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Expressionist Art

EXPRESSIONIST STYLE

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.

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Style: Expressionist
5 Waiting for the Tide  Venice Biennale 2026 Project
5 Waiting for the Tide  Venice Biennale 2026 Project

5 Waiting for the Tide Venice Biennale 2026 Project

By Elena Lukina

Located in Zofingen, AG

THE PROJECT: INDEPENDENT PAVILION VENICE 2026 This work is a cornerstone of the "In Minor Keys: The Turquoise Silence" series — a large-scale artistic manifesto created specifically ...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Linen

Paris Street Scene, Expressionist Cityscape Oil Painting
Paris Street Scene, Expressionist Cityscape Oil Painting

Paris Street Scene, Expressionist Cityscape Oil Painting

By Adolfo Carducci

Located in Genève, GE

Dimensions with frame: 47 x 34 x 3,5 cm. Signed "A Carducci" in the lower right corner. A vibrant and expressive depiction of a Parisian street scene, animated by pedestrians, shopfronts, and early automobiles under a lively urban atmosphere. The composition captures the dynamic rhythm of city life, with figures moving through a bustling intersection framed by Haussmannian architecture. Executed with bold, gestural brushwork and a richly textured surface, the painting emphasizes movement, light, and immediacy over fine detail. The artist employs a dynamic palette of warm browns, greys, and ochres, punctuated by vivid accents of red, yellow, and blue, bringing energy and depth to the scene. The wet pavement and reflections suggest recent rain, enhancing the sense of atmosphere and modernity. The buildings are rendered with a semi-abstract approach, their forms slightly distorted through expressive handling, aligning the work with Post-Impressionist and early Expressionist tendencies. This painting reflects the vitality of early 20th century Paris, appealing to collectors of modernist cityscapes, Parisian subjects, and expressive urban painting. paris street scene painting, scène de rue à paris, paris cityscape oil painting...

Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Cardboard

The Port of Honfleur, Oil on Canvas, Expressionist, Framed, 1958
The Port of Honfleur, Oil on Canvas, Expressionist, Framed, 1958

The Port of Honfleur, Oil on Canvas, Expressionist, Framed, 1958

Located in London, GB

'The Port of Honfleur, France', oil on canvas, by Julien Varlet (1958). A vibrant and evocative harbour scene from the historic port city of Honfleur in Normandy, France. Colourful, ...

Category

1950s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Woman Desired by Man" original woodcut
"Woman Desired by Man" original woodcut

"Woman Desired by Man" original woodcut

By Max Pechstein

Located in Henderson, NV

Medium: original woodcut. Printed in 1920 for the Deutsche Graphiker der Gegenwart portfolio, and published in Leipzig by Klinkhardt & Biermann in an edition of 500. Catalogue re...

Category

1920s Expressionist Art

Materials

Woodcut

David's Journey
David's Journey

David's Journey

By Joshua Salami

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

"David's Journey" by Joshua Salami is a captivating artwork that beautifully encapsulates the spirit of a young man embarking on a profound voyage of self-discovery, passion, and vis...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Mediterranean Village of Mallorca oil on canvas painting
Mediterranean Village of Mallorca oil on canvas painting

Mediterranean Village of Mallorca oil on canvas painting

Located in Sitges, Barcelona

Artist: Bernat Sanjuan i Tarré (Barcelona, 1915 – Deià, Mallorca, 1979) Title: Mediterranean Village of Mallorca Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 65 × 92 cm (25.6 × 36.2 in) Framed:...

Category

1950s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Exploring Every Path 4 Magdalena Morey, Original Contemporary Impressionist Art
Exploring Every Path 4 Magdalena Morey, Original Contemporary Impressionist Art

Exploring Every Path 4 Magdalena Morey, Original Contemporary Impressionist Art

By Magdalena Morey

Located in Deddington, GB

Magdalena Morey Exploring Every Path 4 Original Cubist Inspired Landscape Painting Mixed Media on Canvas Canvas Size: H 30cm x W 30cm x D 3.5cm Sold Unframed (Please note that in sit...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Pastel, Paper, Ink, Acrylic, Watercolor

"In Flight" (Auf der Flucht) original lithograph

"In Flight" (Auf der Flucht) original lithograph

By Alfred Kubin

Located in Henderson, NV

Medium: original lithograph. Printed in 1920 on smooth wove paper for the Deutsche Graphiker der Gegenwart portfolio, and published in Leipzig by Klinkhardt & Biermann in an edit...

Category

1920s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Sea. Sailboat.
Sea. Sailboat.

Sea. Sailboat.

