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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
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

Poppy meadow 50X70
Poppy meadow 50X70

Poppy meadow 50X70

By Elena Lukina

Located in Zofingen, AG

In this oil painting, I have captured the wild spirit of a meadow, brimming with vibrant poppies. My brushstrokes dance with expressionism and impressionism, while fine art technique...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

RICHARD
RICHARD

RICHARD

Located in Zofingen, AG

I crafted this painting using a vibrant mix of acrylic and oil, merging naive art with pop art energy, infusing the spirit of primitivism and a touch of impressionism. It's a visual ...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Boubou - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Plants, Women, Africa
Boubou - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Plants, Women, Africa

Boubou - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Plants, Women, Africa

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

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

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

Spring poppies 50X50
Spring poppies 50X50

Spring poppies 50X50

By Elena Lukina

Located in Zofingen, AG

In creating this piece, I've poured my soul into the vivid crimson blooms, contrasting against the subdued greens and blues, evoking life's vibrancy. Each stroke is a breath, blendin...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Floral fantasy
Floral fantasy

Floral fantasy

By Elena Lukina

Located in Zofingen, AG

In this oil painting, I wanted to capture the ethereal beauty and transcendence of nature meshed with human grace. Each stroke embodies the delicate dance between reality and fantasy...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Linen, Oil

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

Dauntless 3 -21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Woman, Blue Pattern
Dauntless 3 -21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Woman, Blue Pattern

Dauntless 3 -21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Woman, Blue Pattern

By Kehinde Mayowa

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

Shipping Procedure FREE Shipping Worldwide 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 Authent...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Fantasy with Flowers 23
Fantasy with Flowers 23

Fantasy with Flowers 23

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

Lost is a Lovely Place to Find Yourself
Lost is a Lovely Place to Find Yourself

Lost is a Lovely Place to Find Yourself

By Idorenyin Umana

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

I realized nobody is coming to save you unless you save yourself! Light at the end of the tunnel awaits only those who dare to try again each time they fail 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 IDORENYIN UMANA...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Do Not Go Gentle Into that GoodNight-Original-British Awarded Artist-EnglishRose
Do Not Go Gentle Into that GoodNight-Original-British Awarded Artist-EnglishRose

Do Not Go Gentle Into that GoodNight-Original-British Awarded Artist-EnglishRose

By Shizico Yi

Located in London, GB

Taking on the inspiration of the legendary poet, Dylan Thomas, the poem, Do not go gentle into that good night, is a painting celebrates life in its ageing; as Rosa Albertine only flowers once in early Summer with the most festive blooms and heavenly scents, a symbol of a fully lived life. Painted Plein Air, in Artist's own garden of her very own planted memorial roses. This is Rosa Albertine, the first Old English variety Artist Shizico Yi planted in 2016 in her garden before her late dog died; Old English Roses...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Gesso, Canvas, Wood, Oil, Acrylic

Sea, Evening 2
Sea, Evening 2

Sea, Evening 2

Located in Zofingen, AG

In this painting, I capture the fleeting magic of twilight over the sea. Using expressionist and impressionist techniques, I layered vibrant oil colors to evoke the bold spirit of th...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

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

The Silence of Fading Light, Original Painting
The Silence of Fading Light, Original Painting

The Silence of Fading Light, Original Painting

By Crystal DiPietro

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Fading sunlight casts warm orange hues across the mountain, while cool pastel tones settle in the shadows and desert brush below. In the foreground, a mix of pl...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Watercolor

Raventos 6 Winds Vines Trees Square Sunset original expressionist acrylic
Raventos 6 Winds Vines Trees Square Sunset original expressionist acrylic

Raventos 6 Winds Vines Trees Square Sunset original expressionist acrylic

By Maria Asuncion Raventos

Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL

"Paisaje de castilla" original expressionist acrylic painting RAVENTÓS Mª Assumpció – (San Sadurní d’Anoia, Barcelona 1930). Raventos trained at the elite Sant Jordi School of Fine...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic

Air Tulips: Mixed, paper, acrylic, oil pastel, 57x81cm
Air Tulips: Mixed, paper, acrylic, oil pastel, 57x81cm

Air Tulips: Mixed, paper, acrylic, oil pastel, 57x81cm

Located in Zofingen, AG

‘Air Tulips’ is an immersive journey into the very heart of a bloom. In this large-format mixed media work (57x81 cm), the tulips are not just flowers—they are a vibrant, breathing f...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Archival Paper

Bird on a branch (Cyornis rubeculoides)
Bird on a branch (Cyornis rubeculoides)

Bird on a branch (Cyornis rubeculoides)

By Elena Lukina

Located in Zofingen, AG

In this oil painting, infused with expressionism and realism, I captured the vivid essence and delicate poise of a small bird perched on a branch. The soft, blended background in gre...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Cardboard

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

Venice, I miss you 50X60
Venice, I miss you 50X60

Venice, I miss you 50X60

By Elena Lukina

Located in Zofingen, AG

Imbued with my longing for the serene canals, this oil on canvas embodies my passion for the city's dance of light and shadow. Textured brushstrokes capture the fluidity of water and...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Pond with pink lilies
Pond with pink lilies

Pond with pink lilies

By Elena Lukina

Located in Zofingen, AG

In crafting this painting, I sought to capture the tranquility and ephemeral beauty of nature. Each brushstroke is a tender embrace of the lilies' delicate dance on the water's refle...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Mid-Century French Feutre on Paper. Tea time In the Kitchen.
Mid-Century French Feutre on Paper. Tea time In the Kitchen.

