German Expressionism Notes

German Expressionism (1905-1914)

Concept of Expressionism

  • A permanent tendency in art where the artist portrays their own emotional reaction.
  • Characterized by a highly individual style with free distortion of shape and color.
  • Often occurs in times of tension when individuals want to express their feelings.
  • Expressionism (with a capital letter) refers to the specific German art of the early 20th century.
  • Erich Heckel's "Portrait of a Man 1919" is an example (Coloured woodprint).

Influences

  • Van Gogh:
    • Typical Expressionist who worked according to subjective feelings.
    • Influenced by distorted nature, strong colors, linear brushwork, and compassion.
  • Non-Western Cultures:
    • Excluded the superficiality of Western art.
    • African Masks: Important influence, believed to be created in purer societies.
  • Art of Children & Mentally Ill:
    • Seen as a direct expression of emotions.
  • Germanic Character:
    • Inherent character for searching behind appearances.
    • Contrasted with French art (involved with appearances and pure solution of formal elements, e.g., Impressionism).
  • German History in the 20th Century:
    • Marked by tension and division.
    • Political, social, and economic instability before WW1.
  • Edvard Munch:
    • Violent distortions of color and shape to express emotional states.
    • Example: Edvard Munch's "The Scream 1899" (Oil on Canvas).

Two Groups

  • Die Brücke (The Bridge)
  • Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider)
  • Examples:
    • Franz Marc "Blue Horse 1911" (Oil on Canvas)
    • Erich Heckel "Glassy Day 1913" (Oil on Canvas)

Die Brücke (The Bridge)

  • Years: 1905 – 1913
  • Location: Dresden
  • Background:
    • Founded by three architectural students: Kirchner, Schmidt-Rottluff, and Heckel.
  • Name:
    • Links all revolutionary elements, as well as Paris and Dresden..
  • Shared View:
    • Shared same view on art and life, rather than specific aims – all could work according to their own initiative.
  • Relocation and Dissolution:
    • Moved to Berlin in 1911.
    • Dissolved the group on the eve of WW1.
  • Key Members:
    • Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff , Emil Nolde, Erich Heckel, Max Peckstein, Otto Mueller

Die Brücke (The Bridge) - Characteristics

  • Themes that criticised their social conditions.
  • Content was more important, rather than formal elements.
  • Personal art portraying strong individual feelings.
  • Angst-ridden art with underlying themes – hate, jealousy, love…
  • Colour:
    • Initially strong primary and secondary colors.
    • Became increasingly somber and dark.
    • Contrast in color reflected conflicts in life.
    • Harsh strong colors were used non-naturalistically.
  • Shape:
    • Emphasis on emotion led to simplified and distorted shapes.
    • Works seemed unfinished because of distortion – figures thin and elongated.
    • Strong dark outline of shapes.
    • Figures crowded claustrophobically into picture space – space unrealistic.
  • Brushwork:
    • Broad, free brushstrokes created by emotion.
    • Spontaneous works create a new ‘barbaric’ beauty.
    • Linear – brushstrokes show artist emotion.
    • Paint applied freely and roughly as if in haste, often very thick.
  • Examples:
    • Ernst Ludwig Kirchner "Street Scene in Berlin 1913" (Oil on Canvas)
    • Erich Heckel "Glassy Day 1913" (Oil on Canvas)

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

  • One of the founding members of Die Brücke.
  • Street Scenes:
    • Series of street scenes created after moving to Berlin.
    • Some of the best examples of Die Brücke.
    • Satirizes the rich who think only of parading their finery in the streets.
  • Quote: “The German Artist created his form out of the imagination, inner vision, and the forms of visible nature are to him only symbols… he sees behind things.” – E.L. Kirchner
  • Examples:
    • "Five Women in the Street 1913" (Oil on Canvas)
    • "Street Scene in Berlin 1913" (Oil on Canvas)
    • "Self-portrait as a Soldier 1915" (Oil on Canvas)
    • "Self-portrait with a Model 1905" (Oil on Canvas)

Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider)

  • Years: 1911 – 1914
  • Location: Munich
  • Background:
    • Founded by Kandinsky and Marc.
    • Published an almanac of essays and illustrations to explain their art theories.
  • Name:
    • Both liked blue, Marc liked horses, Kandinsky liked riders.
  • Aim:
    • To express inner spirituality through a variety of shapes.
  • End of Group:
    • Ended with the death of Marc and Macke in WW1.
  • Significance:
    • Die Brücke was purest form of German Expressionism.
    • Der Blaue Reiter was more international and most important manifestation of modernity in Germany before 1914.
  • Key Members:
    • Wassily Kandinsky, Franz Marc, August Macke

Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider) - Characteristics

  • Themes: lyrical, romantic, spiritual, and sometimes abstract.
  • Express the ‘inner necessity’ – belief.
  • No real social commentary.
  • Colour:
    • Emotional use of colour.
    • No use of somber colors.
  • Shape:
    • Experimentation and distortion of shapes to express emotion.
  • Brushwork:
    • Variety of brushstrokes – emphasis on the process of painting.
    • Lines created by brushstrokes – expression of artist’s personality.

