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Neo-Expressionist Art

NEO-EXPRESSIONIST STYLE

A resurgence of interest in Expressionism, Pop art, Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism and other movements gained steam among artists of the 1970s and ’80s, in part as a reaction to the austerity of the prevailing minimalism and Conceptual art of the era. A decadent, bold and brash art style called Neo-Expressionism saw painters returning to figural representation, creating highly textured works that were imbued with intensely personal narratives.

Neo-Expressionist paintings are sensuous in nature and highly subjective in meaning. Expressive brushwork, highly pigmented colors and layered forms and materials lent sculptural attributes to the work and were used to depict symbolic narratives from history, mythology and the artist’s personal experience. 

Prominent figures such as Jean-Michel Basquiat led the Neo-Expressionist movement in the United States with paintings and prints that were raw, emotional and often violent in nature. In Germany, Die Neuen Wilden (the “New Fauves”) was the name given to a group of postwar artists that included the likes of sculptor Georg Baselitz and Gerhard Richter, a painter and photographer who explored the possibilities of both abstraction and realism, sometimes in a single piece. The work of the New Fauves — labeled as such for its return to Fauvism’s textured brushwork and use of vibrant colors — shares commonalities with Neo-Expressionism, and Baselitz was a pioneer of the movement in Europe. In addition, Willem de Kooning’s pulsating action paintings and Julian Schnabel’s experimentation with the materiality of paintings also took shape during this period.

“I was trying to make paintings different from the paintings that I saw a lot of at the time, which were mostly minimal, and they were highbrow and alienating, and I wanted to make very direct paintings that most people would feel the emotion behind when they saw them,” said Basquiat. 

Neo-Expressionism generated some polarizing opinions, with some celebrating the revival of personal subjectivity in art while others criticizing the movement for being too commercially driven and nostalgic. But most experts agree that Neo-Expressionism was a huge commercial success and culturally impactful, paving the way for the postmodern work of artists like Richter and Sigmar Polke

Find original Neo-Expressionist paintings, prints, mixed-media works and other art on 1stDibs.

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Style: Neo-Expressionist
Artist: Richard Bosman
Brooklyn Bridge
Located in New York, NY
An exquisitely printed image created by Richard Bosman in 1996, the artist’s iconic Brooklyn Bridge is a woodcut on Mulberry paper. Measuring 18 ¼ 24 ¼ in. (46.4 x 61.6 cm), unframed...
Category

20th Century Neo-Expressionist Art

Materials

Woodcut

Suicide
Located in New York, NY
Richard Bosman (b. 1944) is a painter and printmaker known for his woodcuts depicting turbulent seascapes. He studied at Bryam Shaw School of Painting and Drawing in London, The New ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Neo-Expressionist Art

Materials

Woodcut

Rapids
Located in New York, NY
Richard Bosman (b. 1944) is a painter and printmaker known for his woodcuts depicting turbulent seascapes. He studied at Bryam Shaw School of Painting and Drawing in London, The New ...
Category

Late 20th Century Neo-Expressionist Art

Materials

Woodcut

Forced Entry
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Richard Bosman, American (1944 - ) Title: Forced Entry Year: 1983 Medium: Sugar Lift Etching, signed, numbered, and titled in pencil Edition: 10/20 Image Size: 10 x 7 inches...
Category

1980s Neo-Expressionist Art

Materials

Etching

Car Crash, Surrealist Woodcut by Richard Bosman
Located in Long Island City, NY
Date: 1982 Woodcut on Japon Paper Unsigned proof aside from the edition of 60 and the fully colored edition Paper Size: 35 x 48 inches Publisher: Brooke Alexander Editions In this d...
Category

1980s Neo-Expressionist Art

Materials

Woodcut

Revenge of the Cat, Etching by Richard Bosman
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Richard Bosman, American (1944 - ) Title: Revenge of the Cat Year: 1983 Medium: Sugarlift Etching with white ground, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 33/40 Image: 24 x...
Category

1980s Neo-Expressionist Art

Materials

Etching

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Previously Available Items
Richard Bosman, "Night Sky, " Aquatint Etching, 1990
Located in Long Island City, NY
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Richard Bosman, "Waves, " Monotype, 1988
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Artist: Richard Bosman, American (1944 - ) Title: Life Raft Year: circa 1980 Medium: Color Etching, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 17/40 Paper Size:...
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Cain and Abel
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Richard Bosman, American (1944 - ) Title: Cain and Abel Year: 1981 Medium: Woodcut, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 17/25 Image: 4 x 9 inc...
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Meteor Man
Located in New York, NY
Richard Bosman (b. 1944) is a painter and printmaker known for his woodcuts depicting turbulent seascapes. He studied at Bryam Shaw School of Painting and Drawing in London, The New ...
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Richard Bosman, "Untitled - Bats, " Aquatint Etching, 1983
Located in Long Island City, NY
This expressive aquatint etching was created by Indian / American artist Richard Bosman (b. 1944). Rough, imperfect compositions and vivid textures give underlying emotional content ...
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1980s Neo-Expressionist Art

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Richard Bosman, "Night Sky, " Aquatint Etching, 1990
Located in Long Island City, NY
This aquatint etching was created by Indian / American artist Richard Bosman (b. 1944). Rough, imperfect compositions and vivid textures give underlying emotional content both to his...
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1990s Neo-Expressionist Art

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Richard Bosman, "Bridges 1, " Woodcut on Wove Paper, 1997
Located in Long Island City, NY
This woodcut print on thin wove paper was created by Indian / American artist Richard Bosman (b. 1944). Rough, imperfect compositions and vivid textures give underlying emotional con...
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1990s Neo-Expressionist Art

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Neo-expressionist art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Neo-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 blue, orange, purple, pink and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Hunt Slonem, Enzio Wenk, Sax Berlin, and Jean Sanglar. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Acrylic 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 Neo-Expressionist art, so small editions measuring 1 inches across are also available. Prices for art made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $39 and tops out at $215,000, while the average work sells for $3,444.

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