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.
$12,000Sale Price|20% Off
"Crouching Woman" Bronze Sculpture by Felipe Castañeda, Circa 1972, III/VI
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...
Bronze
$1,188Sale Price|20% Off
Expressionist Ceramic Head Sculpture Refractory Stoneware Kintsugi Repair
Located in FISTERRA, ES
Expressionist stoneware head sculpture featuring kintsugi gold repair, exploring material transformation, individuality and the expressive potential of ceramic form. Testa 6 is a un...
Clay, Glaze
$884Sale Price|20% Off
Sophie aux bas rouges, 1993, original lithograph by Jean Jansem
By Jean Jansem
Located in Les Acacias GE, GE
Jean Jansem (1920-2013) Sophie aux bas rouges, 1993 Lithographie sur papier Arches, justifiée E/A Signée en bas à droite 66 x 50 cm / 76 x 56 cm Bibliographie: CR Jansem, 2000, n°...
Lithograph
$280Sale Price|20% Off
Spoleto-14 Giugno Offset Lithograph, Expressionist, 1974, Unframed
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Sku: AW1177 Artist: Willem de Kooning Title: Spoleto-14 Giugno Year: 1974 Signed: No Medium: Offset Lithograph Paper Size: 41.25 x 29.5 inches ( 104.775 x 74.93 cm ) Image Size: 41.2...
Offset
Reverte Albarracin Acrylic Painting, Expressionist, Framed, 2000s
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
ANTONIO REVERTE OLIVA (Monteagua, Murcia, 1943 – Gavà, Barcelona, 2014). A self-taught artist, Antonio Reverte settled in Catalonia in 1961, in the Barcelona town of Viladecans. In ...
Acrylic
Iron Cross
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist: Rufino Tamayo Title: Iron Cross Year: 1988 Medium: Color lithograph Edition: Numbered CCXLV/CCC in pencil Paper: Wove Image size: 22.5 x 30...
Lithograph
View of the Lake, Oil on Cardboard, Landscape Painting, 26x36.5 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Janis Rikmanis (1901.5.IV – 1968.25.III) graduated Figurative painting studio of Latvia Art academy (1931). He took part in exhibitions since 1929. Self-exhibitions were made in Riga...
Oil, Cardboard
"Comets" original lithograph
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: original lithograph. Printed in 1938 and published in Paris by Teriade for the art revue Verve (volume 1, number 2). Kandinsky was invited to contribute an original compositi...
Lithograph
$1,800
La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life) - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Africa
By Olajide Kuti
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. About Artist Ola...
Canvas, Acrylic
Portrait of a Man - Early 20th Century Antique French Expressionist Oil Painting
Located in Sevenoaks, GB
A superb large early 20th century French expressionist oil on canvas depicting a seated man. Very similar to the work of Chaïm Soutine (1893-1943). Excellent quality depiction of th...
Oil, Canvas
$1,800
Echoes of the Mind 2 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Floral
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. About Artist Bey...
Canvas, Oil
$6,000Sale Price|20% Off
Girl in the Garden (Gelburd/Rosenberg 62), Romare Bearden
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Romare Bearden (1911-1988) Title: Girl in the Garden (Gelburd/Rosenberg 62) Year: 1979 Medium: Lithograph on vélin d’Arches paper Edition: 33/150, plus proofs Size: 28.75 x 2...
Lithograph
Portrait of Melanie Schiele: Study for Danaë (cat. no. D196a)
By Egon Schiele
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Signed "Schiele Egon 08" This work was reviewed by will be Jane Kallir, Kallir Research Institute, New York on August 19, 2021 and has confirmed its authorship. The work will be inc...
Paper, Gouache, Pencil
$1,750
Togetherness - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Abstraction, Africa, Love
By Olajide Kuti
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. About Artist Ola...
