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.
The voyage
By Renate Dollinger
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist: Renate Dollinger (German/American, born 1924) Title: The Voyage Year: Circa 1970 Medium: Gouache and watercolor Paper: Watercolor Image size: 15.5 x 21.5 inches Signature: ...
Watercolor
Flowers in a Vase, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A variety of flowers spring from a white vase, their shapes and orientations creating a lively sense of movement. The background accentuates the freshness of th...
Acrylic
Field melody
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this piece, I've encapsulated the serene interplay of nature's symphony and the tranquil sights of the countryside. Notice how the storks atop the hay bales serve as conductors of...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard, Giclée
Venice 3
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this fervent composition, I melded acrylics and oils to capture Venice's aura, blending realism's clarity with impressionism's vigor and expressionism's raw emotion. Each stroke e...
Oil, Acrylic, Cardboard
"Naturamorta con fiori " cm. 70 x 52 Olio su tavola di legno 1970 ca
By Enzo FARAONI
Located in Torino, IT
natura morta con bellissima cornice in legno Enzo FARAONI (S. Stefano Magra, La Spezia, 1920/2017) Signed top right Enzo Faraoni is a great painter and engraver from Florence; he e...
Wood, Oil
$2,300Sale Price|42% Off
Bernard Lorjou "Pirouette au Galop" 1978 Expressionist Woodcut, Signed, H.C. Edn
Located in Miami, FL
BERNARD LORJOU – "PIROUETTE AU GALOP" ⚜ Woodcut ⚜ Hand Signed Lower Left ⚜ Numbered H.C. from the Edition of 80 ⚜ Conservation Frame ENERGY AND DRAMA FROM “LE CIRQUE” Created in 197...
Woodcut
$2,200
"4 Koi 22" - Brightly Colored Koi Fish Underwater - red/orange/yellow/blue/green
By Linda Holt
Located in Wellesley, MA
"4 Koi 22" is a complex work of koi fish swimming underwater filled with light and brilliant color painted in a lush and fluid style bordering on abstraction. Fish are in shades o...
Canvas, Oil
Man with Hat (After Van Gogh), Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A man wearing a white hat and blue uniform rests his hands on his chin. Loosely based on Vincent van Gogh's work, this painting adopts a looser and freer execut...
Acrylic
Portraits Erotic Vignettes French Israeli Surrealist Aquatint Etching Le Colonel
Located in Surfside, FL
Etching and Aquatint with embossing featuring a clock, the colonel, a nude woman undressing and a figure. This is numbered by hand in pencil and signed in pencil. Zwy Milshtein (Zvi ...
Etching, Aquatint
Fantasy with Flowers 13
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Fantasy with Flowers" (series of 200+ pictures) paper 59x42cm On the paper acrylic, oil pastel, felt-tip pen, ink, gold leaf, pencils, silver,mixed media. Flowers are a smile of ...
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Archival Paper
$14,000
Two Men Fighters Figurative Expressionist Oil Painting on Canvas, Framed, 1992
By Erwin Guillermo
Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL
Two Men Fighters 1992 Artist signed and dated lower left, also signed and titled on verso. Erwin Guillermo was born in Guatemala City in 1951. He is one of the best representatives of Guatemalan Art...
Canvas, Oil
Roger VAN GINDERTAEL. Paris street view. Charcoal drawing. Signed / dated 1928.
By Roger Van Gindertaal
Located in Paris, FR
Paris street view. Charcoal drawing. Signed and dated 1928. This drawing is from the best period of this interesting artist. Roger van Gindertael was a...
Charcoal
Romance in Paris 55X40 oil on canvas
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this oil painting, I've captured the essence of love and beauty inspired by the enchanting city of Paris. The vivid, soft brushstrokes of the blooming roses in the foreground are ...
Canvas, Oil
Blue Pond 30X30
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this piece, I poured my emotions into the delicate balance between tranquility and fleeting movement. The shimmering water lilies float gently, capturing the quiet moments of refl...
Canvas, Oil
Mirando al Cielo 10 - Renaissance Style Landscape Photography Dreamscape Birds
By Rosa Basurto
Located in Brighton, GB
Mirando al Cielo 10 is a beautiful 30cm x 30cm Digital Print on 50cm x 50cm Cotton Paper. This is a Limited Edition of 9 + 2 Artist Proofs in this size. In this landscape image, a b...
