Skip to main content

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.

to
850
1,960
1,089
1,108
849
944
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
1
47
2,804
3,105
99
132
356
109
83
176
453
286
267
189
1
116,887
64,049
56,409
28,549
14,676
9,609
6,701
4,190
3,161
2,494
2,381
2,151
608
3,226
1,989
641
2,540
1,578
1,559
989
732
429
410
396
366
320
296
274
266
228
197
159
137
109
108
98
3,733
2,220
1,893
1,831
1,366
305
87
72
59
52
1,197
439
2,981
2,164
Style: Expressionist
BLACK FACE
BLACK FACE

BLACK FACE

By Karel Appel

Located in Santa Monica, CA

KAREL APPEL (1921 - 2006) BLACK FACE, 1969 Lithograph in colors signed in pencil. Edition 26/75, Image: 19 3/4 x 25 1/4, sheet: 22 x 30 inches. Just hint of a mat line Appel was a member of the Cobra art movement

Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Pagoda, Oil Painting
Pagoda, Oil Painting

Pagoda, Oil Painting

By Naoko Tadotsu

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A tulip poplar towers like a golden pagoda on a beautiful sunny day. The pastel light from the sky reflects its warm glow on the tree. The artwork evokes a jo...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

Horses of  Branges

Horses of Branges

By André Brasilier

Located in New York, NY

The condition is excellent and ready to hang. A photo certificate accompanies this painting and will be included in the forth coming catalogue raisonne. Signed lower right, and dated...

Category

1990s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

Souvenir of Resilience 3 -21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait Fashion
Souvenir of Resilience 3 -21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait Fashion

Souvenir of Resilience 3 -21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait Fashion

By Gobe Joseph

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 Gob...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Mid Century French Expressionist Oil on Canvas, Vers La Durance
Mid Century French Expressionist Oil on Canvas, Vers La Durance

Mid Century French Expressionist Oil on Canvas, Vers La Durance

Located in Cotignac, FR

French Expressionist oil on canvas of a river and mountain landscape by Gisele Grant-Gapail. The painting is initialled bottom right, signed and dated to the back of the canvas and t...

Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Woman in a Red Dress

Woman in a Red Dress

By Béla Czóbel

Located in Chicago, IL

In an article published in Le Figaro (Paris, March 19, 1964), Raymond Cogniat comments on Czóbel’s unique artistic style. He writes: “...Czóbel, who arrived Paris in the first years...

Category

1940s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Marc Chagall, Saint-Germain of the Fields, from Derriere le miroir, 1954
Marc Chagall, Saint-Germain of the Fields, from Derriere le miroir, 1954

