171 - NOLDE, EMIL

NOLDE, EMIL 1867 Nolde–1956 Seebüll Title: Yellow Flowers. Date: After 1940. Technique: Watercolor on Japanese paper. Dimensions: 22.5 x 15.5 cm. Notation: Signed lower left: Nolde. A certificate from the Nolde Foundation in Seebüll, dated March 23, 2026, is available for this work. It is registered there under the number Fr.3978 and will be included in the catalogue raisonné of watercolors and drawings currently being compiled. Provenance: - Private collection, North Rhine-Westphalia - A highly attractive, expressive watercolor of flowers, bordering on abstraction - The skillful blending of vibrant colors showcases the full extent of Nolde’s mastery in the medium of watercolor - From the series “Ungemalte Bilder,” created between 1938 and 1945 For nearly five decades, Emil Nolde repeatedly turned his attention to flowers and gardens. First on Alsen, later in Utenwarf, and finally in Seebüll, he created his own gardens, whose lush profusion of blooms provided him with a constant source of artistic inspiration. In watercolor, in particular, Nolde found a medium that suited his keen interest in the immediate impact of color. On the absorbent Japanese paper, the heavily diluted pigments reveal their unique luminosity and achieve their full effect through the interplay of deliberate brushwork and the painting’s own dynamic quality. The watercolor “Yellow Flowers,” created after 1940, is dominated by a luminous yellow that spreads across nearly the entire picture plane. Individual blossoms emerge from the softly blending areas of color. Two dark flower centers, surrounded by violet and blue-green, provide strong accents within the composition. Orange, red, and green are added, intensifying the vibrant color effect. Nolde forgoes a precise botanical identification of the flowers in favor of their immediate painterly appearance. Contours dissolve, colors flow into one another, and allow the flowers and background to merge. The fine Japanese paper enhances the transparent, luminous effect of the fluidly applied paint. The forms seem to emerge directly from the paint: some flowers are merely hinted at, while others stand out clearly through strong contrasts. The result is a dense, nearly full-frame composition in which color and painterly movement define the motif. Estimated shipping costs for this lot: This lot is not suitable for parcel shipping. Transport is available only through a shipping company after consultation following the auction. Additional shipping insurance Shipping insurance up to a total invoice amount of 25,000 euros: max. 41.65 euros For a total invoice amount exceeding 25,000 Euros: 1.8 per thousand Shipping to the U.S. by individual arrangement after the auction. #Emil Nolde #Expressionism #Die Brücke #Germany #Modern Art #1940s #Modern Art.