Emil Nolde

Emil Nolde Red dahlias Around 1930/1935 Watercolor on Japanese paper. 28 x 23.1 cm. Framed under glass. Signed 'Nolde.' in black lower left. - In fresh condition. A photo expertise by Martin Urban, Seebüll, November 4, 1988, is registered in the archive of the Seebüll Ada and Emil Nolde Foundation. Provenance Private collection Rhineland Nolde's brightly colored red dahlias and yellow rudbeckias impressively illustrate to the viewer how gracefully the artist is able to abstract nature in the blurred contours of the watercolor. With his brilliant watercolour technique, he succeeds in dematerializing the appearance of sprawling floral splendour with brush, watercolour and water, in order to then literally capture it on paper. His color fantasies find the greatest possible freedom in the flower painting and it is precisely this exciting quality that also characterizes the present work. Nolde preferred to find the models for his works in the immediate surroundings of his homes and studios. His garden at Utenwarf is already magnificent, but in Seebüll dahlias, bluebells, irises, lilies, poppies and sunflowers grow in even greater abundance and variety. As a painter, Emil Nolde translated the splendid flowers he found there into vibrant colors without having to give up his connection to nature, which was always the foundation of his work.