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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
"Männlicher Kopf" original woodcut
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: original woodcut. Printed in Germany in 1917 for Die Aktion; this impression is from the deluxe edition of 100 on Bütten laid paper. Catalogue reference: Schapire 202. Image ...
Category

1910s Expressionist Art

Materials

Woodcut

SALVADOR DALI Spanish 1974 original vintage lithograph poster museum print art
Located in Miami, FL
Salvador Dali (Spain, 1904-1989) 'Teatro Museo Figueras', 1974 Original poster from exhibition of 1974 lithograph on paper 28.6 x 20.5 in. (72.5 x 52 cm.) Unframed Ref: DAL100-203 S...
Category

1970s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Impromptu with a morning rose
Located in Zofingen, AG
In crafting this piece, I poured my soul into every brushstroke, aiming to evoke the delicate interplay of light and shadow. The gentle blossoms whisper of early morning tranquility,...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Le centaure" original woodcut
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: original woodcut. This impression on blue-green paper was printed in 1902 and published in London by The Studio. Image size: 8 x 5 1/2 inches (205 x 140 mm). The Studio dryst...
Category

Early 1900s Expressionist Art

Materials

Woodcut

Walk on the Sea
Located in Zofingen, AG
I've poured my soul into this painting, blending acrylic and oil to form a vibrant dance between realism and abstraction. It's an expression of my emotions, where bold strokes and mu...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Acrylic, Cardboard

After the storm
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this vibrant blend of realism and abstraction, I've captured the raw energy of a seascape rejuvenating after turmoil. The textured strokes in acrylic and oil wield a dance of ligh...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Acrylic, Cardboard

"Landscape with Nude" - Colorful horizontal expressionist landscape with nude.
Located in Miami, FL
Romantic and expressionist nude artwork on canvas.
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Woodcut "Maske" ( Mask ) by Hermann Max Pechstein 1918
Located in Berlin, DE
Woodcut on brownish-gray laid paper. Monogramed ‘HMP‘ upper left in the block. From a part edition of "Almanach auf das Jahr 1920 Fritz Gurlitt". Published by Verlag Fritz Gurlitt, B...
Category

1910s Expressionist Art

Materials

Woodcut

Gorgeous cactus flowers (colorful painting on paper)
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This modern colorful artwork "Gorgeous cactus flowers" is full of vivid colors which are my tools of expression. I explore the beauty of these beautiful pink blooming cactus flower...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Paper, Acrylic

Beautful sea
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this painting, I captured the vibrant essence of the ocean's spirit. Using oil paints, I melded expressionism with realism to convey the raw, untamed beauty of the sea. The stroke...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Linen

No Photos Please
Located in Toronto, ON
42" x 31" Unframed Original - Oil on Canvas Hand Signed by Todd White Todd white captures restaurant, night and Hollywood scenes with contrasting colors serving the viewer’s eyes a...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Nice sunny day
Located in Zofingen, AG
European bee-eater (Merops apiaster) I crafted this painting with a flourish of my brush, bringing to life these vibrant birds perched peacefully in their natural habitat. In each st...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Cardboard

Bird in a Blooming Garden
Located in Zofingen, AG
In creating this piece, I was moved by the serene beauty of nature, capturing a moment where a small bird perches amid blooming flowers. The brush strokes and oils allowed me to expl...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Cardboard

Nacktes Liegendes Mädchen auf Diwan
Located in New York, NY
Drypoint printed in dark brown on heavy cream wove paper with wide margins. This is the third state (of four) from a small edition of only several. Signed and inscribed "II Zustand" ...
Category

1920s Expressionist Art

Materials

Color, Drypoint

Woman with red cheeks, Painting, Acrylic on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
In this work I have captured deep emotions through vibrant, expressive brushstrokes in acrylic on paper. The figurative elements in the expressionist style reflect intensity and huma...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Contemporary expressionist vivid watercolor painting paper " Beachside serenity"
Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR
This contemporary vivid expressive painting, "Beachside Serenity', was created by French artist Natalya Mougenot. Using watercolor paints on heavyweight, professional acid-free paper...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Im Tobelweg, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
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

Les Visages, Lithograph by Georges Rouault (After)
Located in Long Island City, NY
Les Visages Georges Rouault (after), French (1871–1958) Date: 1968 Lithograph, restrike by the Collectors Guild Size: 6 x 7.75 in. (15.24 x 19.69 cm) Frame Size: 15.5 x 17.25 inches
Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