Marc Chagall, Saint-Germain of the Fields, from Derriere le miroir, 1954

By Marc Chagall

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph by Marc Chagall (1887–1985), titled Saint-Germain des Pres (Saint-Germain of the Fields), from the folio Derriere le miroir, No. 67–68, originates from the 1954 edition published by Maeght Editeur, Paris, and printed by Mourlot Freres, Paris, 1954. Saint-Germain des Pres reflects Chagall’s poetic vision of Paris, capturing the neighborhood’s spiritual and cultural essence through his unique blend of memory, color, and imagination. The work embodies Chagall’s ability to transform the familiar into the transcendent, merging architectural harmony with human emotion and dreamlike symbolism. Executed as a lithograph on velin paper, this work measures 15 x 11 inches. Unsigned and unnumbered as issued. The edition exemplifies the superb craftsmanship of Mourlot Freres, Paris. Artwork Details: Artist: Marc Chagall (1887–1985) Title: Saint-Germain des Pres (Saint-Germain of the Fields), from the folio Derriere le miroir, No. 67–68 Medium: Lithograph on velin paper Dimensions: 15 x 11 inches (38.1 x 27.94 cm) Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered as issued Date: 1954 Publisher: Maeght Editeur, Paris Printer: Mourlot Freres, Paris Catalogue raisonne reference: Cramer, Patrick, and Meret Meyer. Marc Chagall: Catalogue Raisonne des Livres Illustres. Patrick Cramer Editeur, 1995, illustration 24; Mourlot, Fernand, and Marc Chagall. Chagall Lithographe I: 1922–1957. Andre Sauret, 1960, illustration 100. Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium Provenance: From the folio Derriere le miroir, No. 67–68, published by Maeght Editeur, Paris; printed by Mourlot Freres, Paris, 1954 Notes: On the occasion of the ‘Paris’ exhibition, Marc Chagall created for this triple issue of Derriere Le Miroir XII pages of Lithography. About the Publication: Derriere le miroir (Behind the Mirror) was one of the most important art publications of the 20th century, created and published by Maeght Editeur in Paris from 1946 to 1982. Founded by the visionary art dealer and publisher Aime Maeght, the series served as both an exhibition catalogue and a work of art in its own right, uniting original lithographs by leading modern and contemporary artists with critical essays, poetry, and design of the highest quality. Printed by master lithographers such as Mourlot Freres and Arte, Derriere le miroir became synonymous with the artistic vanguard of postwar Europe. Each issue was devoted to a single artist or theme and published to accompany exhibitions at the Galerie Maeght in Paris, featuring works by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Georges Braque, Joan Miro, Marc Chagall, Alexander Calder, Fernand Leger, and Alberto Giacometti, among others. The publication reflected Maeght’s belief that art should be both accessible and elevated—an ideal realized through its luxurious production values, meticulous printing, and collaboration with the greatest creative minds of its time. About the Artist: Marc Chagall (1887–1985) was a Belarus-born French painter, printmaker, and designer whose visionary imagination, radiant color, and deeply poetic symbolism made him one of the most beloved and influential artists of the 20th century. Rooted in the imagery of his Jewish heritage and the memories of his childhood in Vitebsk, Chagall’s art wove together themes of faith, love, folklore, and fantasy with a dreamlike modern sensibility. His unique style—merging elements of Cubism, Fauvism, Expressionism, and Surrealism—defied categorization, transforming ordinary scenes into lyrical meditations on memory and emotion. Influenced by Russian icon painting, medieval religious art, and the modern innovations of artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Georges Braque, Chagall developed a profoundly personal visual language filled with floating figures, vibrant animals, musicians, and lovers that symbolized the transcendent power of imagination and love. During his early years in Paris, he became an integral part of the Ecole de Paris circle, forming friendships with Amedeo Modigliani, Fernand Leger, and Sonia Delaunay, and his creative spirit resonated with that of his peers and successors—Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray—artists who, like Chagall, sought to push the boundaries of perception, emotion, and form. Over a prolific career that spanned painting, printmaking, stained glass, ceramics, and stage design, Chagall brought an unparalleled poetic sensibility to modern art, infusing even the most abstract subjects with human warmth and spiritual depth. His works are held in the most prestigious museums around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Centre Pompidou, the Tate, and the Guggenheim, where they continue to inspire generations of artists and collectors. The highest price ever paid for a Marc Chagall artwork is approximately 28.5 million USD, achieved in 2017 at Sotheby’s New York for Les Amoureux (1928). Marc Chagall Saint-Germain des Pres 1954, Chagall Saint-Germain of the Fields, Chagall Derriere le miroir No. 67–68, Chagall Mourlot lithograph, Chagall Maeght...

Category

1950s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

The Park, Expressionist Oil on Canvas, Framed, Circa 1920s, 66 cm
The Park, Expressionist Oil on Canvas, Framed, Circa 1920s, 66 cm

The Park, Expressionist Oil on Canvas, Framed, Circa 1920s, 66 cm

Located in London, GB

'The Park', oil on canvas, by M. Phidias (circa 1920s). Painted using this artist's trademark impasto, the effect is to add depth and texture to the exuberant display of hues and ref...

