antiexpressionism
|an-ti-ex-press-ion-ism|
/ˌæn.ti.ɪkˈsprɛʃ.ən.ɪ.zəm/
against expressionism
Etymology
'antiexpressionism' originates from Modern English, specifically as a compound of the prefix 'anti-' and the noun 'expressionism'; the prefix 'anti-' ultimately comes from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against', while 'expressionism' was adopted into English from German 'Expressionismus' (itself from 'expression' + suffix '-ism').
'antiexpressionism' was formed in English by attaching the prefix 'anti-' to 'expressionism'; 'expressionism' entered English from German 'Expressionismus', which derived from French/Latin roots related to 'expression', and the compound construction produced the modern English term 'antiexpressionism'.
Initially, the components meant 'against' (for 'anti-') and 'a movement emphasizing expression' (for 'expressionism'); combined, the term has meant 'opposition to expressionism' since its formation and retains that specialized meaning.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a stance, movement, or tendency that rejects or opposes expressionism (the art movement or style emphasizing subjective emotion and individual perspective).
In that gallery's 1920s retrospective, critics noted an undercurrent of antiexpressionism reacting against highly subjective painting.
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Noun 2
an art-historical label sometimes applied to artists or works that deliberately avoid or oppose expressionist techniques, favoring restraint, formal control, or other aesthetics.
Some scholars classify the painter's early output as antiexpressionism because he emphasized structure over emotional drama.
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Last updated: 2025/08/31 20:38