A movement characterized by the nonobjective use of symbols, stereotyped characters, etc. that dominated the arts in Germany between about 1905 & 1925, typified mainly by the paintings of Die Brücke & Der Blaue Reiter. Expressonism represented a forceful reaction against late 19th-century naturalism & realism & was anticipated to some extent by van Gogh, Gauguin & Munch. In a self-conscious spirit of rebellion the Expressionists insisted on the validity of their emotional responses to their subject, from which they developed the concept that genuine artistic form results from inner necessity only & that it can never be imposed by tradition or convention. Their means of expression included distortion, agressively stylized forms, violent & evocative color combinations, & the eclectic absorption of such diverse influences as medieval, folk & tribal art.
- The Random House Dictionary of Art