There are two major schools of Art, known as impressionism and expressionism. Though both are abstract art, they are two very distinct types of paintings. Paintings for sale can only be bought if we know the difference between them is always helpful in determining which style suits you more as well as which style you enjoy more.

History

Began in the 1940’s, Impressionism became one of the most influential movements of that time, making New York the new sought after location for Art. In 1946, Robert Coates called the evolved form of abstract art as ‘Abstract Impressionism’. This movement was begun by those artists who were constantly dejected for their unique form of expression, by powerful Art institutions. This form of painting was meant to ‘capture the impression objects made on the eye in a fleeting instant’.

Abstract Expressionism also took roots between post World War II in 1940’s and 1950’s in New York. This movement aimed to elevate the position of those artists who wished to ‘bombard their canvasses with manifestations of expressions’. Their backbone being Surrealism, a movement in which they depicted the aftermath of the war and the trauma it incurred. Now, you will know that the next time you see or buy abstract art.

Features

Impressionist artists focused on using spontaneous brushstrokes, vibrant hues; often using unblended pigments with hurried brushstrokes, as they had to work out in the streets. The main theme of impressionists’ work was isolation, where they would constantly show a subject in solitude or subjects with a physical barrier between them. Impressionist paintings lack detail and are quite different from traditional painting methods. Some impressionist artists include Camille Pissarro, Mary Cassatt, Berth Morisot, Alfred Sisley and Gustav Caillibotte.

Some expressionist artists include, Marc Chagall, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, August Macke, Franz Marc, Henri Matisse and Edvard Munch. These paintings pertain to emotional images that are a direct manifestation of the darkness within us. The artists employ showing violence, sorrow and fantasy along with intense color, disjointed spaces and agitated brushstrokes to accurately portray maximum emotions. Expressionist paintings show disproportioned sizes and odd angles showing a loss of reality. Expressionism also constitutes some aspects of European abstract aspects like Futurism, Bahaus and Cubism.

If you can identify these features in a painting, determining its type can be done very easily. Abstract art is a form of expression that must be felt before you buy abstract art.

Moreover, in our view, paintings for sale of any art are a treasure. They should be cherished.