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.
1980s Expressionist Art
Tapestry
Late 20th Century Expressionist Art
Canvas, Mixed Media
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Mixed Media
Late 20th Century Expressionist Art
Oil, Wood Panel, Board
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Etching
2010s Expressionist Art
Giclée
1970s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1970s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil, Acrylic, Satin Paper
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
A whimsical village emerges among trees. The carefully arranged houses and foliage form an engaging scene. The bright color palette reinforces the non-represent...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
1970s Expressionist Art
Oil, Board
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Colorful trees provide refreshing shade to a cluster of farm buildings. Autumn foliage surrounds the scene, wrapping it in seasonal beauty. The bright palette a...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Art
Pastel, India Ink, Cardboard
Early 1900s Expressionist Art
Oil, Canvas
Artist Comments
Bold brushstrokes capture the lively yet restful energy of a marsh. The colors shift and blend, reflecting the ever-changing landscape. The scene portrays the...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Oil, Board
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Acrylic
Late 20th Century Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1920s Expressionist Art
Gouache, Paper
1960s Expressionist Art
Etching
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Satin Paper
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
Late 20th Century Expressionist Art
Watercolor, Gouache
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
2010s Expressionist Art
Acrylic, Satin Paper, Oil Pastel
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil, Acrylic, Cardboard
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil, Acrylic, Canvas
Late 20th Century Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1980s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Late 20th Century Expressionist Art
Wood, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
1980s Expressionist Art
Mixed Media
1920s Expressionist Art
Woodcut
Late 20th Century Expressionist Art
Paper, Watercolor
1960s Expressionist Art
Tempera
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1990s Expressionist Art
Wood, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Satin Paper
1920s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Etching
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century Expressionist Art
Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Etching
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art
Oil
1970s Expressionist Art
Lithograph, Offset