Expressionist Art
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.
1910s Expressionist Art
Woodcut
1970s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Early 1900s Expressionist Art
Woodcut
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil, Acrylic, Cardboard
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil, Acrylic, Cardboard
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
1910s Expressionist Art
Woodcut
2010s Expressionist Art
Paper, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil, Linen
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
1920s Expressionist Art
Color, Drypoint
2010s Expressionist Art
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Art
Paper, Watercolor
2010s Expressionist Art
Acrylic
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
2010s Expressionist Art
Digital
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Linen, Oil
1910s Expressionist Art
Woodcut
1920s Expressionist Art
Photogravure
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Paper, Tempera, Watercolor
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Screen
Late 20th Century Expressionist Art
Acrylic, Watercolor
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...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Linen, Oil
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
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...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
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...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Watercolor
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Panel, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Early 20th Century Expressionist Art
Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil
1910s Expressionist Art
Woodcut
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...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Oil
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Bronze
1960s Expressionist Art
Oil, Board
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art
Canvas, Rosewood, Oil
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Watercolor, Gouache, Handmade Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Acrylic
1980s Expressionist Art
Watercolor, Charcoal, Oil Pastel