By Elena Lukina

Located in Zofingen, AG

In this piece, I sought to capture the serene dance between sky and sea, interspersed with the graceful ballet of a sailboat. Infused with the essence of expressionism and the delica...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Cardboard, Giclée

Marc Chagall, The Celebration, from Homer, The Odyssey, 1989 (after)
Marc Chagall, The Celebration, from Homer, The Odyssey, 1989 (after)

Marc Chagall, The Celebration, from Homer, The Odyssey, 1989 (after)

By Marc Chagall

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph after Marc Chagall (1887–1985), titled Das Fest (The Celebration), from Homer, Die Odyssee (The Odyssey), originates from the 1989 German-language folio published by Daco-Verlag Gunter Blase, Stuttgart, and printed by Lichtdruck AG, Zurich, Dielsdorf, September 1989. This authorized edition, issued under the direction of Vava Chagall, presents one of Chagall’s most joyful and expressive interpretations of Homer’s epic. In Das Fest, Chagall transforms the revelry of ancient feasts into a luminous vision of human connection, music, and harmony, rendered with his signature lyricism and dreamlike color palette. Executed on 250 g/m² Butten Papierwerke Miliani AG, Fabriano paper, this lithograph measures 14.88 x 11.69 inches. Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. The edition exemplifies the exceptional quality and precision of Lichtdruck AG’s craftsmanship, reproducing the depth and richness of Chagall’s original lithographs with remarkable fidelity. Artwork Details: Artist: After Marc Chagall (1887–1985) Title: Das Fest (The Celebration), from Homer, Die Odyssee (The Odyssey), 1989 Medium: Lithograph on 250 g/m² Butten Papierwerke Miliani AG, Fabriano paper Dimensions: 14.88 x 11.69 inches Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued Date: 1989 Publisher: Daco-Verlag Gunter Blase, Stuttgart Printer: Lichtdruck AG, Zurich, Dielsdorf Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium Provenance: From the folio Homer, Die Odyssee (The Odyssey), Daco-Verlag Gunter Blase, Stuttgart, 1989 Notes: Excerpted from the folio (translated from German), Imprint—The French edition, L'Odyssée, with the original lithographs by Marc Chagall was published in 1974/75 in a CCL-example edition by Fernand Mourlot, Paris. In 1989, with the authorization of Mrs. Vava Chagall, the German-language edition of the Odyssey in two volumes was published by Daco-Verlag Gunter Blase, Stuttgart. Volume I contains the songs I - XII with XX color plates, including IV on double pages and XIX gray printed reproductions in the text. Volume II contains the songs XIII - XXIV with XXIII color plates, including II on double pages and XX gray printed reproductions in the text. For the German text, the prose translation by Wolfgang Schadewaldt was chosen with the permission of Rowohlt Taschenbuch Verlag, Reinbek near Hamburg. Set design in the Berthold Garamond Antiqua by F+M Bauer...

Category

1980s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Low tide by Richard Blades. Oil painting. Sunset over the sea. Turner influence
Low tide by Richard Blades. Oil painting. Sunset over the sea. Turner influence

Low tide by Richard Blades. Oil painting. Sunset over the sea. Turner influence

By Richard K Blades

Located in Coltishall, GB

Richard K Blades mesmerizing oil painting captures the ethereal beauty of a sunset over a tranquil sea. The sky, painted in vivid hues of orange and crimson, seamlessly blends with s...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Board

H.O. Miethke Das Werk folio "Judith I" collotype print
H.O. Miethke Das Werk folio "Judith I" collotype print

H.O. Miethke Das Werk folio "Judith I" collotype print

Judith I, no. 9 from the second installment of Das Werk Gustav Klimts Much like his treatment of the Classical personage, Danae, from Greek mythology, Klimt’s depiction of Judith takes an Old Testament character, a heroine who avenges the death of her husband by killing an Assyrian king, and firmly positions her in his present-day Vienna. His multicolored collotype rips the canvas from its gilded frame which directly references the subject with its title: “Judith und Holofernes”. Now in print form, Judith, holding the severed head of a male in murky shadow, is the ultimate Viennese femme fatale. Her likeness is unmistakably similar to a former lover of Klimt’s and famous Viennese soprano, Anna von Mildenburg. Though his allusion to ancient Assyria is apt, Klimt literally lifted the gold patterned background’s design motif from a relief detail from Sennacherib’s Palace displayed in a London museum. His context then is contemporary. In a sensual and sexually powerful tour de force, Klimt’s Judith...

Category

Early 1900s Expressionist Art

Materials

Paper, Ink

Don't Rush Life 3 - 21st Century Contemporary Figurative, Portrait, Africa, Men
Don't Rush Life 3 - 21st Century Contemporary Figurative, Portrait, Africa, Men

Don't Rush Life 3 - 21st Century Contemporary Figurative, Portrait, Africa, Men

By Elijah Olanase

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

Where am from Bandana was once a common style, we called it Big Boy Style, then it's seem to me like a style or fashion only, because our elder brothers only allowed to used it but n...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Where The Body Breaks The Line - 21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, People

Where The Body Breaks The Line - 21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, People

By Emmanuel Ojebola

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity About Artist Emma...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Coffee, Mixed Media

Coral tulips 1
Coral tulips 1

Coral tulips 1

By Elena Lukina

Located in Zofingen, AG

In this piece, I poured my soul into capturing the vibrant energy and delicate beauty of tulips. Through bold brushstrokes and rich oil hues, I aimed to evoke warmth and resilience. ...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Cardboard

Vintage Modernist Beach Sunset Vibrantly Toned Seascape Oil Painting
Vintage Modernist Beach Sunset Vibrantly Toned Seascape Oil Painting

Vintage Modernist Beach Sunset Vibrantly Toned Seascape Oil Painting

Located in Buffalo, NY

Vintage French expressionist beach scene. Framed. Measuring: 10 by 15 inches overall and 4 by 9 painting alone. Signed. Excellent condition, ready to hang and enjoy.

