Emil Nolde | The Die Brücke Group

German painter in oils and watercolour of landscapes, still life and figure compositions, lithographer, etcher and wood-engraver.

Born near Nolde, a village in North Schleswig. Changed his name from Hansen to Nolde in 1902. Worked as wood carver in several furniture factories, studied at the School of Arts and Crafts in Karlsruhe 1888-9 and began to sketch landscapes and portraits in his spare time.

Taught drawing at the Museum of Industrial Arts in St Gall, Switzerland, 1892-7. First oil paintings 1896.

Decided to devote himself to painting and studied at Friedrich Fehr's private school in Munich 1898-9 and with Adolf Holzel in Dachau 1899; also spent part of 1899-1900 in Paris, where he attended the Académie Julian.

In the following years, lived mainly in Berlin and on the island of Alsen.

Began to paint Impressionistic landscapes and interiors, but with brilliant colours and vehement brushstrokes, and had his first one-man exhibition at the Galerie Ernst Arnold, Dresden, in 1905. Joined the Brücke group 1906-7, but left to work independently.

Developed an Expressionist style 1909-10, with vivid colours and an emotional, visionary intensity; painted a number of religious compositions. Became interested in primitive art and accompanied an official expedition to the South Seas 1913-14.

After 1916 spent the summers first at Utenwarf near Ruttebüll, then from 1926 at Seebüll; spent the winters up to 1941 in Berlin.

Member of the Prussian Academy of Fine Arts in 1931. Published Das eigene Leben 1931 and Jahre der Kampfe 1934.

Declared a 'degenerate' artist by the Nazis, who in 1937 removed all his works from German museums and in 1941 forbade him to paint, though he continued to make watercolours at Seebüll in secret.

Died at Seebüll. | Published in: Ronald Alley, Catalogue of the Tate Gallery's Collection of Modern Art other than Works by British Artists, Tate Gallery

Painter and etcher. Born Emil Hansen at Nolde, Schleswig; adopted the name of his birthplace as his surname.

He joined Die Brücke in 1906 but remained with the group for only a year.

In 1913-14, Nolde and his wife travelled through Asia to the South Seas on a scientific expedition.

In 1920, he became a member of the Nazi party, supporting its call for a new German art. Nolde's work was initially accepted by the Nazis; however, their support ceased in 1934 and he soon became one of the most derided of the 'degenerate artists'.

In 1936, the Nazi party forbade Nolde to participate in any art-related activity because of his 'cultural irresponsibility'.

In 1937, 1,052 of Nolde's works were confiscated from German museums; 27 of them were included in the 'Entartete Kunst' exhibition. Died Seebüll, 1956. | © The British Museum, London

Pittore tedesco ad olio ed acquarello di paesaggi, nature morte e composizioni di figure, litografo, incisore e xilografo.

Nato vicino a Nolde, un villaggio nel nord dello Schleswig. Ha cambiato il suo nome da Hansen a Nolde nel 1902.

Ha lavorato come intagliatore del legno in diverse fabbriche di mobili, ha studiato alla Scuola di Arti e Mestieri di Karlsruhe 1888-9 e ha iniziato a disegnare paesaggi e ritratti nel suo tempo libero.

Insegna disegno al Museum of Industrial Arts di San Gallo, Svizzera, 1892-7.

Primi dipinti ad olio 1896. Decide di dedicarsi alla pittura e studia alla scuola privata di Friedrich Fehr a Monaco di Baviera 1898-9 e con Adolf Holzel a Dachau 1899; trascorse anche parte del 1899-1900 a Parigi, dove frequentò l'Académie Julian.

Negli anni successivi visse principalmente a Berlino e sull'isola di Alsen.

Iniziò a dipingere paesaggi ed interni impressionisti, ma con colori brillanti e pennellate veementi, e ha avuto la sua prima mostra personale alla Galerie Ernst Arnold, Dresda, nel 1905.

Si è unito al gruppo Brücke 1906-7, ma ha lasciato per lavorare in modo indipendente.

Sviluppò uno stile espressionista 1909-10, con colori vividi e un'intensità emotiva e visionaria; dipinse una serie di composizioni religiose. Si interessò all'arte primitiva e accompagnò una spedizione ufficiale nei mari del sud 1913-14.

Dopo il 1916 trascorse le estati prima a Utenwarf vicino a Ruttebüll, poi dal 1926 a Seebüll; trascorse gli inverni fino al 1941 a Berlino. Membro dell'Accademia di belle arti prussiana nel 1931. Pubblica Das eigene Leben 1931 e Jahre der Kampfe 1934.

Dichiarato artista 'degenerato' dai nazisti, che nel 1937 rimossero tutte le sue opere dai musei tedeschi e nel 1941 gli proibirono di dipingere, anche se ha continuato a fare acquerelli a Seebüll in segreto.

Morto a Seebüll.