Expressionism - (with an upper-case E - the more specific sense) An art movement dominant in Germany from 1905-1925, especially Die Brücke and Der Blaue Reiter, which are usually referred to as German Expressionism, anticipated by Francisco de Goya y Lucientes (Spanish, 1746-1828), Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853-1890), Paul Gauguin (French, 1848-1903) and others.

Die Brücke

A group of German Expressionist artists based in Dresden and Berlin between 1905 and 1913, mostly painters, they depicted landscapes, nudes, and carnival performers in strong colors and broad forms. They also revived the German woodcut tradition, but as a form of personal expression. Die Brücke is German for "The Bridge," and was not intended to be a style, but as a bridge toward a better future. They lived and worked as a community, in emulation of the guilds of the Middle Ages. Die Brücke was founded by four architecture students: Fritz Bleyl (1880-1966), Ernst Kirchner (1880-1938), Erich Heckel (1883-1970), and Karl Schmidt-Rottluff (1884-1976); other members included Emil Nolde (1867-1956) and Kies van Dongen.

Der Blaue Reiter

A group of German artists based in Munich from 1911 to 1914, mostly expressionist painters, but their works ranged from pure abstraction to romantic imagery, attempting to express spiritual truths. Common to the group was a philosophical spirit and certain approaches to technique. The name, meaning "blue rider", was taken from the name of a painting by Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944), and was also the title of the almanac and the exhibition on which he collaboration with others. Some of the important members of the group were Franz Marc (1880-1916), Paul Klee (1879-1940), and August Macke (1887-1914).