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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
Purification in the Time of Jezebel -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Men
Purification in the Time of Jezebel -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Men

Purification in the Time of Jezebel -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Men

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 Penuel Heber Ma...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Pencil

"Der Unverstandene" original lithograph

"Der Unverstandene" original lithograph

By Rudolf Grossmann

Located in Henderson, NV

Medium: original lithograph. This is one of the scenes of the Berlin art world executed by Rudolf Grossmann. Printed in 1919 at the Wolf & Sohn atelier for the Ganymed portfolio ...

Category

1910s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Beautiful in my Skin - 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Fashion
Beautiful in my Skin - 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Fashion

Beautiful in my Skin - 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, 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. About Artist Gob...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Marc Chagall, Isaiah, from Drawings for the Bible, 1960
Marc Chagall, Isaiah, from Drawings for the Bible, 1960

Marc Chagall, Isaiah, from Drawings for the Bible, 1960

By Marc Chagall

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph by Marc Chagall (1887–1985), titled Isaie (Isaiah), from Marc Chagall, Dessins Pour La Bible (Drawings for the Bible), Verve: Revue Artistique et Litteraire...

Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Young Girl with Baby Oil Painting 1970s Spanish Impressionist Portrait Emotional
Young Girl with Baby Oil Painting 1970s Spanish Impressionist Portrait Emotional

Young Girl with Baby Oil Painting 1970s Spanish Impressionist Portrait Emotional

By Amadeo Freixas Vivo

Located in Sitges, Barcelona

Young Girl with Baby Oil Painting 1970s Spanish Impressionist Portrait Emotional Figurative Artwork Medium: Oil on board Period: 1970–1979 Date: circa 1975 Condition: Good condition consistent with age Dimensions: Height: 46 cm (18.12 in) Width: 38 cm (14.97 in) Frame: Unframed Origin: Spain A tender and emotionally engaging oil painting depicting a young girl holding a baby, executed in Spain circa 1975. Rather than a traditional maternal scene, the composition captures a more unusual and compelling dynamic: a child caring for another child. This subtle shift introduces a layer of emotional complexity, where innocence and responsibility coexist. The girl’s expressive gaze becomes the central anchor of the composition, conveying a quiet intensity that draws the viewer in. The artist employs loose yet confident brushwork, with an earthy palette enriched by soft pink tones that enhance the warmth of the scene. This type of subject—intimate, psychological, and slightly unconventional—offers collectors something beyond decorative appeal: a narrative moment suspended in time. Its small scale further increases its charm and versatility, making it ideal for refined interiors or curated gallery walls. A distinctive example of late 20th-century Spanish figurative impressionism, with strong emotional resonance. Amadeo Freixas Vivo (1912–2004) was a Spanish painter known for his figurative and impressionist works. Throughout his career, he developed a personal style focused on intimate scenes and expressive portraiture, often exploring themes of everyday life and human emotion. girl with baby painting, figurative oil painting, spanish painting 1970s, impressionist portrait, child portrait painting...

Category

1970s Expressionist Art

Materials

Board, Oil

"Trio" from the suite "Les Fleurs du Mal""
"Trio" from the suite "Les Fleurs du Mal""

"Trio" from the suite "Les Fleurs du Mal""

By Georges Rouault

Located in San Francisco, CA

This artwork titled "Trio" from the suite "Les Fleurs du Mal" created in 1938, is an original color aquatint on Montval paper by renown French artist Georges Rouault, 1871-1958. It i...

Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Aquatint

Delicate wildflowers"diptych, landscape by Volskaya Liliya.
Delicate wildflowers"diptych, landscape by Volskaya Liliya.

Delicate wildflowers"diptych, landscape by Volskaya Liliya.

Located in Zofingen, AG

"Delicate wildflowers"diptych, landscape by Volskaya. Each of my paintings is not just canvas and paints. It is the energy that lives, breathes and interacts with a person. Before I ...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Fleet Moment
Fleet Moment

Fleet Moment

By Doris Caesar

Located in Greenwich, CT

Featured in the Doris Caesar catalog by Martin H. Bush, page 110.

Category

1950s Expressionist Art

Materials

Bronze

"Taos Sketch" - Expressionist Landscape and Female Figures, Oil Painting
"Taos Sketch" - Expressionist Landscape and Female Figures, Oil Painting

"Taos Sketch" - Expressionist Landscape and Female Figures, Oil Painting

By John Franklin

Located in Denver, CO

John Franklin was born on Christmas day, 1925 in North Platte, Nebraska. This piece depicts three women from Taos, New Mexico standing in content poses, holding jars and wearing int...

Category

20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Board

Force de Vie Oil Painting on Canvas, Expressionist, 21st Century
Force de Vie Oil Painting on Canvas, Expressionist, 21st Century

Force de Vie Oil Painting on Canvas, Expressionist, 21st Century

By Evelyne Ballestra

Located in Miami, FL

Her work with signs, symbols and esoteric spirituality reflects her passion for the ancient past and represents a symbolic return to the ground from which we emerged. Her work creates a commentary about “beginnings” and the transmission of signs and emotions through visual elements evoking a spiritual essence to our scientific notion of etymology. After studying under Rolf Dürig...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Missing Land 03, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Missing Land 03, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Missing Land 03, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Located in Yardley, PA

"Country estates played an important role in the spatial development. From the beginning of the Golden Age until well into the nineteenth century there were numerous of these through...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Golden Time. Large abstract Landscape Oil Painting on Italian canvas.
Golden Time. Large abstract Landscape Oil Painting on Italian canvas.

Golden Time. Large abstract Landscape Oil Painting on Italian canvas.

Located in Zofingen, AG

Experience the serene beauty of autumn with "Golden Time," a large abstract landscape oil painting. The artist masterfully blends soft impressionistic techniques with realistic detai...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Peace and Tranquility 2
Peace and Tranquility 2

Peace and Tranquility 2

By Joshua Salami

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

Shipping Procedure FREE Shipping Worldwide Ships in a well-protected tube. This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. Abou...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Regarding the Sky, Oil Painting
Regarding the Sky, Oil Painting

Regarding the Sky, Oil Painting

By Ronda Waiksnis

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
This painting captures a tranquil scene where a body of water reflects the sky. The muted, distant horizon suggests an endless expanse, inviting contemplation...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

Black is Beautiful
Black is Beautiful

Black is Beautiful

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

The central theme of "Black is Beautiful" revolves around the notion that true beauty transcends physical appearances and that baldness, especially in the context of African heritage...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Between Absence and Memory -21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, Africa, People
Between Absence and Memory -21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, Africa, People

Between Absence and Memory -21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, Africa, People

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

Between Absence and Memory explores the fragile space where presence lingers even after it is gone. Through the dialogue of figures and silhouettes, the work reveals how absence is n...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Coffee, Mixed Media

1930's French Expressionist Horse Racing Scene Jockeys at Full Pace Signed Oil
1930's French Expressionist Horse Racing Scene Jockeys at Full Pace Signed Oil

1930's French Expressionist Horse Racing Scene Jockeys at Full Pace Signed Oil

By Antique French

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Horse Racing Scene by Alain Chazalviel (first half 20th Century) signed lower right oil on canvas, framed framed: 19.5 x 27 inches canvas: 18 x 28 inches Provenance: private collecti...

Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

Tequila Gist 2 -21st Century, Contemporary, Expressionist, Modern, Mental Health
Tequila Gist 2 -21st Century, Contemporary, Expressionist, Modern, Mental Health

Tequila Gist 2 -21st Century, Contemporary, Expressionist, Modern, Mental Health

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 (Issued by the Gallery) About ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Acrylic

"Red Carp Reflection" (2025) – Original Oil on Canvas by Elena Lukina
"Red Carp Reflection" (2025) – Original Oil on Canvas by Elena Lukina

"Red Carp Reflection" (2025) – Original Oil on Canvas by Elena Lukina

Located in Zofingen, AG

"Red Carp Reflection" (2025) is a definitive and high-energy masterpiece from Elena Lukina’s internationally recognized series, "Vitality in Motion: The Koi Symphony" (2020–2025). Th...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Cardboard

Four Winds from One Cent Life
Four Winds from One Cent Life

Four Winds from One Cent Life

By Robert Indiana

Located in Austin, TX

Artist: Robert Indiana Title: Four Winds from One Cent Life Year: 1964 Medium: 2 page lithograph, as printed from One Cent Life As printed with Walasse Ting poem, from the One Cent ...

Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Im Tobelweg, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Im Tobelweg, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Im Tobelweg, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

By Karin Goeppert

Located in Yardley, PA

Nature is always my inspiration as well as colors. I love nature here in Southern Germany (Bavaria) where my husband and I moved to a few years ago. Mountains, lakes, creeks, undergr...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Urban Sketch
Urban Sketch

Urban Sketch

Located in Zofingen, AG

This captivating artwork presents an abstract urban landscape, teeming with vibrant energy and movement. Rendered in a palette of muted blues, reds, and pinks, the swirling colors su...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

French Expressionist Provence Luberon Poppy Field Oil Painting Ambrogiani Style
French Expressionist Provence Luberon Poppy Field Oil Painting Ambrogiani Style

French Expressionist Provence Luberon Poppy Field Oil Painting Ambrogiani Style

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Title French Expressionist Provence Luberon Poppy Field Oil Painting Ambrogiani Style Key Details Artist: French School, mid 20th century Subject: Provençal landscape, believed to de...

Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

Marc Chagall, The Village, from Derriere le miroir, 1977
Marc Chagall, The Village, from Derriere le miroir, 1977

Marc Chagall, The Village, from Derriere le miroir, 1977

By Marc Chagall

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph by Marc Chagall (1887–1985), titled Le village (The Village), from the folio Derriere le miroir, No. 225, originates from the 1977 edition published by Maeg...

Category

1970s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Les Deux Soeurs

Les Deux Soeurs

By François LEGRAND

Located in Atlanta, GA

Born in 1951, François Legrand was introduced to painting as a teenager by Philippe Lejeune in Etampes. In 1973, he moved to Loiret. From 1974 to 197...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

Bories-en-Provence Village Near Gordes, Large Oil on Canvas
Bories-en-Provence Village Near Gordes, Large Oil on Canvas

Bories-en-Provence Village Near Gordes, Large Oil on Canvas

Located in Saint Amans des cots, FR

Oil on canvas by Paul Clement (1906-), France, 1967. Bories-en-Provence near Gordes. Measurements : with frame: 106x87 cm - 41.7x34.25 inches, without frame: 100x81 cm - 39.4x31.9 in...

Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Night Mist, Painting, Oil on Paper
Night Mist, Painting, Oil on Paper

Night Mist, Painting, Oil on Paper

By Tiffany Blaise

Located in Yardley, PA

Original mixed media painting of a seascape at night. This dynamic artwork is inspired by the movement and energy of the ocean and expresses the vitality and transformative power of ...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

Hydrangeas and Rose Hips
Hydrangeas and Rose Hips

Hydrangeas and Rose Hips

By Rachael Dalzell

Located in Coltishall, GB

Hydrangeas and Rose Hips is a vibrant explosion of colour and form, skillfully blending organic and abstract elements, petals and leaves intertwine in a lively dance. Dalzells precis...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Acrylic

House with Greenhouse, Original Painting
House with Greenhouse, Original Painting

House with Greenhouse, Original Painting

By Robert Hofherr

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A small house sits surrounded by snow, framed by tall trees stretching across the sky. The structure's pale walls and grey roof catch the winter light. Rather t...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Grey Colonial, Original Painting
Grey Colonial, Original Painting

Grey Colonial, Original Painting

By Robert Hofherr

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
The morning sun bathes a northeastern colonial house in golden light. Medium grey siding balances with rich gold highlights, while the house contrasts with the ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Snowy Rooflines, Original Painting
Snowy Rooflines, Original Painting

Snowy Rooflines, Original Painting

By Robert Hofherr

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Tall trees stand in the foreground, their trunks and branches cutting across the view of a suburban house behind them. Artist Robert Hofherr reinterprets this u...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Melting Snow, Original Painting
Melting Snow, Original Painting

Melting Snow, Original Painting

By Robert Hofherr

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Tall trees frame a snowy yard, their bare branches cutting across a pale sky. A farmhouse sits to the right, while another rests farther back on the left. Cool ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Expressionist Tree Landscape
Expressionist Tree Landscape

Expressionist Tree Landscape

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Vibrant Tree, 1955. Signed "I. Pitsch" and dated upper right. Oil on canvas measuring 18 x 20 inches. Unframed.

Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

African Radiant: Celebration of Beauty and Joy
African Radiant: Celebration of Beauty and Joy

African Radiant: Celebration of Beauty and Joy

By Bakare Abubakri-sideeq Babatunde

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

The title of the painting, "African Radiant," captures the essence of the woman's beauty and spirit. She exudes a sense of joy and inner radiance that is infectious, and her confident gaze and proud stance suggest a deep sense of pride in her heritage and culture. Overall, "African Radiant: Celebration of Beauty and Joy" is a powerful celebration of the beauty and resilience of black African women. It invites viewers to revel in the richness and diversity of African culture and appreciate the strength and joy inherent in the African spirit. 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 Bakare Babatunde...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Fabric, Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

"Late Night at the Studio", Contemporary, Factory Interior, Blue, Oil Painting
"Late Night at the Studio", Contemporary, Factory Interior, Blue, Oil Painting

"Late Night at the Studio", Contemporary, Factory Interior, Blue, Oil Painting

By Catherine Picard-Gibbs

Located in Franklin, MA

“Late Night at The Studio” by Catherine Picard-Gibbs is an Expressionist interior factory scene in a palette of teal-blue and yellow. This evocative 18 x 24 inch oil on panel painting focuses on light pouring out from the haunting depths of an empty hallway. This textural artwork is framed in a silver crackle floater frame with a black interior, making the framed size 19 x 25 x 1.5 inches. Catherine Picard-Gibbs paints with bold brush strokes, using vibrant colors to show emotion and movement in landscapes and urban scenes. Her inspiration comes from the nuance and drama of her everyday world. Her evocative works have been featured throughout Massachusetts, in New York, and in the Midwest. Picard-Gibbs is represented by Fountain Street Gallery...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Board

Salto Sobre La Cabeza
Salto Sobre La Cabeza

Salto Sobre La Cabeza

By Karel Appel

Located in Austin, TX

Artist: Karel Appel Title: Salto Sobre La Cabeza Year: 1988 Medium: Etching with aquatint Signed and dated '88, numbered 5/60 in pencil Dimensions: 19.25" x 4.5" Provenance: Gallery ...

Category

1980s Expressionist Art

Materials

Etching, Aquatint

"Artist Painting Still Life" Expressionistic Style Oil Painting on Canvas
"Artist Painting Still Life" Expressionistic Style Oil Painting on Canvas

"Artist Painting Still Life" Expressionistic Style Oil Painting on Canvas

By Michael Baxte

Located in New York, NY

A strong modernist oil painting depicted in the Mid Centruy by Russian painter Michael Baxte. Mostly known for his abstracted figures on canvas or street scenes, this piece is a wonderful representation of his interior scenes with expressive use of color, shape, and form. Later in his career, Baxte explores Expressionism, infusing both European and North American stylistic trends. This painting measures 32 x 25.5 inches Michael Posner Baxte was born in 1890 in the small town of Staroselje Belarus, Russia. For the first half of the 19th century, it was a center of the Chabad movement of Hasidic Jews, but this group was gone by the middle of the 19th century. By the time the Baxte family immigrated to the United States at the beginning of the 20th century, the Jewish population numbered only on the hundreds. The native language of the Baxte family was Yiddish. It is likely that the death of Michael Baxte’s father triggered the family’s immigration. Three older brothers arrived in New York between 1903 and 1905. Michael and his mother, Rebecca, arrived in 1907. By 1910 Michael, his mother, and brother, Joseph, were living in New Orleans and may have spent some time on a Louisiana plantation...

Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Tennis Serve, Expressionist Lithograph by Jim Jonson
Tennis Serve, Expressionist Lithograph by Jim Jonson

Tennis Serve, Expressionist Lithograph by Jim Jonson

By Jim Jonson

Located in Long Island City, NY

Jim Jonson, American (1928 - 1999) - Tennis Serve, Year: circa 1980, Medium: Lithograph, signed and numbered in pencil, Edition: 300; AP, Size: 28 in. x 21 in. (71.12 cm x 53.34 ...

Category

1980s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

original etching

original etching

By Leonard Baskin

Located in Henderson, NV

Medium: original etching. Printed in 1984 on Cartiere Magnani paper at the atelier of Bruce Chandler in an edition of 1500. This work was executed by Leonard Baskin to illustrate the...

Category

1980s Expressionist Art

Materials

Etching

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.