Expressionism – Art History Movement
Edvard Munch “The Scream”
Expressionism was developed in Germany in the early 20th century prior to World War One. The movement spread form the visual arts to literature and was even seen in drama. During this period new ideas in philosophy and psychology were in fashion, which fueled the trend towards visual representation of individual angst.
Expressionism is the personal representation of the artists’ perspective on life with emphasis on emotions.
Reality is distorted to express the artist’s emotional perspective. Images often appear childlike or simple with bright colors and expressive lines. Expressionist artists were influenced by African art and the works of Van Gogh. Edvard Much’s “The Scream” was also a major influence for early expressionists. It is considered to have inspired the movement.
