German Expressionism

Exploring the vibrancy and lasting impact of German Expressionism through its two trailblazing movements, the Brücke and the Blue Rider.Across Germany’s major cities, a new generation of artists emerged in the early twentieth century during an explosive moment of creative freedom. They were the German Expressionists, rejecting the restraints of realism and challenging convention through two pioneering groups: the Brücke and the Blue Rider. Through distorted shapes, experimental colour and exaggerated forms, these painters forged new ways to express emotion, spirituality and individual experience. Exploring a transformational moment in modern painting, this publication celebrates the remarkable achievements of such artists as Franz Marc, Wassily Kandinsky, Gabriele Münter, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Erich Heckel. Essays look at the artistic precedents of the movement and discuss the key characteristics of both groups, before examining some of the more challenging aspects of this era, such as the significance attributed to childhood and youth, and the colonial context in which the art was created. A final text considers the complex legacy of German Expressionism during the Third Reich and beyond. Exhibition ScheduleThe National Gallery, London:18 March–1 August 2027National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin: 9 September 2027–9 January 2028Published by National Gallery Global Ltd/Distributed by Yale University Press