Canvas, Acrylic
From the Youth - Original Offset and Lithograph by George Grosz - 1923
By George Grosz
Located in Roma, IT
From the Youth is an original offset and lithograph realized by George Grosz. The artwork is the plate n. 3 from the portfolio Ecce Homo published between 1922/1923, edition of Der ...
Paper, Lithograph, Offset
Original Midget Dream #1 psychedelic 1967 vintage poster - popart
By Peter Max
Located in Spokane, WA
Original Peter Max’s “Midget Dream #1” vintage psychedelic poster. In very fine condition, never displayed, and ready to frame. Grade...
Offset
Pocket Bright Red Strawberry fruit art old master style
Located in Deddington, GB
Pocket Bright Red Strawberry [2023] original Oil paint on canvas Image size: H:5 cm x W:5 cm Complete Size of Unframed Work: H:5 cm x W:5 cm x D:2cm Frame Size: H:15 cm x W:15 cm...
Canvas, Oil
$2,680Sale Price|20% Off
Don't Be Perfect, Be Real -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait Women
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. About Artist Eli...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Reflection- 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Fashion
By Gobe Joseph
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. About Artist Gob...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
Promeneur au Pigeonnier, Expressionist Oil on Board Landscape, Signed
By Jean Arène
Located in Cotignac, FR
French landscape, Expressionist oil on board by Jean Arene. The painting is signed bottom left, titled dated and signed to the back and is presented in the original 'Arene' frame sup...
Oil
$2,800
Deserving More: Mixed Media Expressionist Painting, Unframed
By Bakare Abubakri-sideeq Babatunde
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
In "Deserving More," the central figure, a man, sits solemnly on a chair, his gaze piercing through the canvas to meet the audience's eyes. A subtle sadness etches his features, refl...
Fabric, Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Paris Street Scene, Expressionist Cityscape Oil Painting
Located in Genève, GE
Dimensions with frame: 47 x 34 x 3,5 cm. Signed "A Carducci" in the lower right corner. A vibrant and expressive depiction of a Parisian street scene, animated by pedestrians, shopfronts, and early automobiles under a lively urban atmosphere. The composition captures the dynamic rhythm of city life, with figures moving through a bustling intersection framed by Haussmannian architecture. Executed with bold, gestural brushwork and a richly textured surface, the painting emphasizes movement, light, and immediacy over fine detail. The artist employs a dynamic palette of warm browns, greys, and ochres, punctuated by vivid accents of red, yellow, and blue, bringing energy and depth to the scene. The wet pavement and reflections suggest recent rain, enhancing the sense of atmosphere and modernity. The buildings are rendered with a semi-abstract approach, their forms slightly distorted through expressive handling, aligning the work with Post-Impressionist and early Expressionist tendencies. This painting reflects the vitality of early 20th century Paris, appealing to collectors of modernist cityscapes, Parisian subjects, and expressive urban painting. paris street scene painting, scène de rue à paris, paris cityscape oil painting...
Oil, Cardboard
$3,350
One Mind With Many Thoughts - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Sometimes, our thoughts can be the enemy. We need to be careful about our thoughts because we can lose ourselves. Life can be tough, filled with challenges and difficulties, but it's...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$2,400Sale Price|20% Off
Ray of Hope - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Abstraction, Floral, Women
By Olajide Kuti
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. About Artist Ola...
Canvas, Acrylic
$6,000Sale Price|20% Off
'Summer Flowers', Paris, Salon d'Automne, Post-Impressionist California Artist
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
'Summer Flowers' by Irma Engel Grabhorn Paris, Salon d'Automne, Post-Impressionist California Artist ---- Signed lower right 'Engel' for Irma Engel Grabhorn (American, 1908-2003) an...
Canvas, Oil
Fruit Market in Haiti, Expressionist Oil on Canvas, Framed, Circa 1990
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Title: Fruit Market in Haiti Artist: JM Gary Delly Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions (unframed): 9.8 x 7.9 in Dimensions (framed): 15 x 13 in Period: Approx. 1990-1999 Origin: Haiti Condition: Good, with frame included Description of the Artwork This painting captures a lively Haitian market scene, embodying the essence of Haitian primitivist art with its vibrant colors and thick impasto brushstrokes. The scene depicts a bustling marketplace where vendors and buyers interact, surrounded by piles of tropical fruits arranged in baskets. The figures are dressed in bright, contrasting tones, enhancing the painting’s dynamic and energetic atmosphere. The artist’s expressive, thick strokes and saturated colors create a sense of movement and liveliness. The composition is carefully balanced, with figures arranged in different planes, providing depth and perspective in an intuitive manner. The lush vegetation in the background and the bright blue sky add further context to the scene, situating it in the Caribbean setting. Haitian art, influenced by its African and Caribbean heritage, is known for its naïve style and depictions of everyday life. JM Gary Delly follows this tradition, celebrating the vibrancy of Haitian culture in his work. Comparable Artists This artwork shares stylistic similarities with renowned Haitian artists, including: Wilson Bigaud (1931-2010): A master of Haitian art, famous for his detailed depictions of everyday life and folklore. André Normil (1934-2015): Known for his naïve style and colorful representations of Haitian life. Laurent Casimir...
Canvas, Oil
Metaphysical Expressionism in Watercolor
Located in San Francisco, CA
Alexander Aizenshtat is considered the founder of a new art movement called metaphysical expressionism. This painting can be described as a metaphysical exploration of perception, in...
Watercolor
"Raskolnikow" original linocut
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: original linoleum cut. Printed in 1920 for Das Kunstblatt, and published in Berlin by Verlag Gustav Kiepenheuer. Image size: 6 1/4 x 4 1/4 inches (160 x 105mm). Sheet size: 1...
Linocut
Three Rabbis at The Torah, Expressionist Judaica Painting
By Andre Elbaz
Located in Surfside, FL
In this painting the artist uses gestural brushstrokes, which causes distortion and exaggeration for emotional effect. Andre Elbaz uses as his subject three male figures with tefilin...
Paper, Gouache
Sailing Ships, Modern Art Oil Painting on Board
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Unknown Title: Sailing Ships Medium: Oil on Canvas, signed "Thoms", lower left Size: 24 x 20 inches
Oil, Board
Poster for the 17th Exhibition of the Vienna Secession by Max Kurzweil
By Max Kurzweil
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Note: Due to the size, weight, and value of this piece, we require shipping through 1stDibs, for its cost effectiveness, full insurance coverage, and reliable handling. While standar...
Lithograph
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Quiet Strength 2 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, Oil, Modern, Fashion
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...
Canvas, Oil
Lovers Reclining
By Gustav Klimt
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Signed "Klimt". Framed dimensions 20.5h x 27.75w x 1.75d inches Note: Due to the size, weight, and/or value of this piece, we require shipping through 1stDibs, for its cost effectiveness, full insurance coverage, and reliable handling. While standard parcel services are an option, the default quote does not include packing and insurance and we do not ship uninsured. 1stDibs shipping provides a level of value, protection, and care that aligns with our commitment to safeguarding historic artworks and providing excellent client service. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. Both intensely dynamic and deeply introspective, Klimt’s works devoted to the “act of love” rank among his most intoxicating and sought-after creations. Inspired by Japanese erotic woodblock...
Paper, Pencil
$4,200
"Days Like This" - Acrylic Abstract Painting With Layered Color Fields
Located in Denver, CO
"Days Like This" (2023) is an original, handmade painting by Leigh Ann Van Fossan. Created with acrylic on canvas, the artwork measures 40 x 30 x 2 inches (101.60 x 76.20 x 5.08 cm)....
Acrylic, Canvas
Somerset Lake by Joanna Commings, Original art, landscape art, Impasto art
Located in Deddington, GB
Somerset Lake by Joanna Commings [2021] original and hang signed by the artist Acrylics on canvas Image size: H:50 cm x W:60 cm Complete Size of Unframed Work: H:50 cm x W:60 cm ...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Self Portrait -21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, Africa, People
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 About Artist Emma...
