Emil Nolde. In Search of the Authentic

A major presentation of one of expressionism’s foremost exponents. At an early age, Emil Nolde (1867–1956) took up the torch of artists such as van Gogh, Gauguin, Munch and Matisse.

From the beginning of the century until World War II, he was at the heart of the German and European art scenes. His paintings are characterised by radical simplification, stylised figures, coarse brushwork and vibrant colours. Using an idiom that is raw and direct, he explored themes of religion, grotesque fantasy and highly charged eroticism. Nolde also painted portraits, lush floral motifs, flourishing gardens and tranquil landscapes. His works bear witness to a profound interest in the authentic and simple life, but also in new, unconventional and modern preoccupations and forms of expression. Nolde became the grand old man of the German expressionism.

Emil Nolde
In Search of the Authentic
Kurator: Oystein Ustvedt