High summer colors 40, Digital on Glass
Located in Yardley, PA
Lambda C-print on acrylic glass. This is a combination of photography and wet and digital paintings . Complete with aluminium mounting system. Ready to hang. Outstanding quality....
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Digital

Nude Flora
Located in Oslo, NO
This captivating artwork presents a serene and introspective portrayal of a reclining figure, seamlessly integrated into a lush, floral backdrop. The subject, rendered in warm, earth...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

After the Show
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this painting, I sought to blend the gentle curves of a reclining figure with the bold, resonant shape of a cello, symbolizing the integration of human vulnerability and the power...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Big Rio, Original Contemporary Expressionist Landscape Oil Painting on Linen
Located in Boston, MA
Big Rio, Original Contemporary Expressionist Landscape Painting 48" x 48" x 1.75" (HxWxD) Oil on Linen This large square-format work by artist Carol Tippit Woolworth features a stunning color palette of rich greens and reds combined with muted blues, purples, and orange tones. There is a balance, both with the color, but also with the composition as the Rio Grande wraps around the curves in the Southwestern landscape, opening up towards the viewer and simultaneously guiding your eye around to the landscape in the distance. This Mexican desert appears calm and a bit desolate, but also bursting with life and energy through the colors used and the loose, energetic mark making that is characteristic of expressionist landscape works. Artist Commentary: The Rio Grande About the Artist: Art has always been a central part of Carol's life. Constantly drawing as a child, the passion to create something two dimensional has continued to this day, through oil and gouache. Carol currently lives in Santa Fe, NM and exhibits at Smilow Mathiesen Gallery on Canyon Road. She graduated with a BA in Art through the University of California at Santa Barbara, with an emphasis in Painting, but has continued to study at various art institutions (Parsons NYC; Silvermine Artists Guild, CT; Rohaton Art Center, CT; Delaware College of Art & Design (DCAD), DE) throughout her career. She now teaches painting at DCAD (Continuing Education), has several private art students, and leads painting workshops in France twice a year. She also works as a self-employed graphic designer. Carol has always been interested in France, the French landscape and French culture. She loves the fields and hilltop towns,and the strong clean lines and shapes they create. The past couple of years this influence has dominated her work. Her landscapes are a constant search for color, contrast, and shapes. Recently Carol has discovered the natural beauty of Lancaster County PA and Northern New Mexico, and is applying her French vocabulary to these new areas. Another influence early on was of an artist whom she babysat for, and who lived across the street, in Santa Barbara: Priscella Bender Shore. She eventually became her favorite art teacher and mentor at the Santa Barbara Community College. Priscella's work was of women in a swimming pools, reflecting and refracting light. They were both figurative and abstract. This images haunted Carol's memories until she could recently recreate the swimming pool paintings...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Linen, Oil

Untitled Woodcut
Located in Wilton, CT
Original hand-colored woodcut from a portfolio of Secessionist fashion illustrations. Signed in the lower right margin by the artist, Reni Schaschl (1895-1979), a talented member of...
Category

1910s Expressionist Art

Materials

Woodcut

(after) Frans Masereel "Le Voyageur"
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: 8 1/8 x 6 inches (207 x 15...
Category

1920s Expressionist Art

Materials

Photogravure

nude watercolor Mimmi
Located in Roma, GB
artist: Anastasia Aureum abstract expressionist colour pencil drawing on paper one-of-a-kind hand signed FREE SHIPPING standard parcel available to be confirmed while submitting t...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Paper, Tempera, Watercolor

New York - Statue of Liberty, Framed Terragraph by Theo Tobiasse
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Theo Tobiasse, French (1927 - 2012) Title: New York - Statue of Liberty Medium: Terragraph on Canvas, signed and numbered lower right Edition: 70/199 Size: 31.5 x 22 in. ...
Category

Early 2000s Expressionist Art

Materials

Screen

Anatole Krasnyansky Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Anatole Krasnyansky: 1930-2023. Well listed Ukrainian American artist who just passed away a few months ago. He has had auction results higher than $7100. He was born in Kyiv and emi...
Category

Late 20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic, Watercolor

Morning Hustle, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A vibrant blend of colors captures the energy of a bustling morning scene. Figures in motion stride across the composition, their forms loosely defined yet full...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Bohemian - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Surrealism, Africa, Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
"The Bohemian" is part of a new collection titled "Ode to Guardians and the Impuissant". It is a visual discourse on the frail but resilient nature of black women whom I call black h...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Linen, Oil

