The Expressionist art movement emerged in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century, and it was characterized by a rejection of traditional artistic techniques and a focus on subjective emotions and inner experiences. Some of the stylistic conventions associated with the movement include bold, exaggerated forms – Expressionist artists often distorted the proportions and shapes of figures and objects to create a sense of emotional intensity and to emphasise their own psychological states. They also used strong, contrasting colours to create a sense of drama and emotional intensity. Bright, vivid colours were often used in combination with dark or muted tones to create striking visual contrasts.

Simplified and stylised forms created a sense of emotional depth and conveyed the inner experiences of the subject, another technique often used by these artists. Additionally, Expressionist artists used dynamic and energetic brushwork to convey a sense of movement and further display emotion. Expressionist art often focused on the psychological state of the subject, accentuating the emotional experiences of the individual over objective reality.

These stylistic conventions were used across a range of mediums, including painting, printmaking, and sculpture, and they influenced other art movements, such as Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism.