This comment was written by HAVC 135B on 2 Sep 2016.

HAVC 135B : German Art 1905-1945

How did concept (i.e. idea) and form (i.e. style) unify in early Expressionism?

The goal of Expressionism was to depicts the world viscerally, instead of how it just looked on the surface and to reinvigorate art with authenticity and an expressive force. They wanted to evoke emotions. They wanted to show the emotions of the artist and to stir an emotional response in the viewer.

The artists showed this concept with their use of color (they tended to go for bright colors), and they were less refined in their painting style. They would leave their brush strokes showing (unlike the classically trained artists from the academies) or they would take a more abstract approach to the subject matter they were painting, leaving the meaning more up to the viewer.

- Summer 2016

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