Dernbach Germany. His formative years were spent in Koblentz, before moving to Maintz to s...

Category

1980s Expressionist Art

Materials

Linen, Oil, Graphite

Nude by the Window, San Francisco Bay Area Figurative Movement 1966
Nude by the Window, San Francisco Bay Area Figurative Movement 1966

Nude by the Window, San Francisco Bay Area Figurative Movement 1966

By Thomas L. Tribby

Located in Soquel, CA

Bay Area figurative painting of a nude woman looking over her shoulder by Thomas L. Tribby (American, b. 1944). Signed and dated "Tribby 66" in the lower right corner. Unframed, but the edges are painted black for a frame-less display. Canvas size: 37.5"H x 33.5"W. Bay area figurative artist and painted while at the University of California, Berkeley, CA – Bachelor of Arts, 1963-1966. Thomas Tribby (American, b. 1944) is an internationally known artist who has participated in solo and group exhibitions in the United States and Europe. He works in a variety of media, including watercolor, acrylic, and oil. Tribby has gallery representation in Florida and his paintings have been featured in articles in Waterfront Home and Design and Architectural Digest. Tribby has participated in juried and invitational shows in Florida, California, Arizona, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, D.C., and New York, and in Paris, France. In December 2007, Tribby had the honor of being one of nine painters in the American Delegation at Le Salon des Beaux Arts de la Société Nationale des Beaux Arts exhibition, known as the Paris Salon, at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris, where his painting, Lifeguard, was exhibited. In January 2008 Tribby received from the Design Center of the Americas, DCOTA, the prestigious Stars of Design award in the category of Art. Tribby lives and works in West Palm Beach, Florida. EDUCATION 1961-1963 University of Washington, Seattle, WA Studies in Fine Arts 1963-1966 University of California, Berkeley, CA – Bachelor of Arts 1969-1970 Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, Grad Studies, MFA Program 1979-1980 Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, Grad Studies, MFA Program GROUP EXHIBITIONS: INVITATIONAL OR JURIED 2014 Monochrome, Palm Beach Cultural Council, Lake Worth, FL 2010 Spectrum 2010, The Hunter Museum of American Art, Chattanooga, TN 2010 Studio 1608 Group Show, West Palm Beach, FL 2008 Florida Original Contemporary Art, West Palm Beach, FL 2007 Paris Salon, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France 2005 Liman Gallery, Palm Beach, FL 2003 Grand Bank and Trust, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 2003 Aaron Gallery, Washington D.C. 2001 The Retreat, Artists Against Abuse, Southampton, NY 2000, 2003-2004 Palm Street Art Studios, West Palm Beach, FL 1996 Studio 412, Group Show, West Palm Beach, FL 1992, 1994 Small Works Show, Armory Arts Center, WPB, FL ONE MAN EXHIBITIONS 2018 Armand Bolling Fine Arts, Jupiter, FL 2012, 2016 Ellis-Nicholson Gallery...

Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars

(after) Frans Masereel "Melancolie"
(after) Frans Masereel "Melancolie"

(after) Frans Masereel "Melancolie"

By Frans Masereel

Located in Henderson, NV

Medium: collotype (after the woodcut). Printed in 1925 and published in Paris by Albert Morance for "L'Art d'Aujourd'hui", and now very scarce. Image size: 7 7/8 x 5 1/4 inches (200 ...

Category

1920s Expressionist Art

Materials

Photogravure

Fair Wind
Fair Wind

Fair Wind

Located in Zofingen, AG

In this painting, I've melded acrylic and oil to capture the ephemeral beauty of a seascape bathed in the soft glow of twilight. The gentle undulations of the sea and the serene sail...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Acrylic, Cardboard

In My Mind - 21st Century, Contemporary, Abstract, Mixed Media, Colour Field
In My Mind - 21st Century, Contemporary, Abstract, Mixed Media, Colour Field

In My Mind - 21st Century, Contemporary, Abstract, Mixed Media, Colour Field

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...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Charcoal, Ink, Acrylic

20th Paris School Collage Cutout Artwork Wonderful Interior Design Options
20th Paris School Collage Cutout Artwork Wonderful Interior Design Options

