Albert Bloch: Pioneer of Expressionism and the Lone American Voice in Der Blaue Reiter Albert Bloch (August 2, 1882 – March 23, 1961) stands as a singular figure in the annals of modernist art—the sole American artist to participate in Der Blaue Reiter (“The Blue Rider”), a seminal German Expressionist collective that irrevocably shaped the artistic landscape of the early 20th century. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Bloch’s formative ye…