Framed Expressionist Artwork
Some of the most recognizable paintings of the twentieth century fall under the umbrella of framed expressionist art. Expressionism held influence over painting, music, film, poetry, and even architecture.
Expressionism can trace its roots to Germany and Austria around the turn of the twentieth century. If you asked someone to name an example of framed expressionist art paintings, that person would probably name “The Scream” by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. Its bold colors and heavy brushstrokes combined with distorting the shapes of its subject would be copied by many later artists working in the Expressionist style. Many expressionist painters also cited Vincent van Gogh and James Ensor amongst their influences.
Many framed expressionist art pieces were influenced by the bright, non-realistic color schemes used by Fauvist artists such as Henri Matisse. The Fauvist influence can be seen in “Die Grossen blauen Pferde” by Franz Marc. The title translates to “The Large Blue Horses.” Of course, large blue horses do not exist in reality, but these kinds of distortions are common in Expressionist work. German artist Rolf Nesch incorporated some classic Expressionist techniques in his painting “Elbe Bridge I” in 1932. The color scheme is not as wild as in some other Expressionist work, but the shapes are massively distorted and painted with thick, heavy brush strokes.
Expressionism became less common after the 1920s, but its influence can still be felt in art. The idea that one can express their inner worlds without having to adhere to the boundaries of realism is simply assumed to the be the case today, unlike those who were critical of Expressionism in its time.