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.
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Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1940s Expressionist Art
Wood, Masonite, Oil
1950s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art
Lithograph
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Color Pencil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Mixed Media, Paper
1990s Expressionist Art
Watercolor
1970s Expressionist Art
Paper, Lithograph
1920s Expressionist Art
Photogravure, Paper
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
A woman lies under a vibrant night sky, the stars and planets illuminating her form. Bold colors and energetic directional brushwork add a hypnotizing energy to the composition. This piece is artist Diana Elena Chelaru's personal interpretation of the vast space.
About the Artist
Artist Diana Elena Chelaru creates vibrant expressionist works that explore human emotion and the cosmos. “Art is a means of communication, a way to express my thoughts, hopes, and joys,†says Diana. She uses form, lines, and color to bring her imaginative compositions to life, with inspiration drawn from Byzantine mosaics and Gustav Klimt’s decorative patterns. Diana received her BFA in Painting from George Enescu Art University and an MA in Art History from Queens College. Diana’s creative process is fluid and intuitive, guided by her emotions in the moment, with music as a constant companion. Her studio, located in the basement of her home, is kept clean and organized. When she’s not creating, Diana enjoys spending quality time with her family.
Words that describe this painting: Universe, stars, sky, night, meditation, celestial, space, flow, movement, planets, reclining, expressionism, nature, people, acrylic painting, blue
Star Gazing...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
A soft mist drapes over the narrow streets of a traditional Vietnamese town, muting the colors of weathered buildings with faded shutters and moss-covered tiles...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
1970s Expressionist Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Srinivas Kathoju captures the beauty of vast open fields, mountains, and distant horizons in this painting. Sweeping clouds fill the sky, reflecting th...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Art
Acrylic, Paper, Watercolor
1920s Expressionist Art
Etching
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1970s Expressionist Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Lacquer, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Satin Paper
Late 20th Century Expressionist Art
Woodcut
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Coffee, Mixed Media
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1970s Expressionist Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Neon Light, Acrylic
1970s Expressionist Art
Paper, Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Ballpoint Pen, Paper
Early 20th Century Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1980s Expressionist Art
Paper, Pastel
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Paint, Cotton Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Board
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1960s Expressionist Art
Paper, Gouache
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1980s Expressionist Art
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1920s Expressionist Art
Woodcut
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Board, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Satin Paper
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Satin Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Paper, Acrylic
1970s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Ink, Handmade Paper
Late 20th Century Expressionist Art
Gouache, Oil Pastel
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil