The magical kaleidoscope of expressionist Emil Nolde's paintings
Born 150 years ago, Emil Nolde became famous for his radical use of color in landscapes. The German expressionist's works were banned by the Nazis, but that didn't stop him from leaving his mark.
The misunderstood artist
German painter Emil Nolde (1867-1956) is universally recognized as one of the pivotal figures of the European avant-garde. His expressive style and bold use of color deriving from Impressionism, as seen in this "High Sea" painting from 1948, were not immediately understood. He was rejected from the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich in 1898.
Bridging the divide
Nolde's talent was soon recognized elsewhere and in 1906 he was invited to join the group of young expressionists "Die Brücke" (The Bridge) that had formed a year earlier in Dresden. He participated in the group's two touring exhibition projects, but Nolde tended to be reclusive and left the collective the following year. Pictured is his self-portrait from 1917.
The eye must travel
Nolde was a loner and a passionate traveler, and many of his famous paintings were influenced by excursions into nature. The picturesque mountain sceneries he became known for stem from his many hiking tours in Europe while some of his watercolors were shaped by his travels to Africa, the South Pacific, Russia, and China. This still life with a striped goat is from 1920.
Germany's van Gogh
No art is ever created in a vacuum, and even Nolde looked to other artists for inspiration. He was mainly interested in the work of Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) and his floral paintings. Since pictures of flowers constitute a significant portion of Nolde's work, including these "Large Poppies" from 1942, they often overshadow his more exciting pieces and portraits.
Expensive flowers
Nolde left the art world a rich legacy: a portfolio containing more than 500 works, which have since become extraordinarily valuable. This floral painting, "Flower Garden" from 1908, sold for over $3 million at Sotheby's in London in 2012.
The master of color
During his lifetime, Nolde became famous for his impressive use of color. "There is silver blue, sky blue, and thunder blue. Every color harbors its soul, which makes me happy or repels me, and which acts as a stimulus," he once said. Pictured is Nolde's "Society" from 1911.
Degenerate art
Nolde's paintings were confiscated from museums and deemed "degenerate" in Nazi Germany, even though Nolde himself was a supporter of the regime. The traditionalist Nazis banned art considered too modern or experimental. Some works, like "Candle Dancers" from 1912, were also seen as too erotic. During the war, he privately painted small-scale watercolors, which he called "unpainted pictures."
A German export
Nolde received various awards in West Germany in the 1950s. Today, art lovers can view works like "Muggy Evening" (1930) at the Nolde Foundation in Seebüll, Germany, where the artist died, or in galleries and museums all over the world. Nolde is shown regularly during exhibitions at institutions like New York's MoMA, the Kunstmuseum in Basel, or Albertina in Vienna.