Category

20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Board

Les Quais a Venise
Les Quais a Venise

Les Quais a Venise

By Jean Jansem

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist: Jean Jansem (French/Armenian, 1920-2013) Title: Les Quais a Venise Year: 1966 Medium: Color lithograph Edition: Numbered 127/160 in pencil Paper: Arches paper Image size: 18....

Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

What Does The Future Hold 1 -21st Century Contemporary, Portrait, Modern Fashion

What Does The Future Hold 1 -21st Century Contemporary, Portrait, Modern Fashion

By Afolayan Emmanuel

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issued by the Gal...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Two Woodsmen, Original Painting
Two Woodsmen, Original Painting

Two Woodsmen, Original Painting

By Robert Hofherr

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Two woodsmen stand in a sunlit spring forest in this Fauvist painting. The figures balance the large tree trunks and dense foliage around them. Bright colors an...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

The Negro Speaks of Rivers, Sunrise Is Coming After While
The Negro Speaks of Rivers, Sunrise Is Coming After While

The Negro Speaks of Rivers, Sunrise Is Coming After While

By Phoebe Beasley

Located in Southampton, NY

Silkscreen on vélin d’Arches paper. Paper Size: 14 x 11 inches. Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Notes: From the folio, Bookmarks in the Pages of Life, 1998. Published by The Limited Editions Club, New York; printed by Drexel Press, Inc. Long Island City, 1998. Excerpted from the folio, CCC examples, designed, hand-set in Monotype Perpetua, printed, and hand-bound by Michael and Winifred Bixler, Skaneateles, New York. Paper made in France at Arches. Silkscreens printed by the Drexel Press, Inc. Long Island City, New York. PHOEBE BEASLEY...

Category

1990s Expressionist Art

Materials

Screen

Cul de Sac
Cul de Sac

Cul de Sac

By Alexandre Minguet

Located in San Francisco, CA

This artwork titled "Cul de Sac" is an original color lithograph by French artist Alexandre Minguet, 1937-1996. The image size is 7 x 11 inches, framed size is 17.35 x 21.5 inches. I...

Category

Late 20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Farm Garden Sunflowers by Gustav Klimt, Das Werk lifetime collotype, 1908-1912
Farm Garden Sunflowers by Gustav Klimt, Das Werk lifetime collotype, 1908-1912

Farm Garden Sunflowers by Gustav Klimt, Das Werk lifetime collotype, 1908-1912

By Gustav Klimt

Located in Chicago, IL

Original collotype created from Gustav Klimt’s Farm Garden With Sunflowers, 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...

Category

Early 1900s Expressionist Art

Materials

Paper

EVENING (SELF PORTRAIT with the Battenbergs)
EVENING (SELF PORTRAIT with the Battenbergs)

EVENING (SELF PORTRAIT with the Battenbergs)

By Max Beckmann

Located in Santa Monica, CA

MAX BECKMANN (German 1884 - 1950) EVENING (Self-Portrait with the Battenbergs) 1916, (Hofmaier 90: Gallwitz 67) Etching and drypoint, Plate 10 from the portfolio Gesichter (Faces)...

Category

1910s Expressionist Art

Materials

Drypoint, Etching

Portrait of a Young Boy
Portrait of a Young Boy

Portrait of a Young Boy

By Cuno Amiet 1

Located in San Francisco, CA

This artwork titled "Portrait of a Young Boy" 1949 is an original lithograph by Swiss artist Cuno Amiet, 1868-1961. It is hand signed and numbered 12/200 in...

Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Resilience -21st Century Contemporary Figurative Portrait, Woman against Nature
Resilience -21st Century Contemporary Figurative Portrait, Woman against Nature

Resilience -21st Century Contemporary Figurative Portrait, Woman against Nature

By Ogunleke Festus Abiodun

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Ogu...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Marc Chagall, Untitled, from The Lithographs of Chagall, 1974
Marc Chagall, Untitled, from The Lithographs of Chagall, 1974

Marc Chagall, Untitled, from The Lithographs of Chagall, 1974

By Marc Chagall

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph by Marc Chagall (1887–1985), titled Sans titre (Untitled), from the album The Lithographs of Chagall, Volume IV, originates from the 1974 edition published ...

Category

1970s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Tulips Red 3
Tulips Red 3

Tulips Red 3

Located in Zofingen, AG

"Tulips Red 3" bursts with life, a vivid floral painting where passion blooms in every detail. Red tulips take center stage, their vibrant hues energized by touches of blue, yellow, ...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Archival Paper

Expressionist art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Expressionist art available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add art created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of orange, blue, purple, green and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Iryna Kastsova, George Grosz, Stephen Basso, and Marc Chagall. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Oil Paint and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Expressionist art, so small editions measuring 1 inches across are also available.