Canvas, Coffee, Mixed Media
$1,304Sale Price|40% Off
Church of Saint-Nicolas du Chardonnet, Gouache on Paper, 1930s, Framed
By Lucien Génin
Located in London, GB
'The Church of Saint-Nicolas du Chardonnet, Paris', gouache on art paper by Lucien Génin (circa 1930s). In Paris' 5th Arrondissement the site in which Saint-Nicolas du Chardonnet is ...
Paper, Gouache
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Woven Identities 4 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Woven Identities is a body of work that explores the intersection of indigenous African heritage and modern global culture. In these paintings, I focus on hairstyle, tribal marks, dr...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Melanin - 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Fashion
By Gobe Joseph
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. About Artist Gob...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic, Mixed Media
Lily pond
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In crafting this tranquil scene, I've poured my soul into the serene play of light and reflections, seeking to capture the pond’s subtle dance of water and lily pads. My use of oils ...
Canvas, Oil
H.O. Miethke Das Werk folio "The Kiss" collotype print
By Gustav Klimt & K.K. Hof-und Staatsdruckerei
Located in Palm Beach, FL
The Kiss, no. 1 from the fifth installment of Das Werk Gustav Klimts Undoubtedly Klimt’s best known and most reproduced images, this printed version of The Kiss is the only one with which Klimt was directly involved. Unveiled at Vienna’s Kunstschau 1908, and saved for the fifth and final delivery of Das Werk, The Kiss marks a triumph in Klimt’s career and represents a culmination of many themes in his oeuvre up to that point. After all of the controversy surrounding the State’s prior rejection of the University murals commissioned from Klimt, the Ministry of Education reversed their policy toward the artist with a show of wholehearted support by purchasing for the Osterreichische Galerie BelvedereThe Kiss while it still hung in the Kunstschau exhibit. Considered in relation to the eight multicolored collotypes which preceded its print debut in the Das Werk portfolio, The Kiss literally embraces all which came before it. The golden seaweed dangling in tresses from the lovers’ feet harkens back to Water Snakes I and II. The bed of flowers evokes the settings Klimt created in both The Golden Knight and The Sunflower. In fact, this image sprung out of a particularly happy summer spent in the company of Klimt’s lover, Emilie Floge...
Handmade Paper
$1,600
Die Prostitution by Josef Fenneker, Weimar silent film poster, Anita Berber 1919
Located in Chicago, IL
Original lithograph of Josef Fenneker’s German Expressionist poster design for the 1919 silent film Die Prostitution starring Anita Berber ...
Lithograph
"Dream of Isles" (2023) by Leigh Ann Van Fossan, Original Acrylic &Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Leigh Ann Van Fossan's "Dream of Isles" (2023) is an original, handmade oil and acrylic abstract painting with bright colors. Van Fossan was born in Vail, Colorado, and began oil ...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$1,797Sale Price|40% Off
The Park, Expressionist Oil on Canvas, Framed, Circa 1920s, 66 cm
Located in London, GB
'The Park', oil on canvas, by M. Phidias (circa 1920s). Painted using this artist's trademark impasto, the effect is to add depth and texture to the exuberant display of hues and ref...
Canvas, Oil
$2,500
“Crossroads, c. 1940” WPA Polish-American Expressionist Modernist Oil Signed
By Sol Wilson
Located in Yardley, PA
“Crossroads, c. 1940” by Sol Wilson (Polish-American, 1896-1974). This expressive painting by Wilson depicts a moody village crossroads rendered with his signature textured brushwor...
Oil, Board
$465Sale Price|20% Off
Patrick Boudon. Inner Family. Post-war Expressionism. 1970s.
