Framed Expressionist Art

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.