Emil Nolde

Emil Nolde was a prominent figure of German Expressionism—a modernist movement of the early 20th century that promoted the unrestrained expression of subjective experiences unbeholden to expectations of objective representation. Though Nolde had an early interest in painting and drawing, he first trained as a craftsmen and worked in woodcarving before embarking on a career as a independent artist at the age of 31. It was the bright, rich colors of his paintings that attracted the attention of the Die Brücke (The Bridge ) artists—a group of German Expressionists that formed in Dresden in 1905—and prompted them to invite Nolde to join their group in 1906. Although he remained an active member for only one year, Nolde stayed in close touch with Die Brücke. They encouraged Nolde’s preference for bright colours and free brushwork, and his boldly carved woodcuts date from his contact with the group. Nolde’s political beliefs tended to lean more conservative than those of his fellow Expressionists, and his desire for a strong Germanic identity led to his membership in the Nazi Party from 1933 to 1934. By 1937, however, numerous works by Nolde had been confiscated during the Nazi campaign against so-called degenerate art. Nolde’s art remains an important body of work for examining the complex positions occupied by the Expressionist avant-garde during the political upheavals of early-to-mid 20th-century Germany.