Famous Expressionist Paintings

In the early 20th century the Expressionist movement began in the northern Europe. Artists during this time portrayed things the way they felt them as opposed to the way they looked to everyone else. This movement emerged before WW I and remained popular in the Weimar Republic, the name of modern-day Germany between 1918 and 1933. The spinoffs that came from Expressionism were known as "German Expressionism."

Blue Horse I Franz Marc

German artist Franz Marc created a series of blue horse paintings. He exhibited these painting with the title The Blue Rider and they became one of the main movements in German Expressionism. This artwork is based on a sketch by the artist. The blue color of the horse iw the Der Blaue Reiter art movement.

Self-Portrait as a Soldier Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

German artist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner created this painting after his medical discharge while serving as a soldier in WW I. Kirchner is one of the founding members of the art group Die Brucke or The Bridge. There were artists who were responsible for the development of German Expressionism. This artwork depicts the fragile mental state and poor physical health of the artist and is an expression of the feeling of anxiety.

Berlin Street Scene Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

German artist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner created this painting as one of multiple paintings in a cycle featuring different street scenes. The main subjects of these paintings were prostitutes with their clients in an urban setting. The paintings were created between 1913 and 1915. They are looked at as some of the most important artworks of the German Expressionist movement. In this painting two women look provocatively at two men.

The Blue Rider Wassily Kandinsky

Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky emigrated to Germany and taught at the prestigious Bauhaus Art School. This artwork shares the same name as the art movement Der Blaue Riter which he co-founded with his colleague German artist Franz Marc. The painting depicts a man in a blue outfit riding a white horse in a meadow. A forest can be seen in the background.

Castle and Sun Paul Klee

Swiss artist Paul Klee was associated with a wide variety of art movements including Expressionism. He retained an individual style of painting. This artwork depicts vivid red colors and a cityscape. It is the artist's look at a sweltering city on a hot summer day.

Fish Magic Paul Klee

Swiss artist Paul Klee created this painting by scratching away at thick black paint to uncover the multi-colored palette beneath it. In the artwork fish, flowers, and other creatures emerge just like magic.

The Old Guitarist Pablo Picasso

Spanish artist Pablo Picasso created this painting during his Blue Period in the early 20th century. During this time the artist produced dark and gloomy paintings. This artwork depicts an old guitarist on the streets of Barcelona, Spain. The man is wearing torn clothes and bent over his guitar. It is considered to be one of the most famous Expressionist paintings in history.

The Dance of Life Edvard Munch

Norwegian artist Edvard Munch was known to depict women in various stages of their lives. This artwork is part of a larger cycle known as "The frieze of life". It is thought to be an expression of the artist's view toward the women in his life.

Of course, without a doubt The Scream by Edvard Munch remains as one of the most famous Expressionist paintings. The figure in the artwork shows an expression of pure agony expressed with a scream. The painting also depicts a fjord and a hill near Oslo, Sweden.

This popular painting has been reproduced in many different forms of media. Munch was considered to be the founding father of Expressionism.