Expressionist Paintings
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.
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Wood, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Archival Paper
Artist Comments
Seen from above, this colorful view of a small village highlights the dynamic play of color. Bold primary hues, softened secondary shades, and muted tones overl...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
1960s Expressionist Paintings
Paper, Gouache
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Archival Paper
1930s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Rural farm buildings serve as the focal point for this colorful Fauvist painting. The structures' forms connect with other compositional elements, each shaped a...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Acrylic, Cardboard
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Pastel
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Pastel
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Pastel
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Wood, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Masonite, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Paper, Charcoal
1930s Expressionist Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Paper, Charcoal, Acrylic
20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Paper, Charcoal, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
A variety of flowers spring from a white vase, their shapes and orientations creating a lively sense of movement. The background accentuates the freshness of th...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Stone
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Board
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
1940s Expressionist Paintings
Pencil, Carbon Pencil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic, Polymer
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Archival Paper
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Oil
20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic, Ballpoint Pen
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Paper, Charcoal, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Mixed Media
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Archival Paper
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1910s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Watercolor
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Wood, Acrylic
Late 20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
Late 20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic




