German Expressionism and the Modernist Impulse

As the threat of World War I loomed over them in the opening decades of the 20th century, German artists became disillusioned with the culture around them and began to move away from art that was outward facing to one focused on their subjective feelings. Raw and uncompromising, their art reflected their Modernist interpretations of a very tumultuous world. The bold use of line found in drawing and print-making was utilized to explore their inner worlds.

David Gariff, a senior lecturer at the National Gallery of Art, explores the vital role that German and Austrian Expressionism played in a period of volatile contradictions—providing a fertile ground for the emergence of the new visual languages of Max Beckmann, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka, Wassily Kandinsky, Franz Marc, Emil Nolde, and Egon Schiele.

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1/2 credit*

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*Enrolled participants in the World Art History Certificate Program receive 1/2 elective credit. Not yet enrolled? Learn about the program, its benefits, and how to register here.