Photographic Paper, Digital, C Print, Color
Little Red Riding Hood 60X40 oil
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this oil painting, I've melded expressionism with touches of impressionism and realism to capture a moment of serene companionship amidst nature's downpour. The vivid red umbrella...
Canvas, Oil
Paris : Tribute to Louvre Museum with Orange Scratch - Original etching
Located in Paris, IDF
Arnulf Rainer (1929) Paris : Tribute to Louvre Museum with Orange Scratch Original etching On vellum 40 x 50 cm (c. 16 x 20 in) Authenticated with the blind stamp of the editor Cha...
Etching
BIRD 19
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this piece, I've melded acrylic and oil to capture the frailty yet resilience of nature, through a burst of textured strokes embodying both expressionism and impressionism. The ey...
Oil, Acrylic, Cardboard
Malcesine on Lake Garda by Gustav Klimt, Das Werk landscape collotype, 1908-1912
By Gustav Klimt
Located in Chicago, IL
Original collotype created from Gustav Klimt’s Malcesine on Lake Garda, painted in 1913. Published and edited by Verlag H.O. Miethke and printed by k.k. Hof- und Staatsdruckerei, Vienna, in an edition of 300. Between 1908 and 1914, H.O. Miethke published Das Werk Gustav Klimts...
Paper
Strength - NYC Architecture Photography, 36"x52", Signed Limited Edition of 5
By Viet Chu
Located in New York, NY
" I wanted to find a symbol of strength and resiliency for NYC and through the framing of the Empire State Building by the Manhattan Bridge, and I believe it is represented here. The...
Archival Pigment
$4,666
Giorgio de Chirico (1888–1978) – Hand-coloured lithograph on paper – 1969
Located in Varese, IT
Hand-coloured lithograph on paper, edited in 1969. Limited edition, numbered as P.d.A. colorata a mano dall'artista - (Prova d'Artista) (Artist's Proof) in lower left corner. Titled ...
Paper, Lithograph
Sunflowers 40X30
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
Imbued with the warmth of a golden hour, my brushstrokes capture the essence of sun-kissed petals and the dance of light on leaves. This expression of nature's joy and resilience, wi...
Canvas, Oil
Zebra in profile
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this expressionistic oil painting, I captured the intricate lines and soulful demeanor of a zebra, employing a palette that evokes a sense of both vintage and timelessness. With e...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
Summer Bouquet – Vibrant Floral Impressionist Painting on Canvas
Located in Zofingen, AG
“Summer Bouquet” – Vibrant Floral Impressionist Painting on Canvas Bring the beauty of summer into your home with this stunning hand-painted floral artwork titled “Summer Bouquet.” ...
Oil
The balance of love. 30X60 oil.
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this oil painting, I've passionately melded expressionism with realism to evoke the intimate harmony shared between two souls amidst nature's embrace. The tranquil scenery and sof...
Canvas, Oil
Sunny flowers 3D (24X18)
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this oil creation, I've poured my passion into every stroke, bringing the vibrancy of sunlit flowers to life. It's a fusion of expressionist energy and impressionist grace, with a...
Canvas, Oil
$5,432Sale Price|20% Off
Gentle Breeze Through Olive Trees
Located in Coltishall, GB
Gentle breeze through olive trees was inspired by Rachaels 2022 trip to Turkey where she enjoyed beautful walks and wonderful food with her family and friends. Rachael Dalzell's pai...
Canvas, Wood, Acrylic
Field herbs of Provence 30X40 oil.
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
With each brushstroke, I sought to capture the essence of wild, untamed beauty. This piece, alive with color and emotion, embodies the vibrancy found in nature's own canvas. Each pop...
Canvas, Oil
$1,959
The one inside. Self awareness, yoga, mindfulness, warm colors, man and a bird
Located in Oslo, NO
The painting "The One Inside" from the Alter Ego series, shows a man with a bird beside him and a strange creature emerging from his chest. The scene is quiet but tense, with soft, ...