Located in Firenze, IT
Patrick Boudon. Inner Family. Post-war Expressionism. 1970s. Patrick Boudon. Art Informel. Ecole de Paris. Technique: oil on cardboard. This painting by Patrick Boudon from the 197...
Oil, Cardboard
$1,996Sale Price|20% Off
Large Vintage Expressionist Landscape Original Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
A gorgeous bright green expressionist landscape by Carl Ashby. From the collection of renowned painter Steve Wheeler. Nicely framed in a gold and black wooden floater frame. Measurin...
Oil, Canvas
Siblings 1 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Abstraction, Modern, Interior
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...
Canvas, Acrylic
$756Sale Price|32% Off
The Secret in Her Eyes, Romantic Realism Oil on Canvas Painting, 1980s
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Technical Sheet - Title: *The Secret in Her Eyes* - Artist: Rosendo González Carbonell - Technique: Oil on canvas - Dimensions: 24 x 20 inches - Framing: Unframed - Style: Romantic realism...
Canvas, Oil
Mountain Range, Oil Painting on Canvas by Jalal Gharbi
By Jalal Gharbi
Located in Long Island City, NY
A large oil painting of a dramatic Mountain Range by Tunisian-born artist, Jalal Gharbi (1920 - 2005). The painting measures 30 x 40 inches and the frame 37.5 x 47.5 inches.
Canvas, Oil
"In Freiheit (In Freedom)", White Porcelain Horses
Located in Detroit, MI
This gorgeous porcelain sculpture from Hutschenreuther porcelain is of two galloping horses, sculpted in exquisite detail and signed by the sculptor, Max Hermann Fritz...
Porcelain
$1,200
Interspecies Communication, colorful mythological swirling pattern orange tones
By Janet Morgan
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Watercolor, mixed media, using resists and metalic paints and old pastels. For Octopus and cephalopod fans. Janet Morgan’s explosive art captures the exu...
Mixed Media, Watercolor, Archival Paper
Amroth seascape at night
By Rupert Aker
Located in Deddington, GB
Amroth seascape at night by Rupert Aker [2021] original Oil on board Image size: H:30 cm x W:40 cm Complete Size of Unframed Work: H:40 cm x W:40 cm x D:3cm Frame Size: H:33 cm x W:...
Oil, Board
Flowers in the morning dew, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By LE ANH TUAN
Located in Yardley, PA
Flowers in the morning dew The most beautiful flowers are in the early morning. When the dawn just dawned, the petals began to gradually bloom, with the water lily, the lotus in th...
Acrylic
C'est le Passe que Nous Attendons
Located in Long Island City, NY
An oil painting by Theo Tobiasse from 1967. An expressionist-style textural painting of intensely dark and vivid color palette. Inspired from the artist's personal experiences of the...
Canvas, Oil
Abstract III, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
New work by Ludmila in abstract style. The artist works in two styles - the first is more feminine, with smooth lines reminiscent of underwater plants, and the second is completely o...
Oil
Flowers n°2 Still Life Painting, Oil on Wood, Expressionist, 1941
Located in Genève, GE
Signed and dated "Fleurs Genève 1941 n°2", inscription on the verso. Dimensions with frame: 59 x 46 x 5 cm This expressive still life depicts a bouquet of flowers arranged in an orn...
Oil, Wood Panel
The Resonance of Light: Bouquet of Roses" Large Square Oil Painting – 2015
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
This original oil painting, representing a central part of the series "The Silent Pulse of Decadence", focuses on the narrative dialogue between silent objects and nature. The compos...
Canvas, Oil
Francisco Zuniga, "El Rebozo Blanco, " original lithograph, hand signed
Located in Chatsworth, CA
This piece is an original lithograph done by Francisco Zúñiga in 1986. Francisco Zúñiga was a Costa Rican-born Mexican artist best known for his stylized figurative paintings and scu...
Lithograph
$1,309Sale Price|30% Off
Lake view by A. Muller - Oil on canvas 60x73 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Work on canvas with a frame; total size 80x93 cm
Oil