Skip to main content

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.

to
1,164
1,977
1,089
1,100
859
972
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
2
47
2,811
3,144
99
131
353
108
76
174
483
274
263
190
2
117,315
64,430
56,535
28,340
14,661
9,593
6,738
4,185
3,167
2,539
2,332
2,146
589
3,257
2,004
640
2,523
1,564
1,552
981
728
419
402
398
369
320
298
274
269
226
199
163
136
110
107
103
3,774
2,229
1,894
1,829
1,402
302
91
88
72
51
1,204
434
2,980
2,202
Style: Expressionist
St Tropez on the French Riviera, Oil on Board Painting by Ramon Dilley
St Tropez on the French Riviera, Oil on Board Painting by Ramon Dilley

St Tropez on the French Riviera, Oil on Board Painting by Ramon Dilley

Located in Atlanta, GA

Ramon Dilley — Coastal View of Saint‑Tropez, Oil on Board Painting, 1985 A vibrant and atmospheric oil on board painting by Ramon Dilley (French, 1932–2020), capturing the luminous charm of Saint‑Tropez with the artist's signature blend of color, rhythm, and Mediterranean warmth. The composition unfolds across a hillside of red‑roofed houses descending toward the harbor, where sailboats rest against a backdrop of rolling hills and expressive skies. Dilley's confident brushwork and saturated palette infuse the scene with movement and sunlit vitality. The painting is presented in its original Montparnasse‑style gilded wood frame, richly carved and perfectly suited to the work's spirited Provençal character. The reverse bears the handwritten inscription "St‑Tropez, rue de la Citadelle, 6/1/85", anchoring the piece to a precise moment and place in the artist's career. A compelling addition for collectors of French modern painting and Mediterranean landscapes, this piece offers both decorative appeal and strong provenance. A highly decorative and collectible artwork for interiors seeking French Riviera charm, vintage coastal art...

Category

20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Board, Oil

H.O. Miethke Das Werk folio "University of Vienna Murals" 3 collotype prints
H.O. Miethke Das Werk folio "University of Vienna Murals" 3 collotype prints

H.O. Miethke Das Werk folio "University of Vienna Murals" 3 collotype prints

This listing is for 3 collotypes: "Medicine", "Jurisprudence", and "Philosophy", pictured, from the Das Werk portfolio by Gustav Klimt and k.k. Hof-und Staatsdruckerei, published by H.O. Miethke. Gustav Klimt created glyphs, unique to each of these pieces, specifically for this portfolio. Further information below: About the portfolio: DAS WERK GUSTAV KLIMTS, a portfolio of 50 prints, ten of which are multicolor collotypes on chine colle paper laid down on hand-made heavy cream wove paper with deckled edges; under each of the 50 prints is a gold signet intaglio printed on the cream paper each of which Klimt designed for the publication as unique and relating to its corresponding image; H.O. Miethke, Editor-Publisher; k.k. Hof-und Staatsdruckerei, Printer; printed in a limited edition of 300 numbered plus several presentation copies; Vienna, 1908-1914. The idea of collaboration in the arts is anything but new; however it has so often been viewed and assessed as somehow devaluing the intrinsic worth of art. It’s as if it was a dirty secret to be hidden away. More so even than the eroticism explored by Klimt, which divided public opinion, the artistic avant-garde began to boldly flaunt artistic collaboration beginning in the 19th century- which gained steam in the first part of the 20th century- to become a driving vehicle of contemporary artistic creation. Viewed in this context, the folios of collotype prints published by H.O. Miethke in Vienna between 1908-1914 known as Das Werk Gustav Klimts, are important art documents worthy of as much consideration for their bold stand they take on established ways of thinking about artistic collaboration as they are for their breathtakingly striking images. 1908 is indeed a watershed moment in the history of art. To coincide with the 60th anniversary of the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph I, Kunstschau opened in Vienna in May of that year. It was there that Klimt delivered the inaugural speech. Speaking about the avant-garde group’s unifying philosophy of Gesamtkunstwerk, or the synthesis of the arts, Klimt shared his belief that the ideal means to bring artists and an audience together was via “work on major art projects.” It was at Kunstschau 1908 that Klimt first exhibited his most iconic painting, The Kiss, as well as The Sunflower, Water Snakes I and II and Danae. It was at Kunstschau 1908 that Das Werk Gustav Klimts was first available for purchase. Thanks to Galerie Miethke’s organization, Kunstschau 1908 was possible. Miethke’s pioneering art...