Mid-Century French Feutre on Paper. Tea time In the Kitchen.

By Jean Arène

Located in Cotignac, FR

Late Mid Century French feutre drawing on paper of a Provençal lady sitting in her kitchen by Jean Arène. Signed and dated bottom left. This artwork is a striking pen-and-ink drawing that vividly captures a cluttered interior scene filled with an assortment of teapots and household objects. The central figure, an elderly lady with an expressive face, sits at a table surrounded by an overwhelming array of details. The artist uses bold, dynamic lines to convey a sense of chaos and charm, creating an atmosphere of cozy clutter. The composition’s intricacy draws the viewer's eye around the room, showcasing...

Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Paper, Felt Pen

Coit Tower, San Francisco - Mid Century Urban Landscape
Coit Tower, San Francisco - Mid Century Urban Landscape

Coit Tower, San Francisco - Mid Century Urban Landscape

Located in Soquel, CA

Wonderful mid century expressionist urban landscape of Coit Tower and skyline of San Francisco, circa 1950s. Signed lower right illegibly (D. Y'Gasseu?). Co...

Category

1950s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

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

Marina Cyclists, Oil Painting
Marina Cyclists, Oil Painting

Marina Cyclists, Oil Painting

By James Hartman

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Artist James Hartman captures the meeting point of the Berkeley Marina and San Francisco Bay in this expressive California landscape. A favorite Bay Area spot t...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

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

Symbiosis
Symbiosis

Symbiosis

Located in Zofingen, AG

In this vivid fusion of expressionism and pop art, I captured the raw, emotional energy of a musician bonded with her guitar. Layering acrylics and oils, I sought to embody the passi...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Fantasy with Flowers 42
Fantasy with Flowers 42

Fantasy with Flowers 42

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

The Bush in the Badlands, Oil Painting
The Bush in the Badlands, Oil Painting

The Bush in the Badlands, Oil Painting

By Crystal DiPietro

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A small green bush stands out as a symbol of life against an eroded desert. The bright sun reveals the ruggedness of the badlands. A darker mesa rises in the di...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

Fantasy with Flowers 54
Fantasy with Flowers 54

Fantasy with Flowers 54

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

A Party

A Party

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Born in 1962, Bludov was educated at the Faculty of Graphics at the Kiev State Art Institute in 1990. He is a member of the Union of Artists of Ukraine and a professor of art at the ...

Category

20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

New Year's Day 1937, celebration at the Jardin Anglais, Geneva
New Year's Day 1937, celebration at the Jardin Anglais, Geneva

New Year's Day 1937, celebration at the Jardin Anglais, Geneva

By Eugène Louis Martin

Located in Genève, GE

Signed E. Martin Dimension with frame : 76 x 66 x 7 cm This lively oil painting on canvas by Eugène Martin, titled Jour de l’An and dated 1937, captures a festive winter scene in Geneva, likely set in the Jardin Anglais during New Year celebrations. The composition is animated by a dense crowd gathered along temporary fair structures, rendered with brisk, expressive brushstrokes that convey movement and communal energy rather than individual detail. The figures, reduced to rhythmic silhouettes, animate the foreground and lead the eye through the scene. In the background, the Ferris wheel rises as a focal point, symbolizing modern leisure and public festivity, while Swiss flags flutter above, clearly anchoring the scene in its national and geographic context. Martin’s handling of paint is confident and economical. The palette combines muted winter tones—grays, browns, and cool greens—with strategic accents of red and white that punctuate the crowd and flags, reinforcing the celebratory atmosphere. The architectural backdrop and distant landscape are simplified, allowing the human activity to dominate the visual narrative. Stylistically, the painting aligns with interwar European figurative modernism, blending urban genre painting with a painterly, impressionistic sensibility. Executed in 1937, the work offers a compelling snapshot of civic life in pre-war Switzerland, combining documentary value with artistic spontaneity. Signed and dated in the lower right, this painting is a strong example of Eugène Martin’s engagement with public life and urban festivity, and presents an appealing combination of historical context, recognizable location, and dynamic composition. Eugène Martin painting, Eugene Martin Swiss artist, Jour de l’An 1937, Geneva painting...

Category

1930s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

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.