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.
Late 20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
Artist Comments
A man wearing a white hat and blue uniform rests his hands on his chin. Loosely based on Vincent van Gogh's work, this painting adopts a looser and freer execut...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic, Polymer
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 2000s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
This still life depicts a domestic scene, featuring three bottles, a vase, an orange, and an animal skull arranged on a patterned green table. A plant on the ot...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
1970s Expressionist Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic, Oil Pastel, Archival Paper
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Wood, Acrylic
1940s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Wood, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Wood, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic, Archival Paper
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Satin Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Early 2000s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Coffee, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Coffee, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Coffee, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Coffee, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Charcoal, Ink, Acrylic
Artist Comments
A small green bush stands out as a symbol of life against an eroded desert. The bright sun reveals the ruggedness of the badlands. A darker mesa rises in the di...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Oil
Late 20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Satin Paper
1930s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1960s Expressionist Paintings
Carbon Pencil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Vases and pots support an array of textured wildflowers, standing out against a rich, dark background. A freeform stripe pattern on the tablecloth adds rhythm a...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic, Oil Pastel
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Linen, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1990s Expressionist Paintings
Watercolor
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
A stand of trees rises in the distance, its leaves presenting the colors of autumn. The thin clouds in the sky and wispy grass in the foreground create a sense ...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic, Charcoal, Ink
Late 20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas
1960s Expressionist Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Artist Comments
The water’s surface shimmers with sunlight, creating reflections that bring depth and movement to the pond. Lush, green vegetation lines the edges, highlighti...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Oil




