Emil Nolde
Rote, gelbe und violette Blüten
Circa 1930/40
Watercolour on Japan paper 28.1 x 22.8 cm Framed under glass. Signed 'Nolde' lower right. - Fresh colours with minor, unobstrusive foxing. The work has been professionally cleaned.
From an early stage, the flower pictures play an important part in Emil Nolde's art. As early as 1908, he writes to Gustav Schiefler: “Yet again, I mostly painted the little flower gardens. I like them so much, those bright and joyfull glowing colours. Those are such quiet, pleasant hours, walking and sitting between the fragrant and blossoming flowers on a peaceful summer day. I would love my paintings to give some of that beauty. I myself do feel this in the presence of the paintings. The first pleasant happiness…” (cited after: Martin Urban, Emil Nolde. Blumen und Tiere - Aquarelle und Zeichnungen, Cologne 1980, p. 7). The sentiments portrayed in these lines, the love of flowers and their glowing colourfulness remain decisive for his artistic oeuvre. Not the plant itself or its botanical details are of interest to the artist - it is the vividly coloured blossoms alone which he captures in their vibrancy and richness with his expert mastery of watercolour technique.
The present watercolour brings the fragrant wide range of colours of a summer flower garden to mind. Yellow, violet and orange-red blossoms are grouped around a light, pale blue background in informal harmony. As is often the case with Nolde's floral watercolours, the free forms in their full blossoming richness stand in an effective contrast to the delicate lines of the stalks. The close up view and what appears to be a genuine composition seem to be taken directly from nature and give the still life its characteristic and vibrant charm.
Certificate
With a photo-certificate by Manfred Reuther, Stiftung Ada and Emil Nolde, Seebüll, dated 11 December 2009. The work is registered in the Nolde Foundation.
Provenance
Acquired directly from the artist, since then in family posession