GERMAN EXPRESSIONISM
The Beginning
Max Beckmann
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"Expressionism is the movement in fine arts that emphasized the expression of inner experience rather than solely realistic portrayal, seeking to depict not objective reality, but the subjective emotions and responses that objects and events arouse in the artist." (Nicholas Pioch, WebMuseum). "In Germany, Expressionism became synonymous with the rejection of the Western ideals of naturalism and came to embody the very idea of modern and revolutionary art." (Art in Context) Expressionism represents the artist’s personality and interior perception imposed on the visual reality of the objects depicted. The objects in Expressionism paintings are often distorted, painted in vivid colors, and are composed of strong, bold lines. Expressionism incorporates other styles such as Symbolism, Surrealism, Cubism, and Abstraction. Its roots can be found in both Medieval Art and African Art. Expressionism also revived the ancient German tradition of woodcut, but as a form of personal expression. The Expressionism movement was centered in Germany from 1905 until the time of its destruction in the late 1930s. The end of the first world war in 1918 brought the disappearance of the ruling dynasties from the political scene and Germany became a Republic. The collapse of the structure of ruling power was expected to bring with it a new world. But the artistic and political ideology of Expressionism peaked in 1923. By the end of that year, politically motivated attacks against modern art had begun. German
Expressionism Galleries German
Expressionism History |
Learning Activities:
1. Search the German Expressionism online gallerys to locate paintings that incorporate each of the styles mentioned above.
2. From each painting that you find that incorporates any of the various styles, see if you can detect similarities to either Medieval art, African art, or traditional German woodcut art.
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