Category

Early 1900s Expressionist Art

Materials

Paper

Kostume, Plakate, und Dekorationen, "Anne Lemans"
Kostume, Plakate, und Dekorationen, "Anne Lemans"

Kostume, Plakate, und Dekorationen, "Anne Lemans"

By Walter Schnackenberg

Located in Palm Beach, FL

Walter Schnackenberg’s style changed several times during his long and successful career. Having studied in Munich, the artist traveled often to Paris where he fell under the spell of the Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s colorful and sensuous posters depicting theatrical and decadent subjects. Schnackenberg became a regular contributor of similar compositions to the German magazines Jugend and Simplicissimus before devoting himself to the design of stage scenery and costumes. In the artist’s theatrical work, his mastery of form, ornamentation, and Orientalism became increasingly evident. He excelled at combining fluid Art Nouveau outlines, with spiky Expressionist passages, and the postures and patterns of the mysterious East. In his later years, Schnackenberg explored the unconscious, using surreal subject matter and paler colors that plainly portrayed dreams and visions, some imbued with political connotations. His drawings, illustrations, folio prints, and posters are highly sought today for their exceedingly imaginative qualities, enchanting subject matter, and arresting use of color. SCHNACKENBERG: KOSTUME, PLAKATE UND DEKORATIONEN, a cardboard bound art book consisting of 43 prints of work by Walter Schnackenberg, 30 of which are color lithographs that are signed and some are titled and dated in the plate, as well as black and white prints and photographs with accompanying text by Oskar Bie; lithographs printed at Kunstanstalt Oskar Consee in Munich, other images printed by Gesellschaft Pick & Co. in Munich, the text and cover with color images by Schnackenberg front and verso printed by R. Oldenbourg in Munich; published by Musarion Verlag, Munich, 1920. The majority of Walter Schnackenberg’s artistic output was destroyed by bomb attacks in Munich in 1944. The highly publicized 2013 auction in New York of the recovered pre-war poster collection once belonging to German poster aficionado, Hans Sachs has reintroduced the world to Walter Schnackenberg’s graphic genius and priceless ephemeral art from a lost era. Besides the museum world, designer Karl Lagerfeld is one of the most prodigious collectors of Schnackenberg. Flipping through the pages of Kostume, Plakate und Dekorationen, it becomes quite clear that Schnackenberg’s collection is ground zero at the crossroads of early modern fashion where the cult of celebrity meets up with dance, music, theater and cabaret, film and the graphic medium. Berlin and Munich under Germany’s Weimar Republic in the first quarter of the 20th century produced just the atmosphere to feed this burgeoning industry. Rising inflation sparked a recklessness to live large for the moment and heightened a desire for escapism. An influx of Indian and East Asian dancers and musicians added to the artsy bohemian cultural mix. A new decadence and tolerance resulted. Film boldly featured provocative subject matter. Cabarets became popular venues giving rise to the demi-monde in which people from all social stations mixed more freely in a thriving underground economy and culture where there was a blurring of boundaries and of social codes. Noted art historian and cultural doyen, Oskar Bie astutely observes in his introduction to Schnackenberg’s publication that what unites the images is fantasy and advertisement. Schnackenberg uses the eye as an instrument to brilliantly construct and convey this double message. His personages never directly confront the viewer. Their eyes gaze off in the distance like those of the screenplayer and film star Hedamaria Scholz in Schnackenberg’s “Die Rodelhexe” movie poster. Their eyes follow the path of a dance composition or become a transfixed and ogling male gaze such as the iconic 1911 Odeon Casino...

Category

1910s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Truro Hill, Original, Landscape
Truro Hill, Original, Landscape

Truro Hill, Original, Landscape

By Eleanor Woolley

Located in Deddington, GB

Truro Hills is an Original Painting by Eleanor Woolley. This painting depicts the lovely rolling hills of Truro, Devon. A beautiful sunset with it's stripes of lemon yellow, magenta ...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Temple in Kyoto
Temple in Kyoto

Temple in Kyoto

By Bernard Buffet

Located in OPOLE, PL

Bernard Buffet (1928-1999) - Temple in Kyoto Lithograph from 1981. Artsit's edition. On Arches paper. Dimensions of work: 53.5 x 39 cm. Hand signed. The work is in Excellent c...