Franz Marc

  • Nature = harmony
  • Animal = innocence and goodness
  • Blue = masculine, spiritual hope
  • Yellow = feminine, gentle, serene and sensual
  • Red = brutal, heavy, earthly
  • Perspective? Lines/ Curves?
  • Background:
    • One of the founders of Der Blaue Reiter.
    • Most romantic of the German Expressionist painters.
    • Wanted to contrast human reality with the natural beauty of the animal world.
    • Imagery and colours were used symbolically.
  • Example: "Blue Horses 1911" (Oil on Canvas)

Wassily Kandinsky

  • Influenced by Monet’s Haystack Series:
    • Realized that a subject was unnecessary and that only color, shapes, and lines can create a painting.
    • Said abstract art is like music and that by using only the art elements in a non-naturalistic way, emotions can be evoked in the viewer.
  • Background:
    • Born in Russia, studied law in Moscow, became a painter at 30.
    • One of the founders of Der Blaue Reiter, credited with creating the first abstract work.
  • Liberated art from the need to describe the real world
  • ‘Colour is the keyboard, the eyes the hammers, the soul is the piano with many strings’.
  • Approached the canvas with no preconceived theme, but allowed the colours to come as they would, prompted by unconscious feelings
  • Examples:
    • "First Abstract Painting 1910" (Watercolour)
    • "Composition V 1911" (Oil on Canvas)
    • "Improvisation on Klamm 1914" (Oil on Canvas)

The Expressionistic Figure

  • Edvard Munch:
    • Norwegian artist (1863-1944), an important forerunner of Expressionist art.
    • Themes of love, fear, death, and spiritual angst shown through violent distortions of color and shape.
    • Example: "The Scream 1899" (Oil on Canvas)
  • Egon Schiele:
    • Austrian artist (1890-1918), lived a short life, dying in the flu epidemic of 1918.
    • Drawings and paintings are characterized by their intensity, twisted body shapes, and use of expressive lines.
    • Example: "Self-portrait with raised bare shoulder 1912" (Oil on Board)
  • Oskar Kokoschka:
    • Austrian artist (1886- 1980), psychological portraits show his passionate search for inner awareness.
    • "Bride of the Wind 1914" speaks of emotional storms and insecurities in a relationship with twisting brushstrokes and ribbons of color.
  • Käthe Kollowitz:
    • German artist (1867- 1945) whose work portrays an expressive and intense account of the human condition, especially of the poor and figures of war.
    • Example: "Mother with Dead Child 1903" (Etching)
  • Penny Siopis:
    • South African artist interested in biography, race, and gender.
    • Her Shame series challenges abuse in society.
    • Example: "Shame Series 2002-2005" (Oil on Canvas)

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner - Street Scene in Berlin 1913

  • Biographical Facts:
    • Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1880–1938) was a German expressionist painter and printmaker.
    • Founding member of Die Brücke (The Bridge).
    • Aimed to bridge traditional academic art and the new modern styles.
    • Known for raw emotional intensity, vibrant colours, and distorted forms.
    • Career disrupted by World War I.
    • Labelled a “degenerate” artist by the Nazis.
    • Took his own life in 1938.
  • Background of the Artwork:
    • Part of a series capturing the dynamic and alienating life of the modern metropolis.
    • Depicts an urban scene with fashionably dressed women and men walking along a Berlin street.
    • Figures are stylized and elongated, with mask-like faces and angular bodies.
    • Uses bold, contrasting colours and sharp lines.
  • Socio-Political Context:
    • Reflects the intense social and psychological atmosphere of pre-war Berlin.
    • Growing anxiety about urban life, industrialization, and shifting gender roles.
    • The central figures are likely prostitutes.
    • The men suggest themes of anonymity, detachment, and exploitation.
    • Captures the isolation within the crowd.
  • Meaning:
    • A powerful expression of modern alienation and psychological unease.
    • The distorted, nervous brushwork and exaggerated forms convey the artist’s inner turmoil and critique of modern urban existence.
    • Examines its superficial glamour, artificiality, and emotional disconnection.
    • Reflects Kirchner’s expressionist mission: to depict not the external world as it appears, but as it feels.

