expressionism

Expressionism is a modernist movement that emerged in the early 20th century, primarily in Germany and Austria. It encompasses visual art, literature, theater, film, and architecture. It sought to convey subjective emotions and inner experiences rather than depict external reality, often through distorted forms, exaggerated lines, and non-naturalistic color.

Origin and development: it grew out of the late 19th-century avant-garde as a reaction against naturalism and impressionism. Die Brücke (1905) in Dresden and Die Blaue Reiter (1911) in Munich formed during this period. Key artists included Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Erich Heckel, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, Emil Nolde, Wassily Kandinsky, and Franz Marc.

In painting, expressionism emphasized alienation, spiritual anxiety, and bold contrasts. Thematic concerns included urban modernity, war, religion, and existential dread, with techniques such as jagged outlines, flattened perspective, and simplified forms.

In literature and drama, expressionism produced poetry and plays that explored social critique and inner conflict. Notable figures include Georg Heym, Gottfried Benn, Else Lasker-Schüler, and Ernst Toller. In cinema, expressionist filmmaking used stark lighting and distorted sets to convey psychological tension; notable titles include The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), Nosferatu (1922), and Metropolis (1927).

Decline and legacy: by the late 1920s expressionism waned as a discrete movement, partly overtaken by New Objectivity. The rise of the Nazi regime condemned it as degenerate art. Its influence extended to Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism, and later forms of modern art and cinema.