Category

1980s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Family, Modern Bronze Sculpture by Nili Carasso
Family, Modern Bronze Sculpture by Nili Carasso

Family, Modern Bronze Sculpture by Nili Carasso

By Nili Carasso

Located in Long Island City, NY

Artist: Nili Carasso Title: Family Year: circa 2001 Medium: Pair of Bronze Sculptures on Base, signature and numbering inscribed Edition: 2/25 Size: Man: 11 x 7 x 4 inches ; Woman: 1...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Bronze

Before the Harvest by Eleanor Woolley, Landscape painting, Countryside, Impasto
Before the Harvest by Eleanor Woolley, Landscape painting, Countryside, Impasto

Before the Harvest by Eleanor Woolley, Landscape painting, Countryside, Impasto

Located in Deddington, GB

Before the Harvest [June 2022] original and hand signed by the artist Oil Paint on Canvas Image size: H:25 cm x W:25 cm Complete Size of Unframed Work: H:25 cm x W:25 cm x D:2.8cm Sold Unframed Please note that insitu images are purely an indication of how a piece may look Before the Harvest is an Original Oil Painting by Eleanor Woolley. Painted when the fields a green and deep with the summers wheat...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Portrait of Melanie Schiele: Study for Danaë (cat. no. D196a)
Portrait of Melanie Schiele: Study for Danaë (cat. no. D196a)

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...

Category

Early 1900s Expressionist Art

Materials

Paper, Gouache, Pencil

Colourful Abstract Sunset Sky, French Expressionist Original Painting
Colourful Abstract Sunset Sky, French Expressionist Original Painting

Colourful Abstract Sunset Sky, French Expressionist Original Painting

By Akos Biro

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

AKOS BIRO (HUNGARIAN 1911-2002) watercolor/ gouache size: 7.5 x 10.5 inches Beautifully colourful, original painting by the very popular and highly regarded Hungarian/ French painte...

Category

Late 20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil Pastel, Gouache

The roofs of Tukums
The roofs of Tukums

The roofs of Tukums

By Dzidra Bauma

Located in Riga, LV

The roofs of Tukums Paper, watercolor, 47x62 cm Dzidra Bauma (1930) Dzidra Bauma works in watercolor technique. She paint figural compositions, portraits, landscapes, flowers and s...

Category

1980s Expressionist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Escapade 1 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Modern, Africa
Escapade 1 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Modern, Africa

Escapade 1 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Modern, Africa

By Faith Gbadero

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

This piece was born from a moment of stillness, a quiet observation of how we carry entire landscapes within us. I kept thinking about how we often stand between mountains we did not...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Monet's garden, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Monet's garden, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Monet's garden, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

By LE ANH TUAN

Located in Yardley, PA

The view is reminiscent of Monet's garden in Giverny in late summer. Perspective leads the viewer into the depths of the landscape where light forms the focal point of the compositio...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Paris under the sun
Paris under the sun

Paris under the sun

Located in PARIS, FR

Oscar Rabine was a renowned Russian-French painter and one of the leading figures of nonconformist art in the Soviet Union. Born in 1928 in Moscow, he became known for his expressive...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Rock-A-Nore beach, Hastings
Rock-A-Nore beach, Hastings

Rock-A-Nore beach, Hastings

By Georgie Dowling

Located in Deddington, GB

Rock-A-Nore beach, Hastings by Georgie Dowling [2021] original Oil paint on canvas Image size: H:25 cm x W:35 cm Complete Size of Unframed Work: H:25 cm x W:35 cm x D:2cm Sold Unfra...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Portrait of Blue Boy, Vienna Secession Style, Oil on Canvas, Framed
Portrait of Blue Boy, Vienna Secession Style, Oil on Canvas, Framed

Portrait of Blue Boy, Vienna Secession Style, Oil on Canvas, Framed

By Anastasia Aureum

Located in London, London

original hand painted one of a kind hand signed will be shipped FRAMED 'Like Henri Matisse and Italian Renaissance painters like Giotto, I experiment with the vibrant pow...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic, Tempera

