Expressionism & Expressionist Art: June 2008

Thursday, June 26, 2008

The Expressionist Works of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner - German Expressionism

Artist: Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1880-1938)
Style: German Expressionist

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner was a German born expressionist painter from the town Aschaffenburg. Kirchner was one of the founder of the famed German Expressionist art group Die Brucke. In school Kirchner studied architecture in the city of Dresden in 1901. During this time Kirchner was introduced to Fritz Bleyl, Erich Heckel and Karl Schmidt-Rottluff and before long they formed Die Brucke. Their art group found inspiration in art done by painters such as Vincent Van Gogh, Edvard Munch and Georges Rouault. After completing his studies in architecture Kirchner moved on to studying painting in Munich. Kirchner's had an incredibly passionate style of painting; he because famous for his heavily saturated brushstrokes and bright abstract colors. During World War I Kirchner entered military service, and suffered a nervous breakdown in 1915. In 1918 Kirchner moved to Switzerland where he continued to paint and show his work while at the same time battling severe depression. Like many other expressionist artists of the time Kirchner's art was tragically included in the Nazi Entartete Kunst 1937 exhibition of degenerate art and over 500 of his priceless works were destroyed. This caused Kirchner even further depression and in 1938 Ernst Ludwig Kirchner committed suicide.

Here are some examples of Expressionist / Expressionism paintings by the German Expressionist artist Ernst Kirchner.

Self-Portrait as a Soldier - 1915 - Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

Ernst Kirchner - Combats - 1915 - German Expressionism

Ernst Kirchner - Marcella

Ernst Kirchner - Akt auf blauem Grund

Berlin - Ernst Kirchner - Expressionist Painting

Dresden - Ernst Kirchner

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

The Expressionist Works of Edvard Munch

Edvard Munch - Father of Expressionism

Artist: Edvard Munch

(1863-1944)

Style: Expressionism

Edvard Munch was a Norwegian born Expressionist / Expressionist painter who helped pioneer the artistic print making process. Munch was born December 12, 1863 in Adalsbruk, Norway and resided in Oslo for much of his early and later life. Munch's mother, Laura Cathrine Bjolstad passed away due to tuberculosis in 1868 and he then also lost his sister Johanne Sophie Munch to it in 1877. Edvard Munch's father, Christian Munch died at an early age as well in the year 1889. After Edvard's mother's death he was raised by his very strict and religious father who raised him under very strict and religious convictions. In addition to death, mental illness also plagued Munch's family. Both he and one of his sisters suffered with varying degrees of it. Munch was at one time quoted saying that "sickness, insanity and death were the angels that surrounded my cradle and they have followed me throughout my life." Many modern sources have described Munch's mental illness as severe depression and possible bipolar disorder. In 1880, Edvard Munch had left college to become a painter.

In 1881 Edvard Munch enrolled at the Royal School of Art and Design of Kristiania Norway. Munch's prominent teachers at the Royal School of Art and Design were Christian Krohg and Julius Middelthun. In 1885 Munch studied art in Paris and his work began began to resemble the work of the popular impressionists and postimpressionists of the time. Soon after Munch made the leap to the expressionist art style and today is often regarded as one of the fathers of the art form. In 1892 Munch's art went on display in Berlin where his paintings instigated controversy at the show and after just one week the his art exhibition closed. Between 1892 and 1905 Munch spent much of his time in both Germany and France where he became famous for his prints, etchings, and his woodcuts. During this time Munch became a very popular and well received artist in Germany. Munch died on January 23, 1944 in Norway. As a legacy he left behind over a thousand paintings and over twenty thousand prints and drawings to the city of Oslo which later built the Munch Museum to honor him.

Today Edvard Munch's paintings are highly celebrated and collected world round. Several of his works has made the news when they were stolen from the Munch museum in Norway. Here is a sellection of some of the profound Expressionist art works by the famous artist Edvard Munch.

Edvard Munch - Ashes

Edvard Munch - Self Portait

Edvard Munch - Madona

Edvard Munch - Self Portrait

Edvard Munch - Expressionism Painting - Evening on Karl Johan Street

Edvard Munch - Drawing

Edvard Munch - Vampire

Edvard Munch - Death in the Sick Room

The Expressionist Works of Joseph Minton

Expressionism / Modern Expressionist paintings by the artist Joseph Minton

Artist: Joseph Minton
(1974 - Current)
Style: Modern Expressionist
Location: United States, California

Joseph Minton is a modern expressionism artist who is best known for his works "Inside", "Resurrection" and series of paintings titled "The Drunk". Minton’s roots are based in Expression and Abstract art showing a definite similarity to the works of the expressionist artists Edvard Munch and Georges Rouault. Minton became most recognized for his unique style of modern expressionist art by incorporating a vivid mixture of emphasized emotion, abstract color and the human form; he combines these items to bring to life the dramatic trials of the modern social environment. Minton's artistic career spans from his adolescence to adult life and he has his works on display to show the progression of his life through his paintings. Perhaps the best way to sum up the style of the artist is through his own words "True art has an entity of its own, it is alive, and has the ability to speak, effect and convey emotions to it's viewer. I consider my art to be an extension of myself." Minton's subject matter is broad and expansive yet always seems to share common bond which is the exploration of emotion.