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.
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1970s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Expressionist Art
Bronze
1950s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1950s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1960s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
This dramatic coastal scene depicts the mood of summer rains. Wispy grasses stretch across the foreground, while warm tones soften patches of the shore. Above, ...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1960s Expressionist Art
Etching
20th Century Expressionist Art
Oil
1950s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1970s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1950s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century Expressionist Art
Oil Pastel, Gouache
1950s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1950s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art
Lithograph
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Linen, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1920s Expressionist Art
Lithograph, Offset
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
Artist Comments
A pink rose blooms on a background filled with black ink marks and pastel colors. It shows how beauty can thrive, even in the darkest of times. Artist Dafni Milan...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Mixed Media
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Screen
1920s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Waves gently roll towards the shore, reflecting shades of blue and green under a bright sky. Tall grasses in the foreground sway lightly, adding texture to th...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Oil
1920s Expressionist Art
Lithograph, Offset
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1980s Expressionist Art
Screen
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1930s Expressionist Art
Ink, Mixed Media
2010s Expressionist Art
Paper, Watercolor
Artist Comments
A gray sky looms over the distant ocean, while wisps of grass emerge from the foreground. The rugged sand contrasts with the gentle waves. Earthy browns and g...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Oil
Late 20th Century Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1950s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
1950s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Etching
2010s Expressionist Art
Mixed Media, Gouache, Cardboard, Handmade Paper, Felt Pen
20th Century Expressionist Art
Paper, Pencil
Artist Comments
A vast, colorful sky stretches over an abstracted city. Artist Diana Elena Chelaru has intentionally minimized the buildings, letting the sky feel limitless. ...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
Early 20th Century Expressionist Art
Paper, Gouache, Cardboard
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Lithograph
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art
Oil
1960s Expressionist Art
Oil, Masonite
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Screen
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Wood, Acrylic
Late 20th Century Expressionist Art
Paper, Crayon
Artist Comments
Orange poppies bloom under a mystical sky while four buds await to display their petals. Their bright colors radiate a passionate energy. Artist Yelena Sidoro...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Mixed Media
1960s Expressionist Art
Color, Lithograph
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Mixed Media, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Mixed Media
1960s Expressionist Art
Bronze




