Expressionist Art
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 Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Late 20th Century Expressionist Art
Lithograph
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil, Acrylic, Cardboard
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art
Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Wood, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Wood, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Wood, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard, Giclée
1930s Expressionist Art
Paper
1980s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
1970s Expressionist Art
Offset
Artist Comments
The ethereal beauty of nature manifests as the warm glow of the sun kisses the water’s surface. Golden hour bathes the landscape in soft, radiant colors, ca...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Oil
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art
Photographic Film, Magazine Paper
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard, Giclée
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art
Aquatint
Early 1900s Expressionist Art
Paper, Mixed Media
Artist Comments
A solitary cloud in a bright blue sky stretches over the sea. The water meets the shore with small waves rolling in. The grass adds texture in the foreground. H...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Oil
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Wood, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Mixed Media
Artist Comments
This painting captures a tranquil scene where a body of water reflects the sky. The muted, distant horizon suggests an endless expanse, inviting contemplation...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Oil
2010s Expressionist Art
Oil, Acrylic, Satin Paper
Early 1900s Expressionist Art
Oil
1910s Expressionist Art
Paper
Early 2000s Expressionist Art
Watercolor, Laid Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Rocky hills glow under the warm light of late afternoon, their cool, saturated shadows adding depth and rich color to the scene. This intimate view unfolds ag...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
1940s Expressionist Art
Screen
1960s Expressionist Art
Oil, Masonite
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
20th Century Expressionist Art
Woodcut
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Oil, Canvas
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Inspired by artist Robert Hofherr's personal photo, this piece simplifies detail to make a bold and striking composition. Solid, substantial shadows replace o...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
1960s Expressionist Art
Mixed Media, Oil, Board, Pencil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Wood, Acrylic
1920s Expressionist Art
Paper
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art
Lithograph
2010s Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
The artwork depicts a wooded valley in a Philadelphia suburb in Fauvist style. Flat shapes and colors create an almost abstract effect in the composition. Minim...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Fabric, Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Art
Paper, Watercolor
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Art
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century Expressionist Art
Ink, Watercolor
1960s Expressionist Art
Lithograph
2010s Expressionist Art
Acrylic




