The Roots of Expressionism

    Expressionism’s roots began in the 1880s, but it did not form into a separate art movement until 1905. Vincent van Gogh was a harbinger of the Expressionistic movement. His works “consciously exaggerated nature ‘to express . . . man’s terrible passions’” (Chilvers 191). Gauguin’s art, even more than van Goghs’, came closer in style to the later Expressionists. He accepted “Symbolism” as a way to express opinions in art. In his art, Gauguin flattened and simplified shapes, used colours not true to life, and he abandoned the use of shadows. The later Expressionists followed his foosteps by not using shadows in their art. Gauguin also discovered “primitive art”and “folk art,” which lead him even further away from the European civilization. His discoveries of “primitive” art became points of interest for the later Expressionists.

    During the same period, Edvard Munch began exploring the “possibilities of violent colour and linear distortions with which to express the most elemental emotions of anixety, fear, love, and hatred” (Chilvers 191). He helped to bring about the revivial of the “graphic techinques such as the woodcut,” which became one of the most important parts of Expressionism (Chilvers 191). A Belgian painter, James Ensor, contributed to the movement with his widely popular, yet morbid and terrifying carnival masks, that were said to depict the lowness of human nature.

    In 1905, two groups appeared on the art scene. The Fauves appeared in France and a Expressionistic group, Die Brucke, appeared in Dresden, Germany. The Fauves followed van Gogh and Gauguin and were lead by Henry Matisse, while the German Expressionists broke even further away from realistic art forms. The Fuaves always kept their images harmonious in design and they never quite lost the lyrical and decorative qualities. The German Expressionists revolted completely against the restraint of the Fauves. In German Expressionism, “violence was expolited for its own sake; forms and colours were tortured in the attempt to give psychological and symbolic vent to a vaguely conceived creative urge and a sense of revolt against the established order” (Chilvers 192).

    Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, a German Expressionist, wrote that “we accept all the colours which, directly or indirectly, reproduce the pure creative impulse” (Chilvers 192). He was one of the founding fathers of Die Brucke. (Turner Volume 18, page 77). Even though Kirchner presented himself as the founding father of Die Brucke, there were three other artists that were co-founders of the group. They were Erich Heckel, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, and Fritz Bleyl (Turner Volume 14, page 284). Hermann Max Pechstein became a member of Die Brucke in 1906 and was the only member to have received formal training as a painter (Turner Volume 24, page 311). Even though Emil Nolde was only a member from 1906 to 1907, he kept in close touch with his friends in the group after he left (Turner Volume 23, page 185). Ludwig Meidner started another Expressionistic group called, Die Pathetiker, in 1912 (Turner Volume 21, page 55). Other notable members of this group included Richard Janthur and Jacob Steinhardt (Ibid).