What Is Expressionism in Art History?

Art|Art History

Expressionism in art history is a 20th-century style of art that reflects the artist’s emotional and psychological state. It emerged as a reaction to the academic and naturalist styles dominating at the time, and was seen as a way for artists to express their inner feelings.

Expressionism is characterized by distortion, exaggeration, primitivism, and fantasy. It emphasizes an artist’s individual perspective rather than a realistic representation of the world.

The expressionist movement began in Germany in 1905 with Die Brücke (The Bridge), a group of artists who sought to express emotion through vivid colors, distorted forms, and exaggerated lines. This movement was followed by Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider), which focused on spiritual themes expressed through bold colors and abstract shapes. In France, Fauvism emerged around the same time as Die Brücke and Der Blaue Reiter, but had its own distinct style characterized by strong colors and exaggerated forms.

Expressionism continued to evolve throughout the 20th century with movements such as abstract expressionism in New York City during the 1940s-50s; color field painting in Washington D.C.; action painting in California; Pop Art in England; and Neo-Expressionism in Europe during the 1980s-90s. Each movement had its own unique style but shared an emphasis on expressing emotion over realism.

Expressionist works are often associated with feelings of angst, alienation, fear, anxiety or anger. Artists used intense colors, thick brushstrokes, distorted figures or landscapes to evoke these emotions in viewers. Expressionist works have been said to challenge traditional aesthetics while pushing viewers to think differently about their surroundings. The work of many Expressionists is often seen as deeply personal or autobiographical due to its focus on emotions rather than physical reality.

Today Expressionism can be seen all over the world – from contemporary galleries to public murals – but it remains largely associated with early 20th-century German art movements such as Die Brücke and Der Blaue Reiter. Despite its many iterations throughout modern art history, Expressionism has remained true to its original purpose: providing an outlet for artists to express their innermost thoughts and feelings on canvas.

Conclusion: What Is Expressionism In Art History? Expressionism is a 20th-century style of art that reflects an artist’s emotional state through distortion, exaggeration, primitivism and fantasy rather than realism or naturalistic representation of subject matter. From Die Brücke and Der Blaue Reiter during early 20th century Germany to contemporary galleries all over the world – Expressionism has remained true to its purpose: allowing artists an outlet for expressing their innermost thoughts though vivid colors and abstract shapes.