EXPRESSIONISM ART

Paras, Abegail A.
Definition
 Expressionism, artistic style in which the artist seeks to
depict not objective reality but rather the subjective 
emotions and responses that objects and events arouse
within a person.
Birth and development
 The roots of the German Expressionist school lay in the
works of Vincent van Gogh, Edvard Munch, and 
James Ensor, each of whom in the period 1885–1900
evolved a highly personal painting style. 
Key Ideas and Accomplishments
 The arrival of Expressionism announced new standards in
the creation and judgment of art.
 Expressionist artists often employed swirling, swaying,
and exaggeratedly executed brushstrokes in the depiction
of their subjects.
 Through their confrontation with the urban world of the
early-20th century, Expressionist artists developed a
powerful mode of social criticism in their serpentine
figural renderings and bold colors. 
Defining Characteristics of Expressionism
 Focused on capturing emotions and feelings, rather than
what the subject actually looks like.
 Vivid colors and bold strokes were often used to
exaggerate these emotions and feelings.
 Showed influences from Post-Impressionism, Fauvism
and Symbolism.
Important Art and Artist of Expressionism

The Scream (1893)

Artist: Edvard Munch

Throughout his artistic career, Munch

focused on scenes of death, agony, and
anxiety in distorted and emotionally
charged portraits, all themes and styles
that would be adopted by the
Expressionists. 
•Here, in Munch's most famous
painting, he depicts the battle between
the individual and society. 
Important Art and Artist of Expressionism

Vincent van Gogh: 

The Starry NightThe Starry
Night, oil on canvas by
Vincent van Gogh, 1889; in
the Museum of Modern Art,
New York City.

•The use of color, vehement

brushwork and the silhouetted
form of his work greatly
influenced Expressionism in
modern art.
The 3 fathers of Expressionism
 The roots of the German Expressionist school lay in the
works of Vincent van Gogh, Edvard Munch, and James
Ensor, each of whom in the period 1885–1900 evolved a
highly personal painting style.
How long did Expressionism last?
 The classic phase of the Expressionist movement lasted
from approximately 1905 to 1920 and spread throughout
Europe. Its example would later powerfully inform many
individuals, and groups such as: Abstract Expressionism,
Neo-Expressionism, and The School of London
Thank you for listening!