20th Paris School Collage Cutout Artwork Wonderful Interior Design Options

By Bernard Herzog

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 ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

"Crouching Woman" Bronze Sculpture by Felipe Castañeda, Circa 1972, III/VI
"Crouching Woman" Bronze Sculpture by Felipe Castañeda, Circa 1972, III/VI

"Crouching Woman" Bronze Sculpture by Felipe Castañeda, Circa 1972, III/VI

By Felipe Castañeda

Located in San Francisco, CA

Felipe Castañeda Mujer Agachada (Crouching Woman), 1972 Bronze, wood base 12 x 9.5 x 11.5 inches Edition III/VI Most recent owners acquired this limited-edition bronze sculpture fro...

Category

Late 20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Bronze

H.O. Miethke Das Werk folio "Sunflower" collotype print
H.O. Miethke Das Werk folio "Sunflower" collotype print

H.O. Miethke Das Werk folio "Sunflower" collotype print

Sunflower, no. 10 from the third installment of Das Werk Gustav Klimts Created during his residency in Litzlberg on Attersee, where Klimt and the Floge family summered from 1900-1907, Klimt explores nature’s transcendental qualities. His single sunflower is human-like, it’s golden halo is like a ring of sun-kissed hair surrounding a bald pate. It’s known that at the same time Klimt was creating this image, he was also at work on a photo essay about the Floge sisters’ clothing from their fashion salon. Their fashion house was best known for its “reform dresses” which featured loose-fitting long robes which billowed at the arms and torso. Viewed with this in mind, it is not a hard leap to imagine the lone sunflower as a self-portrait from reverse. Klimt’s balding head crowned in a golden corona forms the apex of a pyramidal flowing gown of foliage and flowers. By orienting the anthropomorphic flower at the garden’s central foreground and adorning it with repetitive motifs of round flowers of varying sizes, Klimt’s sunflower...

Category

Early 1900s Expressionist Art

Materials

Paper

'Der Gartner' (The Gardener) — German Expressionism
'Der Gartner' (The Gardener) — German Expressionism

'Der Gartner' (The Gardener) — German Expressionism

By Karl Michel

Located in Myrtle Beach, SC

Karl Michel, 'Der Gartner' (The Gardener), woodcut, c. 1925. Signed, titled, and numbered '15/50' in pencil. Signed in the block, lower left and right. A fine, richly-inked impression on buff wove paper, with full margins (1 1/2 to 2 3/4 inches), in excellent condition. Matted to museum standards, unframed. Scarce. Image size 5 1/4 x 3 7/8 inches (133 x 98 mm); sheet size 10 x 7 3/4 inches (254 x 198 mm). ABOUT THE ARTIST Karl Michel (1889-1984) was a noted graphic designer and expressionist printmaker during Germany's pre-Nazi Weimar Republic (1919 - 1933). In 1920, his work was featured in the influential German graphic design magazine Das Plakat...

Category

1920s Expressionist Art

Materials

Woodcut

Coastal view
Coastal view

DaleanaseCoastal view

$1,790Sale Price|20% Off

Coastal view

Located in Genève, GE

Work on canvas Gray wooden frame 64.5 x 114.5 x 4 cm

Category

20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

Marc Chagall, Dream at the Circus, from XXe Siecle, 1966
Marc Chagall, Dream at the Circus, from XXe Siecle, 1966

Marc Chagall, Dream at the Circus, from XXe Siecle, 1966

By Marc Chagall

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph by Marc Chagall (1887–1985), titled Reve au cirque (Dream at the Circus), from the album XXe Siecle, Nouvelle serie, XXVIIIe Annee N°26, Mai 1966, originate...

Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Abstract Landscape Painting entitled Broken Ground by Fauvist British Artist
Abstract Landscape Painting entitled Broken Ground by Fauvist British Artist

Abstract Landscape Painting entitled Broken Ground by Fauvist British Artist

By Steve Capper

Located in Preston, GB

Abstract Landscape Painting entitled Broken Ground by Fauvist British Artist, Steve Capper Art measures 16 x 12 inches Frame measures 24 x 20 inches (approx.) Presented in a whit...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Paint, Cotton Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Board

Solange de dos, 1990, original lithograph by Jean Jansem, handsigned, numbered
Solange de dos, 1990, original lithograph by Jean Jansem, handsigned, numbered

Solange de dos, 1990, original lithograph by Jean Jansem, handsigned, numbered

By Jean Jansem

Located in Les Acacias GE, GE

Jean Jansem (1920-2013) Solange de dos, 1990 Lithographie sur papier Japon Signée en bas à droite et justifiée en bas à gauche 45,5 x 65 cm / 54 x 76 cm Bibliographie: Imprimeur:...

Category

Late 20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Lavender scent
Lavender scent

Lavender scent

By Elena Lukina

Located in Zofingen, AG

"In this oil painting, I sought to capture serenity and harmony. The brushstrokes radiate a calm energy, marrying the soft purples and blues of a blooming lavender field with the gen...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Vibrant Bathers Scene, Expressionist Oil on Canvas, Early 20th Century
Vibrant Bathers Scene, Expressionist Oil on Canvas, Early 20th Century

Vibrant Bathers Scene, Expressionist Oil on Canvas, Early 20th Century

Located in Genève, GE

Work on canvas Dimension with frame : 46 x 54.5 x 3.3 cm Vibrant Bathers Scene This expressionist painting captures a lively scene of nude figures gathered near the water, portrayed ...

Category

Early 20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

In Whom I Confide - 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Modern Women
In Whom I Confide - 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Modern Women

In Whom I Confide - 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Modern Women

By Olaniyi Timothy

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

There is a special kind of trust that exists between sisters—not just those bound by blood, but those connected by the unshakable bond of sisterhood. In a world that often feels chao...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

The Bone of Contention, Bookmarks in the Pages of Life
The Bone of Contention, Bookmarks in the Pages of Life

The Bone of Contention, Bookmarks in the Pages of Life

By Betye Saar

Located in Southampton, NY

Silkscreen in colors and sepia-tones on Langdell fait à la main paper. Paper Size: 15 x 11 inches. Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Notes: From the folio, Bookmarks i...

Category

Early 2000s Expressionist Art

Materials

Screen

Goddess Feels - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Plants, Women
Goddess Feels - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Plants, Women

Goddess Feels - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Plants, Women

By Josue M Pierre

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 Josue M Pierre ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Butterfly.
Butterfly.

Butterfly.

By Iryna Kastsova

Located in Zofingen, AG

Butterfly. Expressive modern abstract painting created with drops and splashes of paint on a white background! Colors are superimposed on each other and also correspond to different ...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Irises on the pond
Irises on the pond

Irises on the pond

By Elena Lukina

Located in Zofingen, AG

In this painting, I sought to capture the ephemeral beauty of irises by the pond's edge, reflecting my deep admiration for nature's transient moments. The oils allowed me to blend vi...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Linen

Family - Offset and Lithograph by George Grosz - 1923

Family - Offset and Lithograph by George Grosz - 1923

By George Grosz

Located in Roma, IT

Family is an original offset and lithograph print realized by George Grosz. The artwork is the plate n. 2 from the portfolio Ecce Homo published between 1922/1923, edition of Der Ma...

Category

1920s Expressionist Art

Materials

Paper, Lithograph, Offset

Fantasy with Flowers 56
Fantasy with Flowers 56

Fantasy with Flowers 56

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 ...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Archival Paper

Red poppies 40Х40  oil painting
Red poppies 40Х40  oil painting

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...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

African Boy I
African Boy I

African Boy I

By Faith Gbadero

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...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Elderly Rabbi 20th Century Judaica Portrait
Elderly Rabbi 20th Century Judaica Portrait

Elderly Rabbi 20th Century Judaica Portrait

Located in Surfside, FL

The artist depicts the portrait of an older Rabbi from a profile view in the manner of Samuel Rothbort. The artist's brush work is expressive, while the subject matter has a high deg...

Category

20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Expressionist art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Expressionist art 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 art created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of orange, blue, purple, green and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Iryna Kastsova, George Grosz, Stephen Basso, and Marc Chagall. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Oil Paint 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 art, so small editions measuring 1 inches across are also available.