Franz Marc - Blue Horse 1911

  • Biographical Facts:
    • Franz Marc (1880–1916) was a key figure in German Expressionism.
    • Co-founder of Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider).
    • Deeply interested in spirituality, nature, and the inner essence of animals.
    • Studied at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts.
    • Influenced by Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, and Cubism.
    • His art grew more abstract over time, moving towards symbolic and emotional color use.
    • Killed in combat during World War I.
  • Background of the Artwork:
    • One of Marc’s most iconic works and a hallmark of Der Blaue Reiter’s ideals.
    • Features a young blue horse set against a vibrant, colorful landscape of reds, greens, and yellows.
    • Blue: Associated with masculinity, spirituality, and calmness.
    • Stylized and simplified, emphasizing form and emotion over realism.
    • Part of Marc’s quest to find spiritual truth through the natural world, especially through animals.
  • Socio-Political Context:
    • Germany was experiencing rapid industrial growth and societal change, but also rising political tensions.
    • Artists reacted against the dehumanising effects of modernity, war, and urbanization by turning to nature and symbolism.
    • Der Blaue Reiter was not just an art group but a spiritual movement seeking a deeper, more intuitive expression of life.
    • Served as a quiet protest against materialism and mechanisation, emphasizing a return to innocence, harmony, and the natural world.
  • Meaning:
    • Not simply a depiction of an animal, but a symbol of spiritual purity, inner strength, and peace.
    • Used colour to express emotion and metaphysical ideas rather than to describe the physical world.
    • The horse’s calm, introspective posture and the dreamlike landscape reflect a utopian vision.
    • A meditation on harmony between living beings and nature.
    • An attempt to elevate animals to a more noble and sacred level.
    • To use art as a way of healing the soul and connecting to something higher.

Why Is German Expressionism Considered Expressive?

  • Main goal was to convey emotional experience rather than physical reality.
  • Deliberately distorted and exaggerated the world around them to reflect inner turmoil, anxiety, fear, and raw emotion.
  • Reacted to the chaos of early 20th-century Germany (World War I, economic instability, rapid industrialization).
  • Visual Distortion & Exaggeration
    • Jagged lines, stark contrasts, warped perspectives, and unnatural colours were used to reflect a character’s psyche or emotional state.
  • Emotion Over Realism
    • Rejected realistic depictions of the world—no interest in accuracy or subtlety.
    • The goal was to externalize inner feelings, often dark or intense.
    • Paintings by artists like Egon Schiele or Ernst Ludwig Kirchner have dramatic colours and figures to express alienation, angst, or ecstasy.
  • Themes of Psychological Depth
    • Expressionist works often deal with madness, fear, betrayal, and despair.
    • These themes are mirrored in the style itself.
    • Everything from the lighting to the set design helped express those inner mental states.
  • Symbolism and Abstraction
    • Showed the world as it feels, making expression inherent.

Why Is Art from DIE BRÜCKE Considered Expressive?

  • Cornerstone of German Expressionism, emphasizing raw, bold, and emotional reasons.
  • More gritty, raw, and confrontational compared to Der Blaue Reiter.
  • Harsh, Vivid Colours and Aggressive Brushwork
    • Clashing colours and rough, energetic strokes were used to create emotional intensity.
    • Bold reds, electric blues, acid greens—used not for beauty but to evoke discomfort, passion, alienation, desire, even rage.
  • Distorted Figures and Faces
    • Human forms were often elongated, angular, and awkward.
    • Expressed inner psychological or societal tension.
    • Made the inner emotional world visible through the body itself.
  • Urban Alienation and Raw Emotion
    • Subject matter often reflected the emotional chaos of modern city life.
    • Captured a sense of restlessness and existential discomfort.
  • Emotional Directness
    • Breaking away from academic tradition and returning to something more primitive, instinctual, and emotional.
    • Inspired by tribal art, woodcuts, and medieval German art.
  • Expressive Mediums Like Woodcut Prints
    • Rough lines and high-contrast look perfectly matched their expressive goals.
  • Personal Freedom & Rebellion
    • Expression: freedom from societal norms, rigid morality, and artistic tradition.
    • Work was often charged with emotional and sexual energy.

Why Is Art from DER BLAUE REITER Considered Expressive?

  • Aimed to capture spiritual truths and inner emotional realities through colour, form, and abstraction.
  • Bold Use of Colour for Emotional Impact
    • Believed colour had a direct connection to the soul.
    • Used colour symbolically, not literally, to evoke feelings and moods.
  • Abstraction and Non-Realistic Forms
    • Moved away from realistic depictions toward more abstract or symbolic imagery.
    • Used shape and colour alone to express emotions.
  • Nature and Animals as Symbols
    • Painted animals in vibrant, unnatural colours to show their purity, spirituality, or suffering.
  • Spiritual Expression
    • Art should go beyond the material world to express deeper, often mystical truths.
    • Saw art as a bridge to spiritual experience.
  • Personal Vision Over Objective Reality
    • Each artist tried to express their personal inner vision, not a shared or objective version of reality.