Expressionism in Art and Music (c.1890–1920)

This article explores the Expressionist movement in both visual arts and music from circa 1890 to 1920. Rooted in the psychological unrest and societal turmoil of early 20th-century Europe, Expressionism rejected classical aesthetics in favor of raw emotional expression. In painting, this manifested in distorted forms, vivid colors, and intense inner symbolism. In music, composers like Schoenberg, Webern, and Berg developed atonal and twelve-tone techniques to reflect the fragmentation of the human psyche. The paper also discusses Eastern influences, particularly Zen Buddhism, on Expressionist spontaneity. Ultimately, Expressionism is portrayed as the soul’s cry in a fractured world.