Buffet, La petite plage, Lithographs 1952-1966 (after)
Located in Fairfield, CT
Medium: Lithograph on vélin Acropole Papeteries de Renage paper. Year: 1967 Paper Size: 12.25 x 9.5 inches Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued Notes: From the album, Bern...
Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Buffet, La petite plage, Lithographs 1952-1966 (after)
Located in Fairfield, CT
Medium: Lithograph on vélin Acropole Papeteries de Renage paper. Year: 1967 Paper Size: 12.25 x 9.5 inches Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued Notes: From the ...
Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Buffet, La route du village, Lithographs 1952-1966 (after)
Located in Fairfield, CT
Medium: Lithograph on vélin Acropole Papeteries de Renage paper. Year: 1967 Paper Size: 12.25 x 9.5 inches Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued Notes: From the ...
Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Buffet, Le petit hibou, Lithographs 1952-1966 (after)
Located in Fairfield, CT
Medium: Lithograph on vélin Acropole Papeteries de Renage paper. Year: 1967 Paper Size: 12.25 x 9.5 inches Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued Notes: From the ...
Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Buffet, A la plage, Lithographs 1952-1966 (after)
Located in Fairfield, CT
Medium: Lithograph on vélin Acropole Papeteries de Renage paper. Year: 1967 Paper Size: 12.25 x 9.5 inches Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued Notes: From the ...
Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Buffet, Les deux oiseaux, Lithographs 1952-1966 (after)
Located in Fairfield, CT
Medium: Lithograph on vélin Acropole Papeteries de Renage paper. Year: 1967 Paper Size: 12.25 x 9.5 inches Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued Notes: From the ...
Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Buffet, Le torero, Lithographs 1952-1966 (after)
Located in Fairfield, CT
Medium: Lithograph on vélin Acropole Papeteries de Renage paper. Year: 1967 Paper Size: 12.25 x 9.5 inches Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued Notes: From the ...
Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Buffet, Le clown Jojo, Lithographs 1952-1966 (after)
Located in Fairfield, CT
Medium: Lithograph on vélin Acropole Papeteries de Renage paper. Year: 1967 Paper Size: 12.25 x 9.5 inches Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued Notes: From the ...
Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Forest Dweller, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Bold colors and expressive brushstrokes transform a secluded home nestled among trees. Shapes of color replace realistic details, inviting the viewer to interpr...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Chagall, Tribe of Asher, Vitraux pour Jérusalem (after)
Located in Auburn Hills, MI
Lithograph on vélin paper. Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition, . Notes: From the album, Chagall, Vitraux pour Jérusalem. Published by Musée des Arts Déco...
Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Old Port Town, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
This watercolor painting captures the charm and vitality of Portland’s historic Old Port district. City life hums with a balance of energy and ease—building...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Watercolor

Basket in Red. Oil on panel. Expressionist Still-life with abstract background
Located in Segovia, ES
Basket in Red (Canasto en rojo). Aracely Alarcón oil on panel. Expressionist Still-life on abstract background. Dimension art : 38 x 46 x 03 cm. Dimen...
Category

Early 2000s Expressionist Art

Materials

Panel, Oil

Le Col Rogue - 21st Century Contemporary, Expressionist Portrait, African Woman
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Africa This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issued by the Gall...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Early 20th Century French Expressionist Landscape “Le pique-nique” Oil Painting
Located in Holywell, GB
Early 20th Century Expressionist Landscape “Le pique-nique” A colourful landscape painted with confident dramatic brush strokes in the style of the early 20th century expressionist ...
Category

Early 20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

Horses on the beach, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Horsee on the beach in Villaana , Costa del Sol very pastose strokes oil, a lot of oil :: Painting :: Expressionism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

"Aus der Tierlegende" original woodcut
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: original woodcut. Catalogue reference Lankheit 831-3. Published in 1919 for Genius. Image size: 7 3/4 x 9 1/2 inches (198 x 240mm). This is a very richly inked impression pri...
Category

1910s Expressionist Art

Materials

Woodcut

On a Clear Day, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Waves gently roll towards the shore, reflecting shades of blue and green under a bright sky. Tall grasses in the foreground sway lightly, adding texture to th...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

