Colorful Rebellion at the Turn of the Century
Expressionism is a European art movement that emerged around 1900 as a deliberate counter-movement to Impressionism. While Impressionism captured fleeting sensory impressions, Expressionists sought a direct portrayal of inner feelings and psychological states.
Typical features of Expressionism include bold, often unnatural colors, strong contours, expressive line work, and a conscious simplification or distortion of reality. The artists aimed to convey emotional and existential experiences rather than beauty.
In Germany, Expressionism was particularly a reaction against the strict rules of academic art. Artists found inspiration in medieval art as well as in so-called "primitive" art from non-European cultures, such as masks or ritual figures.
Significant impulses came from the artist group "Die Brücke" founded in 1905 (including Kirchner, Heckel, Schmidt-Rottluff, Bleyl). In parallel, the Fauvism movement emerged in France, a related, color-intensive movement without the social ambitions of German Expressionism.
In 1911, Wassily Kandinsky and Franz Marc founded the group "Der Blaue Reiter" in Munich, which included artists like Macke, Münter, Klee, and Jawlensky. Their goal was to expand the possibilities of expression in art—a path that led directly to abstract painting.
