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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Artist Comments
The Empire State Building rises with bold and vibrant strokes. The minimalist lines and blurry contrasts capture the dynamic spirit of New York City. It reflect...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
Bold colors bring the towering Empire State Building to life. Minimal lines and dynamic hues convey constant motion, reflecting the unstoppable spirit of New Yo...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Art
Archival Pigment
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Ink
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1910s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1970s Expressionist Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Tall pine trees rise over the dunes of Asilomar Beach on the Monterey Peninsula. Patches of pink, orange, and white ice plants dominate the foreground. The vi...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
1920s Expressionist Art
Linocut
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Oil
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1920s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
20th Century Expressionist Art
Etching
1970s Expressionist Art
Oil
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art
Paper, Watercolor
Late 20th Century Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1960s Expressionist Art
Etching
20th Century Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Acrylic
20th Century Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1930s Expressionist Art
Color, Aquatint
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Early 20th Century Expressionist Art
Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1920s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
Artist Comments
A colorful tree stands alone in an open field under a clear blue sky. The orange, yellow, and red leaves create a focal point against the soft, expansive back...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Color Pencil
1920s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Acrylic, Cardboard
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
1960s Expressionist Art
Etching
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1920s Expressionist Art
Offset, Lithograph
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Ceramic
20th Century Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1990s Expressionist Art
Acrylic
1920s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art
Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1920s Expressionist Art
Drypoint, Etching, Aquatint
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Acrylic
1970s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil