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.
$3,200Sale Price|20% Off
Yellow Ambitions -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Surrealism Women
By Elisha Nyong
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
“Thus wrote I, since my One Love was torn from me. I cannot work: I cannot think: I seek distraction here: I seek distraction there: but this is all my truth, that I Who love have lo...
Linen, Oil
Untitled - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Women, African
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 Dan...
Canvas, Oil, Charcoal
In the Dales, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Robert Hofherr captures a group of old barns in an expressive style. Executed quickly and energetically, the piece emphasizes instinct over overthinking....
Acrylic
Storm
Located in Zofingen, AG
In creating this piece, I sought to capture the tumultuous yet mesmerizing dance of the sea with the sky. Utilizing the vigor of expressionism blended with soft touches of impression...
Oil, Acrylic, Cardboard
Blue Memories, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A Fauvist composition depicts a series of reimagined abandoned structures, stacked one on top of another. The layered mix of deep blue, green, and brown hues co...
Acrylic
Seed of Joy - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Women, African
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 Dan...
Canvas, Oil
$11,935Sale Price|30% Off
Piazza di Spagna, Roma Oil on Canvas, Expressionist, Framed, 1930s
By Yves Brayer
Located in London, GB
'Piazza di Spagna, Roma' oil on canvas, by Yves Brayer (1933). At the bottom of the Spanish Steps, is one of the most famous squares in Rome. It owes ...
Canvas, Oil
$4,228Sale Price|50% Off
"Expressionist Oil Painting 'Landscape', Canvas, Belgian, Circa 1928"
Located in London, GB
'Landscape', oil on canvas, by Charles Kvapil (1928). The artist, Kvapil, has scores of tremendous artworks which depict scenes in nature such as this one. Here, a bit of Mediterrane...
Canvas, Oil
$4,200
"Days Like This" - Acrylic Abstract Painting With Layered Color Fields
Located in Denver, CO
"Days Like This" (2023) is an original, handmade painting by Leigh Ann Van Fossan. Created with acrylic on canvas, the artwork measures 40 x 30 x 2 inches (101.60 x 76.20 x 5.08 cm)....
Acrylic, Canvas
Helen Howells, Never to Part, Original Landscape Painting, South Wales Art
Located in Deddington, GB
Never to Part by Helen Howells [2021] Original Oil on Canvas Image size: H:75 cm x W:120 cm Complete Size of Unframed Work: H:75 cm x W:120 cm x D:3.5cm Sold Unframed Please note tha...
Canvas, Oil
"White peonies" still life of Volskyа Lilyа.
Located in Zofingen, AG
"White peonies" still life of Volskyа Lilyа. Realism, brush technique, palette knife, oil painting. Happiness and joy from contemplating beautiful flowers always fills my soul. This ...
Canvas, Oil
$634Sale Price|40% Off
Market Day in Piazza Grande, Expressionist Oil on Board, 1940s, Framed
Located in London, GB
'Market Day in Piazza Grande, Locarno, Switzerland', oil on board, by unknown artist (1947-48). Locarno is an utterly charming Italian-speaking resort located on the northern shore o...
Oil, Board
Bouquet of white peonies
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this oil painting, I've captured the soft, ethereal beauty of white peonies, illuminated by a tender joy. I aimed to blend impressionistic spontaneity with delicate realism, each ...
Canvas, Oil
"La Promenade" original etching
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: original etching and drypoint. A rich, dark impression on laid paper, printed in 1900 and published in Paris for the Revue de l'art ancien et moderne. Plate size: 4 1/2 x 8 5...
Etching
$360Sale Price|20% Off
One More Shot 4 - 21st Century Contemporary Figurative, Sport, Football, Green
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 Eli...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
1 Depth in Minor Painting, Turquoise Palette, Venice Biennale 2026
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Depth in Minor" is the fundamental work that opens the entire Venetian cycle. It captures the incredible, translucent emerald light within a cresting wave — a symbol of inner streng...
