In the early 20th century, a group of artists from Germany revolted against the traditional art of realism and began to express their strong inner feelings in their paintings. With the invention of the camera, artists no longer felt that they had to portray reality. German expressionists tried to express their emotions with flat simple shapes, and dynamic contrast of color. Texture was a very basic element of art and was very important to the German Expressionists.
Students used photographs in lieu of “live” models. The faces were drawn with properly proportioned facial features, but that was the end of their concern for reality. Expressive color took over. Texture and brush stroke added interest and emphasis.