Buffet, Le clown au fond rouge, Lithographs 1952-1966 (after)
Located in Fairfield, CT
Medium: Lithograph on vélin Acropole Papeteries de Renage paper. Year: 1967 Paper Size: 12.25 x 9.5 inches Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued Notes: From the ...
Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Buffet, Le bouquet violet, Lithographs 1952-1966 (after)
Located in Fairfield, CT
Medium: Lithograph on vélin Acropole Papeteries de Renage paper. Year: 1967 Paper Size: 12.25 x 9.5 inches Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued Notes: From the ...
Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Buffet, Nature morte aux fruits, Lithographs 1952-1966 (after)
Located in Fairfield, CT
Medium: Lithograph on vélin Acropole Papeteries de Renage paper. Year: 1967 Paper Size: 12.25 x 9.5 inches Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued Notes: From the ...
Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Buffet, Nature morte a la bouteille, Lithographs 1952-1966 (after)
Located in Fairfield, CT
Medium: Lithograph on vélin Acropole Papeteries de Renage paper. Year: 1967 Paper Size: 12.25 x 9.5 inches Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued Notes: From the ...
Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Eagle Skull
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Bronze sculpture by artist Burt Brent. Edition 1/30.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Bronze

Girl Thinking, Expressionist Portrait of Young Woman by Philadelphia Artist
Located in Doylestown, PA
"Girl Thinking" is a painting by Philadelphia born Expressionist painter Bernard Harmon. The 40" x 30" oil on board portrait of a young woman is painted in a vibrant color palette. The painting is framed in a new, black wood frame and signed "B Harmon" on verso. Figurative expressionism in the style of Alice Neel. Bernard Harmon was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1935. Harmon was primarily a portrait painter and a well loved teacher in the Philadelphia area. A graduate of the Philadelphia Museum School and Temples Tyler School of Art, Harmon traveled extensively in Europe and South America. Beloved by many, Harmon taught in the Philadelphia School District for 32 of his 54 years of life. Beginning his career as an art teacher at West Philadelphia High School, in the early 1960s he became one of the district's artists in residence, traveling from school to school to demonstrate for students how an artist works. Returning to the classroom, Harmon joined the art department at Central High School where he taught for 14 years and became an innovator in art curriculum, developing a program offering advanced placement art classes to gifted students. In his final years Harmon became a supervisor, mentoring teachers and overseeing programs in the Philadelphia school systems District #1. During his short life Harmon taught collage preparatory art classes at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, summer classes at the University of the Arts, and a Saturday program for gifted children at Drexel University. Among Harmon's portraits were commissioned by Philadelphia Jazz organist Jimmy Smith and Mayor Richardson Dilworth. Bernard Harmon was active in promoting African American Artist throughout his life time. He organized many early shows such as the "Afro American Artists 1800 - 1969" at the Museum of the Philadelphia Civic Center in 1969. He was considered a Renaissance man by friends and colleagues for his interests not only in art but music and theater as well. He was familiar and friends with many other African American artists such as Doc Thrash, Selma Burke...
Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Board

Village of Iseh, Bali (1948)
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Theo Meier (1908-1982) View of the Village of Iseh, painted from the house of Theo Signed and dated 48 Theo Meier lower left Oil on canvas, 68.5 x 50 cm In original frame carved by the artist. Note: Theo Meier arrived in Bali in 1936 with the intention of going on to Tahiti where he had been before. However Bali turned out to be the paradise he had been searching for in his dreams and he had no desire any more to move elsewhere. Bali at that time was still a very traditional place where society lived according to an acient religious system and in a luscious tropical setting the modern world was ignored. Here he met Walter Spies...
Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Rosewood, Oil

THE DEVIL INSIDE, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
The devil inside looking out. :: Painting :: Expressionism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the artist :: Ready to Hang: Yes :: Signed: Yes ...
Category

Early 2000s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

Expressionist Figurative water color painting- Luckiness
Located in Beijing, CN
Expressionist Figurative water color painting by Zhang Chunyang Title: Luckiness Dimension: 29 x 36 cm Material: Gouache, Watercolor on Paper D...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Watercolor, Gouache, Handmade Paper

Scale, 2018
Located in Atlanta, GA
Born August 4, 1945 in Chambéry. Apprenticeship in 1984 at the Etampes school founded and run by the painter Philipe Lejeune. -Price "Finez Planard" awarded by the Taylor Foundation...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

Man, Painting, Acrylic on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
My work is about dealing with the real world and above all using the images that surround us in everyday life. I often search for the unexpected. An ironic turn to images or things y...
Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Portrait Of A Young Model Work On Paper
Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL
Portrait Of A Young Model Work On Paper Rutsch is always "scribbling and scrabbling." He is an artist of the purest breed—an artist who has no choice but to paint. He is a chosen traveler of the depths of existence; a man who follows a longing to explore his inner self and relate his findings with the energy and identity of the universe. The celebrated Austrian artist approaches painting and sculpture as he lives life—with the eyes of a child and the hand of a poet. Constantly in the quest for rhythms of form and vibrations of color, he catches those "sparks in the shadow" and evidences their fullest reality and beauty in his creations. Each of his paintings is a careful construction as it is a spontaneous act of love. While he might attribute certain artistic expressions to "coincidence," his inspiration comes from such diverse sources as: memories, dreams, sounds, numbers, telephone poles and drift wood. Rutsch has an affinity to vibrant colors, strong contours and rich brush strokes which are apparent in his oils, mixed media works and ink drawings. He has a sensitivity to the unusual, the discarded and a fondness for the ugly as well as the chaotic. These, he often transforms into poignant welded steel abstractions. Rutsch has an aversion to politics, citing dates and expounding upon honors achieved. There is no talk about 'profound symbolism' in his work and as Carlo McCormick writes in the introduction to Rutsch's monograph, "Meaning is not a seed that Rutsch plants, nurtures and then harvests. It is what grows wild in a volcanic swamp of fossilized, decaying and new-born fancies—as an afterthought and aftershock." Alexander Rutsch is not concerned with interpretations; he is, however, passionate about the process of making art and surrenders his entire being as an instrument to the act of creation. The geometry of his imagination overflows with figures, profiles and penetrating strong eyes—windows to a deeper place. Their vitality and sensuality pulsate through the "dreamscapes" of Rutsch's created worlds. At times romantic, yet always wild with energy, human forms and experiences are essential to the artist's vocabulary. The son of opera singers and a singer himself, Rutsch speaks of "the art of painting as the art of silence" and the job of the painter "to dedicate himself to the silence." He adds though, "that this silence is the greatest existing sound in the universe." One wonders why then, if painting is "the art of silence," that Rutsch's paintings scream with sound. Sometimes melancholy, sometimes sensual, sometimes dissonant and sometimes whispering, the rhythms are always rich in the celebration of life and our shared humanity. Painter, sculptor and poet, Rutsch's oeuvre over the past four decades is tremendous. Celebrated and collected especially in Vienna, Paris, Brussels and New York, he studied with renowned teachers like Boeckl and Dorowsky and collaborated with such geniuses as Salvador Dali. Having left Vienna in the fifties, Rutsch moved to Paris and took the city's art scene by storm. There, Picasso was so enthralled with a portrait Rutsch has done of him that, in a state of great excitement, he countersigned it. Biography Alexander Rutsch was born in Russia in 1916 but raised in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. After studying voice in Austria he became an opera singer like his parents, but after WWII, Rutsch's love for visual expression propelled him to change careers. He was a painter, sculptor, philosopher, musician, singer and poet. His life as a romantic is reflected in his work, as he sought to perfect his soul and humanity, "I paint my dreams," said Rutsch. "My dreams are color and life. They soar in my head like millions of symphonies. I can never stop building dreams." In 1952, after studying under Josef Dobrowsky, Josef Hoffmann and Herbert Boeckl at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts, Alexander Rutsch received a scholarship to study in France. There he made contacts and began collaborations with his contemporaries, Picasso and Dali. Rutsch said of his experiences with Picasso, "Picasso played a short but important moment in my life in Paris that affected my entire artistic future. I learned from him that it is not important if art is not aesthetically finished. It can be raw, uncooked, rough. If an artist feels he has said it—it is not important to polish or finish it. Because of Picasso, I learned that if I don't feel the need to finish—I don't have to." In 1954 he exhibited his work at the Salon Artistique International de Saceux and won first prize for abstract painting, the first of may awards received during his prolific career. During the 13 years he lived in Paris, Rutsch exhibited in many prominent galleries there and throughout Europe. In 1958, The City of Paris awarded him the prestigious Arts, Science and Letters Silver Medal. In 1966, Jean Desvilles presented his prize winning film "Le Monde de Rutsch" at the Cannes Film Festival and the Venice Biennial. In 1968 Rutsch moved to Pelham, New York where he continued to work in his studio and exhibit in galleries and museums worldwide. Rutsch's work, as seen through his mastery of many art forms—sculpture, painting, print-making, and drawing, and a wide variety of other media has been described as "vibrating showers of lines, bold geometries, wounded anatomically rambling scrap-wood skeletons...
Category

1980s Expressionist Art

Materials

Watercolor, Charcoal, Oil Pastel

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.

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