Expressionist Mixed Media
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.
Artist Comments
The sun sets on a rocky mountaintop, casting warm colors on a jagged ridge below. The contrast between light and shadow captures the fleeting beauty of twilight...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
1960s Expressionist Mixed Media
Paper, Watercolor, Pen
Artist Comments
A woman sits, her hand cupping her face. Artist Sharon Sieban notes that sometimes people are not ready to answer the call, but coffee helps. Gestural strokes c...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Colorful ridges and mountains bring layers of contrast to the scene, while light and shadows accentuate the ruggedness of the terrain. Expressive strokes captur...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Late 20th Century Expressionist Mixed Media
Acrylic, Cotton Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Fabric, Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Mixed Media
Acrylic, Monotype
1940s Expressionist Mixed Media
Woodcut
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Two mythological figures appear in an underwater realm. The siren symbolizes the internal struggles that humans grapple with. The artwork serves as a visual rep...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Artist Comments
A red-haired girl enjoys a cup of tea on her balcony. Accompanied by her dog, they relish the night's gentle breeze as they observe the town below. The artwork ...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Expressionist Mixed Media
Monotype
2010s Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Fabric, Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Expressionist Mixed Media
Monotype
2010s Expressionist Mixed Media
Monoprint
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
20th Century Expressionist Mixed Media
Oil
20th Century Expressionist Mixed Media
Oil
Artist Comments
A morning scene unfolds at the Canyonlands National Park in Utah. The rising sun lights up the landscape, creating purple shadows on the cliffs with beautiful w...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil
2010s Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil
1990s Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Acrylic, Oil, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
1990s Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
1980s Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
1990s Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
1990s Expressionist Mixed Media
Wood, Mixed Media, Wood Panel
1980s Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
A pink spring-flowering bulb defies its seasonal nature and blooms in the fall. Its leaves brushed with gold paint, emerge from a green vase made from stamped papers. The bold colors and varying textures, made with glued leaves, some stamping, and carved marks, add dynamic energy to the composition.
About the Artist
In 1999, Jodi Dann seized the opportunity to become a full-time painter. Today, her paintings read like hazy memories of imagined faraway places. The compositions are abstract, but possess strong architectural elements, recalling bridges, arches, and doorways. Each piece retains an overall sense of place without prescribing a location, allowing the viewer to form an individualized connection with the work. Jodi paints from her cozy studio on her property in Oregon while listening to a variety of music on Pandora. She doesn’t feel the need to strive for perfection in her work. “Life isn’t perfect,†says Jodi. “Why force a painting to be?â€
Words that describe this painting: floral, collage, paper, papers, stamps...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Charcoal, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Charcoal, Acrylic
Artist Comments
This is a piece of art from Scott Dykema's horse series. In the artwork, the horse is depicted as a unique and significant animal. The image is full of striking...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Coffee, Mixed Media
20th Century Expressionist Mixed Media
Silk, Ink
2010s Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
"Step into a magical world," says artist Julia Hacker. She paints a whimsical landscape with textural plants and a mysterious bird hovering against a vibrant tu...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Artist Colette Wirz Nauke explores mixed media and freestyle designs in this portrait. The lady exudes a stoic grace, with patterns of heart embellishing her pr...
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Charcoal, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Charcoal, Acrylic, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Mixed Media
Canvas, Charcoal, Acrylic