Category

1920s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Obìnrin Bí Òkúta (Women Like Stone) - 21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, Oil
Obìnrin Bí Òkúta (Women Like Stone) - 21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, Oil

Obìnrin Bí Òkúta (Women Like Stone) - 21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, Oil

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

Be Bold
Be Bold

Be Bold

By Adewuyi Theophilus

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

"Be Bold" is a striking piece that demands attention from the moment one sets eyes on it. The central figure, a woman with flowing blue hair, exudes an air of confidence and resilience. The blue hue not only serves as an aesthetic choice but also carries deeper significance, representing the freedom to break societal norms and embrace personal identity without fear. The composition is masterfully crafted, with bold brushstrokes and intricate details that draw the viewer into the artwork. The woman's piercing gaze locks with the observer, inviting them to explore their own journey of self-discovery and empowerment. Each stroke of Theophilus's brush seems to radiate energy and passion, capturing the spirit of the subject and infusing the artwork with a powerful presence. "Be Bold" serves as a powerful symbol of embracing individuality and embracing one's true self. The woman with blue hair stands as a representation of those who dare to be different, challenging societal expectations and norms. The vibrant blue color symbolizes freedom, confidence, and the courage to break free from conformity. In a world that often pressures individuals to fit into predefined molds, Theophilus's artwork is a reminder of the beauty and strength found in embracing one's unique qualities. "Be Bold" calls on viewers to celebrate their differences, encouraging them to step out of their comfort zones and express their true selves without hesitation or fear of judgment. The power of "Be Bold" lies in its ability to evoke a strong emotional response in those who experience it. The artwork serves as a catalyst for introspection, urging viewers to reflect on their own lives and choices. The confident and defiant gaze of the woman with blue hair prompts individuals to question their own limitations and seek the courage to break free from them. By inspiring viewers to be bold, Theophilus encourages self-empowerment and personal growth. Through his art, he instills a sense of pride and confidence, reminding us that our uniqueness is a strength to be celebrated, not hidden away. The artwork's impact extends beyond the confines of the gallery walls, inspiring individuals to embrace their authentic selves and pursue their passions with unwavering determination. "Be Bold" by Adewuyi Theophilus...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Marc Chagall, Moses II, from Drawings for the Bible, 1956
Marc Chagall, Moses II, from Drawings for the Bible, 1956

Marc Chagall, Moses II, from Drawings for the Bible, 1956

By Marc Chagall

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph by Marc Chagall (1887–1985), titled Moise II (Moses II), from Marc Chagall, Dessins Pour La Bible (Drawings for the Bible), Verve: Revue Artistique et Litte...

Category

1950s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Onigele Yii
Onigele Yii

Onigele Yii

By Bakare Abubakri-sideeq Babatunde

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

The painting "Onigele Yii" depicts a striking black African woman wearing a vibrant Ankara head tie, known as gele, in the Yoruba language. Rendered with oil on canvas, the artwork c...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Fabric, Oil, Canvas, Acrylic

Night Lights, Original Painting
Night Lights, Original Painting

Night Lights, Original Painting

By Robert Hofherr

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Simplified shapes and colors form a fragmented image of a village and night sky. Accents of warm colors from the moon and houses balance the dominant blue and g...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

original lithograph

original lithograph

Located in Henderson, NV

Medium: original lithograph. Printed in 1920 on a light brown tinted wove paper for the German Expressionist art revue Das Kunstblatt, published in Berlin by Verlag Gustav Kiepenheue...

Category

1920s Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Le Tennis

Le Tennis

By Jean-Pierre Cassigneul

Located in New York, NY

Le Tennis is a beautiful large painting by the artist and painted painted in 1981. The artist has one of the paintings in his own collection and was happy to hear when we acquired t...

