German Expressionism
German Expressionism consisted of a number of related creative movements in Germany before the First World War that reached a peak in Berlin during the 1920s. These developments in Germany were part of a larger Expressionist movement in north and central European culture in fields such as architecture, dance, painting, sculpture, as well as cinema. This article deals primarily with developments in Ger…
What was the influence of German Expressionism in film?
The influence of German Expressionism can be seen in American film as well. Many German directors fled to America to escape the Nazis during WWII, and found their way to Hollywood. Here horror and film noir genres received the greatest impact.
Which two genres were especially influenced by expressionism?
Two genres that were especially influenced by Expressionism are horror film and film noir. Carl Laemmle and Universal Studios had made a name for themselves by producing such famous horror films of the silent era as Lon Chaney 's The Phantom of the Opera.
What was the religion of expressionism in Germany?
Religion, pro and con, was central to German Expressionism with a history that covers Nordic paganism, Roman paganism, Roman Catholicism, and finally Lutheranism, with the Lutheran Reformation that actually started in Wittenberg Germany in 1617 AD.
What were the two main groups of German Expressionist artists?
There were two main groups of German Expressionist artists that rose to prominence. One was Die Brucke ("the bridge"), led by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. The other was called Der Blau Reiter ("the Blue Rider"), led by Vassily Kandinsky.
What influenced German Expressionism?
Numerous artists and creatives contributed to the success of German Expressionism. These Expressionist artists were influenced by the works and stylistic elements of Vincent Van Gogh, Edvard Munch, Henri Matisse, and Ernst Barlach, as well as by the Fauvism and Post-Impressionism movement.
What influenced the Expressionism movement?
The Expressionists were influenced by their predecessors of the 1890s and were also interested in African wood carvings and the works of such Northern European medieval and Renaissance artists as Albrecht Dürer, Matthias Grünewald, and Albrecht Altdorfer.
What are the key characteristics of German Expressionism?
Characteristics of German ExpressionismHigh angles.Deep shadows/chiaroscuro lighting.Extreme camera tilting.Impossible sets.
What influenced Expressionism music?
Expressionism was heavily influenced by expressionist art and protest movements of the time. Originating primarily in Germany and Austria, expressionist music's freely displayed angst and turmoil attracted some of the 20th century's most respected and diverse composers from the United States and around the world.
How did German expressionism start?
The German Expressionists were artists, writers, and thinkers who were of age in Germany prior to World War II, and lived during Wilhelm II's reign. German Expressionism developed as a result of the younger generation's reaction against the bourgeois culture of Germany during this time period.
What are 3 characteristics of Expressionism?
Expressionisma high level of dissonance.extreme contrasts of dynamics.constantly changing textures.'distorted' melodies and harmonies.angular melodies with wide leaps.extremes of pitch.no cadences.
What are the main styles of German Expressionism?
GERMAN EXPRESSIONISM STYLESEarly Influences. Although the Expressionists rejected the moribund, state-sanctioned stylistic... ... Brücke. The artists' group Brücke was established in Dresden on June 7, 1905... ... Der Blaue Reiter. ... Austrian Expressionism. ... New Objectivity. ... Other Expressionists.
What is the popular theme of German Expressionism?
These include a fascination with the enticing yet often sordid experiences of modern urban life; the enduring solace associated with nature and religion; the naked body and its potential to signify primal emotion; emotionally charged portraiture; and, most pivotally, the need to confront the devastating experience of ...
What was the purpose of German Expressionism in film?
As the name suggests, German expressionist filmmakers used visual distortion and hyper-expressive performance to show inner turmoils, fears and desires of that era. German Expressionism reflects the inner conflicts of its 1920s German audience by giving their woes an inescapably external presence.
What is German Expressionism in music?
Expressionist music often features a high level of dissonance, extreme contrasts of dynamics, constant changing of textures, "distorted" melodies and harmonies, and angular melodies with wide leaps.
How did Expressionism develop?
Expressionism first emerged in 1905, when a group of four German students guided by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner founded the Die Brücke (the Bridge) group in the city of Dresden. A few years later, in 1911, a like-minded group of young artists formed Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider) in Munich.
Who was the main person and pioneer of Expressionism movement?
Edvard Munch in Norway The late-19th-century Norwegian Edvard Munch emerged as an important source of inspiration for the Expressionists. His vibrant and emotionally charged works opened up new possibilities for introspective expression.
What did the Expressionists take inspiration from?
Although the Expressionists rejected the moribund, state-sanctioned stylistic conventions and subjects that dominated German visual culture at the turn of the 20th century, they did take inspiration from several more avant-garde trends of the previous generation.
What style of art did Expressionists use?
Another key influence came from the abstracting tendencies of the bold, poster-like forms and flat patterning in Art Nouveau or Jugendstil (literally, the “young style”) design. Many Expressionists experimented with that style very early in their careers and used it as a springboard toward their own boldly flattened but more jarringly distorted and emotionally provocative style.
What is the theme of Klee's print?
Here, he offers a grotesque parody of idealized or allegorical female nudes, a theme beloved at state-sponsored academies and by middle-class philistines.
What did the woodcuts reveal about Kandinsky?
Woodcut helped reveal new spatial and conceptual possibilities to Kandinsky. This early example retains an illustrational quality derived from Jugendstil and Russian folk art, a quality he sometimes enhanced by printing jewel-like colors in conjunction with broad areas of black.
How did German expressionism develop?
German Expressionism developed as a result of the younger generation’s reaction against the bourgeois culture of Germany during this time period. While German Expressionism is generally considered to be a pre-World War II movement, it came back into fashion in some circles after the war ended.
What is German expressionism?
German Expressionism is a cultural movement that is challenging to define as it is not distinguished by a singular style or method of creation, but rather is better described by both the mindset of the artist creating the work and the generation he or she lived in. The German Expressionists were artists, writers, ...
What is the German Expressionist collection?
The collection is a mix of serials and monographs of arts journals, political journals, novels, and plays.
What did Expressionists believe?
A number of Expressionists shared the “belief that literature was capable of effecting profound changes in society.”. [1] German Expressionist literature frequently focused on the individual and his or her role in the story being told.
What is the significance of German expression?
The significance of German Expression is in its ephemeral nature. Many of the publications that resulted from the movement were serials printed on cheap paper or items that were burned in the later half of the 1930s. The movement as a whole was transitional, and it reflected German culture in that moment of change.
Was the Expressionism movement a transitional movement?
The movement as a whole was transitional, and it reflected German culture in that moment of change. The movement did not last an especially long time, and started to fade out as its artists and writers aged. Expressionism has been described as a “movement of young people.”.
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German Expressionism Film
Notable German Expressionist Artists
- Numerous artists and creatives contributed to the success of German Expressionism. These Expressionist artists were influenced by the works and stylistic elements of Vincent Van Gogh, Edvard Munch, Henri Matisse, and Ernst Barlach, as well as by the Fauvism and Post-Impressionism movement. Cafe in Davos (1928) by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner; Ernst Ludwig...
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Frequently Asked Questions