Emil Nolde Paintings

Emil Nolde was a German-Danish painter and printmaker. He was one of the first Expressionists, a member of Die Brücke, and is considered to be one of the great watercolor painters of the 20th century. He was born as Emil Hansen in the village of Nolde, in the province of Schleswig, which was then part of Prussia but is now in Denmark. In 1902, he changed his last name to that of his birthplace.

Nolde's early work was influenced by Impressionism, but he later became a part of the Expressionist movement, seeking to express the emotional aspects of human life in his work, often through bold colors and dynamic compositions. His subjects ranged from landscapes and seascapes to religious themes, exotic figures, and fantastical creatures. One of the hallmarks of his style was the use of strong, vivid colors, and he is known for his technique in watercolor, which allowed him a great deal of spontaneity and fluidity.

Despite his association with Die Brücke and his significant contribution to German Expressionism, Nolde was a complex figure with controversial political views. He was a supporter of the National Socialist regime in its early years, hoping it would embrace his art as the epitome of Germanic culture. However, his work was condemned by the Nazis as 'degenerate', and he was forbidden from painting—even in private—after 1941.

During this period of prohibition, he secretly worked on a series of small watercolors which he called 'unpainted pictures'. After World War II, Nolde was once again able to paint openly, but his reputation had suffered. In his later years, he continued to paint and write, leaving behind a complex legacy that would be widely celebrated for his artistic genius while also critically examined for his ideological leanings.

Nolde passed away in Seebüll (in present-day Germany), where he had lived and worked for much of his life. Today, his former home is a museum dedicated to his work. Despite the contradictions in his life, Emil Nolde remains an important figure in the art world, known for his passionate and intense works that prefigured abstract expressionism and had a lasting influence on the development of modern art.