Category

1980s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

Composition, Poems of Léopold Sédar Senghor, Lois Mailou Jones
Composition, Poems of Léopold Sédar Senghor, Lois Mailou Jones

Composition, Poems of Léopold Sédar Senghor, Lois Mailou Jones

By Lois Mailou Jones

Located in Southampton, NY

Silkscreen on vélin paper. Paper Size: 22 x 17 inches. Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Notes: From the album, Poems of Léopold Sédar Senghor, 1996. Published by The Limited Editions Club, New York; printed by Studio Heinrici, Ltd., New York, under the direction of Alexander Heinrici, New York, 1996. Excerpted from the album, CC examples of this album have been printed by Daniel Keleher at Wild Carrot Letterpress. This edition was designed and set in Bodoni types by Dan Cart and Julia Ferrari at Golgonooza Letter Foundry. The silkscreen prints were made by Alexander Heinrici at Studio Heinrici. LOIS MAILOU JONES (1905-1998) was an African American artist and educator, often associated with the Harlem Renaissance. Jones was raised in Boston by working-class parents who emphasized the importance of education and hard work. After graduating from Boston’s School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Jones began designing textiles for several New York firms. She left in 1928 to take a teaching position at Palmer Memorial Institute in North Carolina. At Palmer, Jones founded the art department, coached basketball, taught folk dancing, and played the piano for Sunday services. Two years later, she was recruited by Howard University in Washington, D.C., to join its art department. From 1930–77, Jones trained several generations of African American artists, including David Driskell, Elizabeth Catlett, and Sylvia Snowden...

Category

1990s Expressionist Art

Materials

Screen

Holding up to Memories, Original Painting
Holding up to Memories, Original Painting

Holding up to Memories, Original Painting

By Diana Elena Chelaru

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A solitary woman leans into a vast, swirling blue field. Spiraling strokes of orange and yellow shimmer like stars, adding warmth to the cool, dominant palette....

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Acrylic

The Voodoo That You Do

The Voodoo That You Do

By Todd White

Located in Toronto, ON

20" x 15" Unframed Limited Edition Giclée with Hand Embellishment of 135 Hand Signed by Todd White “Those individuals who just have that power to seduce you. Some definitely have it more than others and it gets dangerous when they know how to use...

Category

2010s Expressionist Art

Materials

Giclée

Abstract Expressionist Color-Field Work on Canvas, Les Champs. 160cm x 130cm.
Abstract Expressionist Color-Field Work on Canvas, Les Champs. 160cm x 130cm.

Abstract Expressionist Color-Field Work on Canvas, Les Champs. 160cm x 130cm.

By Christian Manoury

Located in Cotignac, FR

A large contemporary Abstract Expressionist Color-Field work on canvas by French artist, Christian Manoury. Signed and dated to the back of the canvas. Inspired by the wonderful cou...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Petite danseuse aux cheveux défaits, 1991, original lithograph by Jean Jansem
Petite danseuse aux cheveux défaits, 1991, original lithograph by Jean Jansem

Petite danseuse aux cheveux défaits, 1991, original lithograph by Jean Jansem

By Jean Jansem

Located in Les Acacias GE, GE

Jean Jansem (1920-2013) Petite danseuse aux cheveux défaits, 1991 Lithographie sur papier Arches Signée en bas à droite et justifiée en bas à droite 66 x 47 cm / 76 x 54 cm Imprime...

Category

Late 20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Tarrasso square. House in the countryside. Original acrylic painting
Tarrasso square. House in the countryside. Original acrylic painting

Tarrasso square. House in the countryside. Original acrylic painting

Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL

Les Guilleries. Original acrylic canvas painting signed work Casimiro Martínez Tarrassó, a painter known simply as Tarrassó. He was trained at the La Llotja School in Barcelona. He c...