Canvas, Linen, Oil
$1,600
Landscape with Poplar Trees, Expressionist Oil on Panel, Signed, 1940s, Framed
Located in Stockholm, Stockholm
A vibrant painting depicting an avenue lined with poplar trees in fall colors, prominently featuring a very large, centrally placed yellow poplar. Possibly an American poplar. The artist, Agda Holst, has employed a diverse palette of colors to the poplars, creating a dynamic and colorful composition. This oil on panel is signed and dated by Holst in 1948. The work exemplifies her use of color and form, characteristics that defined her artistic practice throughout her career. Agda Holst was a Swedish modernist painter known for her precise study of form, stylized compositions, and ability to merge structured geometry with expressive color. Her works, often still lifes, portraits, and figure studies, reflect a balance between naturalistic representation and modernist influences such as Cubism and New Objectivity. Holst's artistic journey began in 1907 at the Académie Colarossi in Paris, where she studied under Christian Krohg. Seeking further refinement, she moved to Munich between 1910 and 1911, studying with Julius Exter, known for his teachings in portrait and genre painting. In 1911–1912, she returned to Paris to study under Kees van Dongen, whose bold use of color and strong contrasts left a lasting impression on her work. The early 1920s marked another period of study in Paris, this time under André Lhote, who instilled in her a structured approach to composition and geometric clarity. Holst’s first public exhibition took place in 1916, when she displayed paintings in a bookstore...
Oil, Panel
$1,309Sale Price|40% Off
La Montera, Expressionist Gouache and Watercolor on Paper, Circa 1960s
Located in London, GB
'La Montera', gouache, watercolour and ink on art paper, by Pierre Ambrogiani (circa 1960s). The artist created many artworks with bullfighting as theme. In this case, a single torer...
Paper, Watercolor, Gouache
$1,309Sale Price|40% Off
Church of Saint-Nicolas du Chardonnet, Gouache on Paper, 1930s, Framed
By Lucien Génin
Located in London, GB
'The Church of Saint-Nicolas du Chardonnet, Paris', gouache on art paper by Lucien Génin (circa 1930s). In Paris' 5th Arrondissement the site in which Saint-Nicolas du Chardonnet is ...
Paper, Gouache
Happy snowman 30X30
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this oil painting, I've captured a moment of pure, childlike wonder—a cheerful snowman set against a winter twilight. Its bright, lively colors evoke innocence and nostalgia, invi...
Oil
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Woven Identities 6 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Woven Identities is a body of work that explores the intersection of indigenous African heritage and modern global culture. In these paintings, I focus on hairstyle, tribal marks, dr...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$3,850
The Swamp by Gustav Klimt, Das Werk lifetime landscape collotype, 1908-1912
By Gustav Klimt
Located in Chicago, IL
Original collotype created from Gustav Klimt’s The Swamp, painted in 1900. Published and edited by Verlag H.O. Miethke and printed by k.k. Hof- und Sta...
Paper
Miniature Turquoise Patinated Bronze Figurative Head Sculpture
Located in FISTERRA, ES
Miniature turquoise patinated bronze head sculpture, individually cast, oxidised, polished and hand-finished by Spanish artist Óscar Aldonza Torres. Originally titled Mini Testa No....
Bronze
$1,052
Peonies in the evening garden" oil on canvas.Landscape of Liliуа Volskayaya
Located in Zofingen, AG
SHIPPED IN ROLL "Peonies in the evening garden" oil on canvas.Landscape of Lilia Volskaya. To paint this landscape, I used several techniques of oil painting on canvas. 1. The main p...
Canvas, Oil
$4,000Sale Price|20% Off
Into The Light 2 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Surrealism, Women
By Elisha Nyong
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
A garden of broken vows— where lilies bloom with ash in their throats and mirrors drip with the sweat of secrets. Two shadows entwine, Yet one dissolves into smoke, The other crumble...
Linen, Oil
BERATUNG
Located in Santa Monica, CA
KATHE KOLLWITZ (German 1867 -1945) BERATUNG, 1895 (1945) (Klipstein vii/vii) Etching and aquatint, 1895 (Later Imp), Image 11 ½” x 7", sheet 19 x 13 ¾”. Unsigned, with the von de B...
Etching, Aquatint
Max Eisler Eine Nachlese folio "Section of Jurisprudence" collotype
Located in Palm Beach, FL
After Gustav Klimt, Max Eisler Plate #11, Aus den Bilde “Die Jurisprudenz”; brown-toned monochrome collotype after the 1900-07 painting in oil on canvas. The original was destroyed b...
Paper
Mirando al Cielo 7 - Murmuration Japan Asiatic Landscape Photograph
By Rosa Basurto
Located in Brighton, GB
Mirando al Cielo 7 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 image by Spanish ph...