Canvas, Oil
Dawn in Paris 50X50 oil on canvas
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this vibrant oil painting, I've captured the romance of twilight caressing Paris. My brushstrokes convey the dynamic energy of day giving way to night, as the sky blushes with war...
Canvas, Oil
Parade Large Oil Painting
By Jürgen Görg
Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL
"Parade" Oil, graphite on linen canvas, canvas 46x39 with frame 63x55. Jurgen Gorg was born in 1951 in Dernbach Germany. His formative years were spent in Koblentz, before moving ...
Linen, Oil, Graphite
$1,026Sale Price|20% Off
Fencers. Figurative Oil Painting, Olympic Games, Sport, Realistic, Polish artist
Located in Warsaw, PL
The painting shows sword fighting, which is one of the official sports of the Olympic Games. The fencing fights have a spectacular character, perfectly captured in the painting by Do...
Canvas, Oil
Dandelions at sunrise 70X90
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
When I get to work with dandelions, I associate them with our wonderful, beautiful and fragile, like a crystal world. The magic field of solar dandelions from which it is impossible ...
Canvas, Oil
Sunny dandelions 50X70
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work symbolizes our wonderful, beautiful and fragile, like a crystal world. The magic field of solar dandelions from which it is impossible to take your eyes off. A short moment...
Canvas, Oil
Mosque / - The Expression of Architecture -
Located in Berlin, DE
Walter Dexel (1890 Munich – 1973 Braunschweig), Mosque, 1916. Watercolor woodcut on handmade paper, 15.5 cm x 10 cm (image), 29 cm x 22.3 cm (sheet size), signed “WDexel 16” in penci...
Paper
Fantasy with Flowers 17
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Fantasy with Flowers" (series of 200+ pictures) paper 59x42cm On the paper acrylic, oil pastel, felt-tip pen, ink, gold leaf, pencils, silver,mixed media. Flowers are a smile of ...
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Archival Paper
A Moment to Remember, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A stand of trees rises in the distance, its leaves presenting the colors of autumn. The thin clouds in the sky and wispy grass in the foreground create a sense ...
Oil
Brokenbrow - Rare Book Illustrated by George Grosz - 1926
By George Grosz
Located in Roma, IT
Brokenbrow is an original modern rare book written by Ernst Toller (Szamocin, 1893 – New York, 1939) and illustrated by George Grosz (Berlin, 1823 - 1959, Berlin) in 1926. Original ...
Paper
DER SCHATTEN II - Rich Drypoint - 1st State
Located in Santa Monica, CA
MAX PECHSTEIN (1881 -1955) DER SCHATTEN II 1918 (Knupp 79, Fecher 143 I/ii) Rich drypoint, signed and annotated, FIRST STATE. Image: 8 1/4 x 6 inches on japan paper; 15 x 11 1/4 i...
Drypoint
Expressionist Gouache and Watercolour Study for 'Alexander and His Army'.
Located in Cotignac, FR
French late 20th century watercolour and gouache study for the series 'Alexander and His Army' by Stephane Lovighi-Bourgogne. Presented in plain wood frame. A strong and forceful de...
Paper, Watercolor, Gouache
Fantasy with Flowers 21
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Fantasy with Flowers" (series of 200+ pictures) paper 41x58cm On the paper acrylic, oil pastel, felt-tip pen, ink, gold leaf, pencils, silver,mixed media. Flowers are a smile of ...
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Archival Paper
$2,194Sale Price|20% Off
Mid Century French Expressionist Signed Oil Sun over Landscape with Cottage
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist/ School: French School, signed and dated Title: Expressionist landscape Medium: oil on board Size: 6.5 x 9 inches Provenance: private collection, France Condition: The ...
Oil
Christmas Bullfinch Breakfast
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this painting, I captured a vibrant bullfinch amidst a tranquil winter scene, its rich red breast contrasting beautifully against the soft blue backdrop. Employing oils, I strived...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
Sunny day in Venice
Located in Zofingen, AG
Town. The beauty of cities is different: there are cities with museums, such as Rome, Paris. Where to look at beautiful architecture! There are also small provincial towns where lif...