Under the sun with mother
Under the sun with mother

Under the sun with mother

By Elena Lukina

Located in Zofingen, AG

In this painting, I sought to capture the intimate and serene connection between a mother horse and her foal amidst a splendid golden field. The use of oil enhances the luminosity an...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Still life with peonies
Still life with peonies

Still life with peonies

By Elena Lukina

Located in Zofingen, AG

In creating this piece, I sought to capture the effervescence of nature's transient beauty. I used oil to express the delicate vibrancy of peonies, with my brushstrokes blending impr...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Winter  1982, canvas, cardboard, oil, 34.5x49 cm
Winter  1982, canvas, cardboard, oil, 34.5x49 cm

Winter 1982, canvas, cardboard, oil, 34.5x49 cm

By Dzidra Bauma

Located in Riga, LV

Dzidra Bauma (1930) Dzidra Bauma works in watercolor technique. She paint figural compositions, portraits, landscapes, flowers and still life. She is one of the most productive wate...

Category

1980s Expressionist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Haydn Suite II, Painting, Acrylic on Paper
Haydn Suite II, Painting, Acrylic on Paper

Haydn Suite II, Painting, Acrylic on Paper

By Karin Goeppert

Located in Yardley, PA

A floral painting on aged reclaimed yellowed music paper. This work needs to be framed. The sheet is about 30 x 23 cm / 12 x 9 in :: Painting :: Expressionism :: This piece com...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Still life with fruits. 2009, canvas, oil, 81x65 cm

Still life with fruits. 2009, canvas, oil, 81x65 cm

By Sergey Inkatov

Located in Riga, LV

Still life with fruits. 2009, canvas, oil, 81x65 cm Sergey Inkatov Was born: 13.09.1971 in Baku. Painter Sergey Inkatov belongs to young generation of artists of Estonia. He was b...

Category

Early 2000s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Going About Life, Painting, Oil on Wood Panel
Going About Life, Painting, Oil on Wood Panel

Going About Life, Painting, Oil on Wood Panel

By Debbie Pacheco

Located in Yardley, PA

Walking in the city I was struck by the gratitude of being able to go about life. The everyday coming and going that I sometimes take for granted suddenly brought me joy. This painti...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

'The Leopards' by Byron Z. Tripp - Large Striking Wildlife Leopard Painting
'The Leopards' by Byron Z. Tripp - Large Striking Wildlife Leopard Painting

'The Leopards' by Byron Z. Tripp - Large Striking Wildlife Leopard Painting

Located in Carmel, CA

‘The Leopards’ is a striking masterpiece that captivates the viewer with its dynamic interplay of black, white, and yellow. The artist’s exceptional use of color and line work transp...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Easter mood
Easter mood

Easter mood

By Elena Lukina

Located in Zofingen, AG

In this oil painting, I poured my soul into capturing the tenderness of spring. The delicate blossoms, bathed in soft light, symbolize renewal and hope. I chose a harmonious symphony...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Infants of the Choir
Infants of the Choir

Jean JansemInfants of the Choir

$54,400Sale Price|20% Off

Infants of the Choir

By Jean Jansem

Located in New York, NY

Tis painting is included in the exhibition catalogue of 1986.

Category

Late 20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Paint

The world belongs to you!
The world belongs to you!

The world belongs to you!

By Elena Lukina

Located in Zofingen, AG

In this painting, I've captured the serene moment of a woman caressed by the gentle hues of a sunset at the coast. Through the blend of realism and impressionism in oils, I sought to...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

H.O. Miethke Das Werk folio "The Great Poplar II (Thunderstorm)" collotype print

H.O. Miethke Das Werk folio "The Great Poplar II (Thunderstorm)" collotype print

DAS WERK GUSTAV KLIMTS, a portfolio of 50 prints, ten of which are multicolor collotypes on chine colle paper laid down on hand-made heavy cream wove paper with deckled edges; under ...

Category

Early 1900s Expressionist Art

Materials

Paper

Juste Présent
Juste Présent

Juste Présent

By Sonia Delaunay

Located in OPOLE, PL

Sonia Delaunay (1885-1979) - Juste Présent Lithograph from 1961. Dimensions of work: 38 x 28 cm Publisher: Lacourière et Frélaut, Paris. A Xerox copy of the justification page, s...

Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

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.