Photographic Paper, Digital, Color
Monet's Water Lily Pond
By Elena Lukina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this painting, I've sought to capture the essence of tranquility and the ephemeral nature of light dancing on water. Through bold, impressionistic strokes and a soothing palette o...
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
"Horses in the field" with yellow popular trees
Located in New York, NY
"Horses in the field" is unique by the artist, because of the location where they are grazing among the yellow popular trees.
Oil
Daphnis and Chloe - Original Vintage Poster
Located in Paris, IDF
Marc CHAGALL (1887–1985) Daphnis and Chloe, 1987 Original vintage poster (Mourlot studio) Signed in the plate On heavy paper 77 x 53 cm (30.3 x 20.8 in.) INFORMATION: Poster for th...
Offset
Young Girl in Green
By Béla Czóbel
Located in Chicago, IL
In a letter written to Czóbel after he had become quite ill in 1975, famous Portuguese painter Vieira da Silva writes: “My very dear Czóbel, We em...
Canvas, Oil
$1,600Sale Price|20% Off
Gallant Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Expressionist, Unframed Art
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...
Canvas, Acrylic
Seated Figure Study, Expressionist Lithograph by Alberto Giacometti
Located in Long Island City, NY
Alberto Giacometti, Swiss (1901 - 1966) - Seated Figure Study Derriere Le Miroir no. 127, Year: 1961, Medium: Lithograph, Edition: ~2500, Size: 15 x 11 in. (38.1 x 27.94 cm), Pub...
Lithograph
signed original etching - Artist's Proof
By Jack Levine
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: original soft ground etching. Signed in pencil and annotated "Artist's Proof". Printed in 1967 for the Dreigroschen Film portfolio and published by Touchstone Publishers. Thi...
Etching
Mint Freshness. Flower and Butterfly"
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Mint Freshness. Flower and Butterfly" by Volskaya Lilia. 350 g thick cardboard. Pastart design. The back of the painting is reinforced with 3-layer cardboard. The painting has a han...
Oil, Mixed Media, Cardboard
$2,100
Raventos Buildings City Blue Painting, Expressionist, Acrylic, Framed
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Especulacion del suelo. original painting. virtual framed Raventos trained at the elite Sant Jordi School of Fine Arts in Barcelona. Raventós expanded her studies in etching and lith...
Acrylic
$3,200
"Eve Incurs God's Displeasure (M. 236), " Original Lithograph by Marc Chagall
By Marc Chagall
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Eve Incurs God's Displeasure" is an original double sided lithograph by Marc Chagall. On recto the print features the biblical story of Eve being scolded by God for her sin in the G...
Lithograph
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Blue Testament 2 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Modern Africa
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 Dan...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Head, Expressionist Lithograph by Alberto Giacometti
Located in Long Island City, NY
Alberto Giacometti, Swiss (1901 - 1966) - Head From Derriere Le Miroir no. 127, Year: 1961, Medium: Lithograph, Edition: ~2500, Size: 15 x 11 in. (38.1 x 27.94 cm), Publisher: M...
Lithograph
'Roses' by Betsy Podlach - Red and Pink Flowers - Still-Life Oil Painting
Located in Carmel, CA
Betsy Podlach (American, born 1964) "Roses" 2021 Oil Paint, Canvas, Stretcher Bars The artist signed the back of the painting. Betsy Podlach's 'Roses' is a vibrant expressionist sti...
Oil, Canvas, Stretcher Bars
$1,960Sale Price|20% Off
Mispa Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Expressionist Portrait, 21st Century
By Kum Cletus
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Born in 1993 in...
Canvas, Acrylic
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Blue Testament 9 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Modern Africa
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 Dan...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$355Sale Price|20% Off
Ballerine sur fond vert, 1995, original lithograph by Jean Jansem, handsigned
By Jean Jansem
Located in Les Acacias GE, GE
Jean Jansem (1920-2013) Ballerine sur fond vert, 1995 Lithographie sur papier Arches, justifiée et numérotée 48/100 Signée en bas à droite 22 x 17 cm / 32 x 26 cm Bibliographie: ...
Lithograph
"Arc de Fleurs" (2023) by Leigh Ann Van Fossan, Original Acrylic &Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Leigh Ann Van Fossan's "Arc de Fleurs" (2023) is an original, handmade oil and acrylic abstract painting with bright colors. This piece is a diptych comprised of two 18 x 18" canvass...