Oil, Acrylic, Cardboard
Ben ZIon Expressionist Judaica Rabbi Watercolor Painting Jewish Modernist WPA
Located in Surfside, FL
Frame measures 13.5 X 11.5 Paper measures 6.5 X 5 inches Hand signed lower right Watercolor painting of prophet or Rabbi, Judaica artwork Born in 1897, Ben-Zion Weinman celebrated h...
Paper, Watercolor
Irises on Blue
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this painting, I sought to capture the ephemeral beauty of irises, using vibrant strokes of acrylic and oil to express their dynamic, almost lively forms against a vivid blue back...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Fantasy with Flowers 10
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Fantasy with Flowers" (series of 200+ pictures) paper 59x42cm On the paper acrylic, oil pastel, felt-tip pen, ink, gold leaf, pencils, silver,mixed media. Flowers are a smile of ...
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Archival Paper
$1,026
Expressionist Female Portrait, Indian Ink Drawing on Paper, Seated Woman, 1994
Located in NANTES, FR
This Chinese ink on paper drawing by Menachem Gueffen, executed in 1994, depicts a seated female figure rendered through fluid, spontaneous lines. The carefully articulated face cont...
Paper, India Ink
Meneses coast original watercolor paper expressionist painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
coast original watercolor paper expressionist painting. This Catalan painter, settled for years in Mallorca, offers a series of landscapes in which the natural is treated in the imp...
Watercolor, Handmade Paper
Green day, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By LE ANH TUAN
Located in Yardley, PA
Flowers in the morning dew The most beautiful flowers are in the early morning. When the dawn just dawned, the petals began to gradually bloom, with the water lily, the lotus in ...
Acrylic
Le Vieux Saltimbanque (The Old Acrobat)
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Le Vieux Saltimbanque (The Old Acrobat) drypoint on wove Van Gelder Zonen paper, 1933 Unsigned as issued Condition: Excellent Image size: 5 x 4 3/4 inches Sheet size: 10 1/2 x 7 15/1...
Drypoint
Stump Pond, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A winter storm enlivens this simple tableau of Massachusetts in twilight. Snow contrasts with the bridge and road bank, while bringing clarity to the reflection...
Acrylic
$650
Raventos Litle Vertical Roma original expressionist acrylic painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Roma original expressionist acrylic painting RAVENTÓS Mª Assumpció – (San Sadurní d’Anoia, Barcelona 1930). Raventos trained at the elite Sant Jordi School of Fine Arts in Barcelona....
Mixed Media, Acrylic
Figure Study, Expressionist Lithograph by Alberto Giacometti
Located in Long Island City, NY
Alberto Giacometti, Swiss (1901 - 1966) - Figure Study from Derriere Le Miroir no. 127, Year: 1961, Medium: Lithograph, Edition: ~2500, Size: 15 x 11 in. (38.1 x 27.94 cm), Publi...
Lithograph
A rural landscape
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this piece, I've channeled raw emotions through vibrant brushstrokes, capturing the essence of a rural landscape. With each dab of oil paint, I've intertwined impressionist flair ...
Canvas, Linen, Oil
'The St. James’ Church in Bruges, 1941' by Henri Victor Wolvens (1896 – 1977)
Located in Knokke, BE
Henri Victor Wolvens Brussels 1896 – 1977 Bruges Belgian Painter 'The St. James’ Church in Bruges, 1941' Signature: signed lower right and dated 'H. V. Wolvens 1941'; verso titled ...
Oil, Canvas
BALL
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this vibrant fusion of acrylics and oils, I've captured the playful innocence of youth through bold, impressionistic strokes. Blending naive charm with pop art flavors, it's a whi...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Montull Patio Terrace Garden Flowers oil canvas expressionist painting
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Patio. Original oil canvas expressionist painting
Oil
$817Sale Price|20% Off
1950’s French Expressionist Oil Dusk Landscape House & Bare Trees
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The House amongst Trees French Expressionist painter, mid 20th century oil painting on canvas, unframed painting: 10 x 13 inches provenance: private collection, France condition: o...
Canvas, Oil
Fantasy with Flowers 7
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Fantasy with Flowers" (series of 200+ pictures) paper 54x40cm On the paper acrylic, oil pastel, felt-tip pen, ink, gold leaf, pencils, silver,mixed media. Flowers are a smile of ...
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Archival Paper