The other event of this 2008 fall in Paris Grand-Palais is the first monogaphic exhibition dedicated to Emil Nolde. It has suffered a bit from the overwhelming success of Picasso and the Masters shown next door. The good thing about it is that it is really easy to get in, and not to crowded inside.
Anyway, if you are in Paris, don’t miss this opportunity of discovering the importance and the singularity of this artist of an exceptional longevity, who appears to be the greatest modern German painter.
Zwei am Meerstrand (Couple on the beach) 1903 Nolde Stiftung Seebüll
White Trees Trunks 1908, Brücke Museum Berlin
Detail of White Tree Trunks
What strikes first is the explosion of vivid colors in his paintings, and then the variety of his inspiration and the return of major themes.
Im Café, 1911, Museum Folkwang, Essen
Nights of the swinging and decadent Berlin of early twentieth century.
Publikum im Cabaret (Audience at Music-Hall), 1911,Nolde Stiftung Seebüll
Dance and movement.
Wildanzende Kinder (wild dancing children) 1909, Kunshalle zu Kiehl
der Tod als Tänzerin (Death dancing) etching, 1918, Nolde Stiftung Seebüll
Fantasy, nightmares and Tales
Kind und Grosse Vogel (Child and big bird) 1912, Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen
Spirituality, legends and religion.
das Leben Christi (Life of Christ) 1911/1912 Nolde Stiftung Seebüll
Central pannel, Crucifixion.
Of course, Church establishement hated it, but he kept on.
Grablegung (burial) 1915, Nolde Stiftung Seebüll
The wild see, as in the exhibition’s poster
Sommerwolken (summer clouds) 1913, Museo Thyssen-Bornemizsa, Madrid
Sky and lanscapes.
Vorabend (Sunset) 1916 Kunsmuseum, Basel
Hamburg 1910, engraving, Nolde Stiftung Seebüll.
His travels
Zwei Russen II, 1915, MoMA New York.
He lived and worked throughout two Worldwars without fighting in any – he was to old, already 47 in 1914. He joined National Socialism, though his works were exhibited as degenerate art, and thus either sold or burnt. In 1941, he was even forbidden to paint and watched by Gestapo, but he stood in Germany, home, working secretly at his unpainted images, over 1000 in watercolor. After the war, he was rehabilitated, and resumed painting up to 1951, when he broke his arm, but went on with watercolor works up to his death in 1956, at the age of 89.
Emil Nolde 1867-1956, up to January 19, everyday except Tuesday 10 AM to 8 PM, up to 10 PM on Wednesday, Price € 10, Galerie Nationale du Grand-Palais, avenue Churchill, 7508 Paris Metro Champs-Elysées -Clémenceau, tel 33(0)1 44 13 17 17.
More information and virtual visit on
http://www.rmn.fr/Emil-Nolde
