Emil Nolde, born Hans Emil Hansen on August 7, 1867 in Nolde, in the district of Tondern in the province of Schleswig-Holstein, was a captivating personality who is firmly anchored in the annals of art history. His life, which ended in Seebüll on April 13, 1956, was characterized by the painterly depiction of bright colors and a unique expressiveness that earned him the status of one of the leading Expressionist painters. In the art world of the 20th century, he is undisputedly one of the great watercolorists and known for his expressive choice of colors. With his works, Nolde captured the essence of colors and immortalized them in captivating compositions. Yet as colorful as his works may be, Nolde's life was marked by contradictions and controversy. Although he was branded a "degenerate artist," he held fast to his convictions as a racist, anti-Semite, and enthusiastic supporter of National Socialism.

Nolde was born the fourth of five children in a farming family, and his life was shaped early by the rough labor on his parents' farm. But his early encounter with art changed his path. He followed his father's urging and began training as a carver and draftsman at the School of Arts and Crafts in Flensburg. His involvement in the restoration of the Brüggemann altar was a drastic experience. From this point on, Nolde would continue to perfect his craft and his unique style would steadily develop. After a few stints in various furniture factories, including Munich, Karlsruhe, and Berlin, he accepted a position teaching commercial and ornamental design drawing in St. Gallen. Although the position was terminated in 1898, Nolde took the opportunity to expand his skills and worked on landscape watercolors and drawings of mountain farmers. In time, Nolde gained notoriety for his colorful drawings of the Swiss mountains. To finance his life as a freelance artist, he had art prints of these works made and printed as postcards. He continued his artistic journey in Munich and despite initial rejection from the Academy, he studied at the private painting school Adolf Hölzels in Dachau before eventually enrolling at the Académie Julian in Paris.

The decisive turning point in Nolde's career came when he changed his name after his native village in northern Schleswig and painted a lively series of "lyrical" landscapes. His subsequent membership in the Schleswig-Holstein Art Cooperative and participation in numerous exhibitions, including the renowned "Berlin Secession," helped cement Nolde's reputation as a talented and innovative artist. In 1905, Nolde became a member of the artists' group "Die Brücke", which became a leading force in the emerging Expressionism movement in Germany. This membership shaped his artistic style and his bright, powerful colors and passionate subject matter became hallmarks of his art.

Despite his growing success as an artist, however, Nolde became a target of Nazi propaganda against "degenerate art." In 1937, more than a thousand of his works were removed from public collections in Germany and some were shown in the infamous "Degenerate Art" exhibition in Munich. Ironically, Nolde had supported the Nazis and was a member of the NSDAP, yet he was never really able to overcome this rejection by the regime he supported. Emil Nolde left behind an impressive oeuvre that secures him a special place in art history. Despite the controversies that surrounded his life, his works remain iconic examples of Expressionism and can be seen in many major museums and galleries around the world. The intensity of his colors and the depth of his emotions continue to be a source of inspiration for artists and art lovers.