Category

1940s Expressionist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Mother and Child — Seasonal Greeting, Black Woman Artist
Mother and Child — Seasonal Greeting, Black Woman Artist

Mother and Child — Seasonal Greeting, Black Woman Artist

Located in Myrtle Beach, SC

Ann Graves Tanksley, Untitled (Mother and Child), mixed media on Japan paper, c. 1960s. Signed 'A. Tanksley' in gold in the image, lower right. Linoleum cut in black ink on Japanese paper, with blue and gold brushed ink; cloth batik collage, and metallic gold star laid onto black construction paper. Created as a seasonal greeting. Inscribed on the inside panel is 'Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Love, John & Ann.' Archivally matted to museum standards. Unique. Image size 7 3/8 x 4 7/16 inches (187 x 113 mm); front panel size 8 11/16 x 5 3/4 inches (221 x 146 mm). ABOUT THE ARTIST “Her work reflects the influence of her travels, the residential colors, the simple work habits, the loneliness, and the love and devotion to one’s spiritual beliefs. There is a oneness of artist and concept. Her love of life, despite social barriers and frustrations, is promoted in her work for audiences to witness and accept... Her paintings evoke a spiritual awakening. One is drawn to the intensity of color that prevails and identifies the moods of feasts and celebrations. ...Life is full of anticipation and dedication, of acceptance and hope, of faith and survival. These are all present in the works of Ann Tanksley.” —Robert Henke, The Art of Black American Women: Works of Twenty-Four Artists of the Century, McFarland & Company, Inc., 1993. Ann Graves was born in 1934 and raised in the Homewood community in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Drawn to art at an early age, Tanksley graduated from Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) in 1956 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Following graduation from college, she married fellow Homewood native John Tanksley, and the couple moved to Brooklyn, New York. He worked as a photo retoucher in the advertising industry. Tanksley devoted herself to raising her daughters while working as an art instructor before fully pursuing her artistic pursuits. She was an art instructor at Queens Youth Center for the Arts from 1959-62, the Arts Center of Northern New Jersey in 1963, and a substitute art instructor at Malvern Public Schools in 1971. She also served as an adjunct art instructor at Suffolk County Community College from 1973-1975. Tanksley continued her art education with studies at the Arts League of New York, The New School, the Paulette Singer Workshop in Great Neck, and the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop, where she learned monotype printmaking. In addition to Blackburn and Singer, Tanksley studied with several renowned artists throughout her career, including Norman Lewis (artist), Balcomb Greene, and Samuel Rosenberg (artist). Tanksley was one of the first members of Where We At: Black Women Artists, Inc., a New York-based women’s art collective founded by artists Kay...

Category

1960s Expressionist Art

Materials

Fabric, Paper, Ink, Mixed Media

In The Stillness of Thoughts -21st Century, Expressionist Modern, Child, Balloon
In The Stillness of Thoughts -21st Century, Expressionist Modern, Child, Balloon

In The Stillness of Thoughts -21st Century, Expressionist Modern, Child, Balloon

By Rotimi Godwin

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, Acrylic

Early to Mid 20th Century Italian Expressionist  "Pears"
Early to Mid 20th Century Italian Expressionist  "Pears"

Early to Mid 20th Century Italian Expressionist "Pears"

Located in San Francisco, CA

Mystery Italian Expressionist still life. This magnificent oil on board came from the estate of a retired Italian diplomat that had a place in Miami. He had wonderful art and antique...

Category

1940s Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil

Still life with watering can and cacti
Still life with watering can and cacti

Still life with watering can and cacti

By William Goliasch

Located in Genève, GE

Work on wood Golden frame Dimensions with frame :64 x 79 x 2.5 cm A close look at this work reveals the artist's astonishing mastery in depicting an apparently simple yet profoundly...

Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Oil, Gouache

Sophie aux bas rouges, 1993, original lithograph by Jean Jansem
Sophie aux bas rouges, 1993, original lithograph by Jean Jansem

Sophie aux bas rouges, 1993, original lithograph by Jean Jansem

By Jean Jansem

Located in Les Acacias GE, GE

Jean Jansem (1920-2013) Sophie aux bas rouges, 1993 Lithographie sur papier Arches, justifiée E/A Signée en bas à droite 66 x 50 cm / 76 x 56 cm Bibliographie: CR Jansem, 2000, n°...

Category

Late 20th Century Expressionist Art

Materials

Lithograph

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.