Expressionism

In the visual arts, artistic style in which the artist depicts not objective reality but the subjective emotions that objects or events arouse. This aim is accomplished through the distortion and exaggeration of shape and the vivid or violent application of colour. Its roots are found in the works of Vincent van Gogh, Edvard Munch, and James Ensor. In 1905 the movement took hold with a group of German artists known as Die Br; their works influenced such artists as Georges Rouault, Chaim Soutine, Max Beckmann, K, and Ernst Barlach. The group of artists known as Der Blaue Reiter were also considered Expressionists. Expressionism was the dominant style in Germany after World War I; postwar Expressionists included George Grosz and Otto Dix. Its emotional qualities were adopted by other 20th-century art movements. See also Abstract Expressionism.

Find more information on Expressionism. Upgrade to Britannica Online for more on Expressionism.