Expressionism

Expressionism is an art and cultural movement of the 20th century. Expressionist artists try to express a feeling with what they create. Colours and shapes are not used in a way people see them, but as the artist feels them.

Expressionism emerged as an 'avant-garde movement' in poetry and painting before the First World War. In the Weimar years it was appreciated by a mass audience,^[1] peaking in popularity in 1920s Berlin.

Expressionism presents the world as subjective: how the artist feels it, not how it is scientifically. The art looks to get an emotional effect, and transmits personal moods and ideas.^[1][2] Expressionist artists sought to express the meaning of "being alive"^[3] and emotional experience rather than physical reality.^[3][4]

Expressionism is exhibited in many art forms, including: painting, literature, theatre, dance, film, architecture and music. The term often implies emotional angst. In a general sense, painters such El Greco could be called expressionist; in practice, the term is applied only to 20th century works.

The Expressionist stress on the individual perspective was also a reaction to positivism and other artistic movements such as naturalism and impressionism.^[5]

Typical modern expressionists are Edvard Munch (The Scream), August Macke, Ernst-Ludwig Kirchner, Emil Nolde, Marc Chagall, and others. The First World War, with the many young men who died, left deep impressions on artists' minds.

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  Fugue by Wassily Kandinsky (1914)
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  Portrait of Eduard Kosmack by Egon Schiele
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  Rehe im Walde by Franz Marc
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  "Elbe Bridge I" by Rolf Nesch
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  To the unknown voice, by Kandinsky 1915.
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  Clouds in Finland by Konrad Krzyżanowski, 1908
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  "View of Toledo" by El Greco, 1595/1610. Bears a striking resemblance to 20th century expressionism. Historically speaking it is part of the Mannerism movement.