Oil, Acrylic, Canvas
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Blue Testament 10 -21st Century, Contemporary Figurative Portrait, Modern Africa
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 Dan...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$2,200
"Mexican Countryside Landscape Mountain Scene with Trees" Expressionistic Style
Located in New York, NY
A strong modernist oil painting depicted in 1962 by Russian painter Michael Baxte. Mostly known for his abstracted figures on canvas or street scenes, this piece is a wonderful repre...
Oil, Masonite
Expressionist Hand Signed Lithograph - Benjamin Kopman
Located in Surfside, FL
Actual Lithograph without matte is 16" X 12". BENJAMIN KOPMAN (1887 - 1965) Painter, Illustrator and printmaker Benjamin Kopman was born in Vitebsk, Russia and emigrated to the Unit...
Lithograph
$3,506
Monster's club. Symbolic childhood painting, brothers, boys room decor, twins
Located in Oslo, NO
"Monster's club" is an oil painting where two children stand among imagined monsters, reflecting the fears of childhood — created by the mind yet deeply felt. The painting speaks abo...
Canvas, Oil
Benavente Solís Landscape - original expressionist
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Landscape original expressionist painting. frame Work of the Spanish artist BENAVENTE SOLIS. Perfect state . During its first exhibition in Paris, the French press catalogs it lik...
Wood, Oil
$224Sale Price|20% Off
Men With Cigar - Woodcut - Early 20th Century
Located in Roma, IT
Men With Cigar is a woodcut print realized by an Anonymous artist in the early 20th Century. Good condition. The artwork is depicted through quick and expressive strokes in a well-...
Woodcut
$8,050
Evening Mood, Original Painting on Canvas, Hand Signed, 36 x 48 in. Stretched
Located in Aventura, FL
Original oil on canvas painting. Hand signed on front; signed and titled on verso by the artist. Canvas is stretched. Artwork is in excellent condition. Stretched. Certificate of au...
Canvas, Oil
"Mexican Landscape Water Scene with Figures and Boat" Expressionistic Style
Located in New York, NY
A strong modernist oil painting depicted in the Mid Century by Russian painter Michael Baxte. Mostly known for his abstracted figures on canvas or street scenes, this piece is a wond...
Oil, Masonite
(after) Frans Masereel "Le Calvaire"
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: collotype (after the woodcut). Printed in 1925 and published in Paris by Albert Morance for "L'Art d'Aujourd'hui", and now very scarce. Image size: 8 x 4 3/4 inches (205 x 11...
Photogravure
$666Sale Price|40% Off
Le Clairon, 1993, original lithograph by Jean Jansem, handsigned and numbered
By Jean Jansem
Located in Les Acacias GE, GE
Jean Jansem (1920-2013) Le Clairon, 1993 Lithographie sur papier Arches, justifiée EA12/30 Signée en bas à droite 65 x 50 cm / 76 x 56 cm Bibliographie: CR Jansem, 2000, n°85 "Ma...
Lithograph
"THE LONG WALK HOME" DEBRA BENDITZ TEXAS ARTIST COWBOY/VAQUERO
Located in San Antonio, TX
Debra Benditz (Born 1957) Texas Artist Image Size: 15 x 12 Frame Size: 24 x 20.5 Medium: Oil on Canvas, Signed "The Long Walk Home" We will only ship in the Continental United State ...
Oil
Expressionist Oil Painting Paris Scene View Architectural Visionism Olivier Foss
By Oliver Foss
Located in Surfside, FL
"Street Scene" by Olivier B. Foss is an iconic artwork representational of mid-century French Expressionist painting. The artist's personal visionary style is at once gestural, power...
Canvas, Oil
$4,494
Last by Richard K Blades. Moody seascape with setting sun. Turner influence
Located in Coltishall, GB
Sunset over the sea after a storm rolls by... portrays a mesmerizing seascape at dusk, where the horizon blurs in a harmonious blend of colors. Blades skillfully manipulates light a...
Oil, Board
Mirando al Cielo 6 - Murmuration Misty Country Landscape Photograph
By Rosa Basurto
Located in Brighton, GB
Mirando al Cielo 6 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. Rosa Basurto is a self-taught...
Photographic Paper, Color, Digital, C Print
Studies - Original Offset and Lithograph by George Grosz - 1923
By George Grosz
Located in Roma, IT
Studies is an original offset and lithograph realized by George Grosz. The artwork is the plate n.10 from the portfolio Ecce Homo published between 1922/1923, edition of Der Malik-V...
Paper, Lithograph, Offset