Emil Nolde (1867-1956) Red Blooming Cacti (Epiphyllum Lovibia), signed lower right, watercolour on Japanese long fibred paper, 47 x 35.5 cm (SH), frame by Alfred Hecht (1907-1991) 76 x 64 cm

This painting has been authenticated by the Stiftung Seebüll Ada und Emil Nolde and will be included in the forthcoming Catalogue Raisonné of watercolours and drawings by Emil Nolde. A copy of the certificate signed by Dr Christian Ring and Dr Astrid Becker will be included.

Provenance: Private collection, Shropshire, inherited by the current owner in 1963 and subsequently valued for family asset division in 1968 by Lord Westmorland at Sotheby's. The painting is believed to have been sourced by art dealer Dr Hermann Burg (1878-1946) for the family in the early 1940s.

Notes: Emil Nolde (1867-1956) was a German-Danish painter and printmaker. He was one of the first Expressionist artists and an important figure in German Expressionism. Nolde was renowned for his intense and masterful use of colour, drawing his inspiration from the landscapes, flora and folklore of his surroundings and his home in the rural border between Germany and Denmark. He initially trained as a woodcarver but turned to painting in his thirties becoming associated with Die Brüke and Der Blaue Reiter groups 1908-1910, but Nolde preferred to work as an individual, unencumbered by the influence of others.

The artist was supportive of the NSDAP party but the Nazi regime opposed Emil Nolde and banned him from painting. His work was labelled ‘degenerate art’ and 1,025 of his paintings were seized and confiscated by the Nazis. Some of these pieces were included in the infamous ‘Degenerate Art’ exhibition organised by Adolf Ziegler and the Nazis in Munich in 1937. Degenerate Art was defined as works that ‘insult Germany feeling or destroy or confuse natural form’, exhibiting 650 works by 112 artists including; Paul Klee, Pablo Picasso, Jean Metzinger, Piet Mondrian, Marc Chagall and Wassily Kandinsky. The exhibition attracted huge crowds, over two million visitors attended during its run, averaging 20,000 people per day.

Despite being prohibited from working until the fall of the Third Reich, Nolde continued to paint in secret, producing some of his most striking watercolours during this period, asserting his creative freedom.

Condition Report

The painting is a watercolour on Japanese long-fibred paper with an ink signature to the lower right. The painting does have a frame with glazing, it is currently kept separately to the frame inside acid-free wrappng inside a folder to allow for safe viewing and transportation.

The sheet is in overall good condition, there are no obvious losses. There is a small repaired tear to the lower right edge which likely resulted from adhesive gum tape holding the painting in place within the frame which was repaired with lens tissue and wheatstarch paste by a conservator. All adhesive tape glue residue has been removed. There are some creases/crumples present including a horizontal crease extending horizontally at the mid-upper right edge between the flowers. There are further crumples which have been photographed - please see additional images in catalogue. There are some spots of foxing present which are predominantly located in the background areas rather than the flowers, the spots appear generally sparsly distributed across the sheet. The paint surface appears generally stable and the colours are good.

The frame is gold coloured with black painted outer, the mount is topped with pale green material. The joints of the frame are sound, there is some general wear and tear present.

Bidding indicates acceptance of the condition of the lot.  All lots are sold subject to general wear and tear commensurate with age and handling over time and only obvious faults will be mentioned after a visual inspection. If you have particular specialist questions on any lot, please state these before bidding since we cannot and will not provide a forensic examination of any lot but only a general condition report as a guide only. All condition reports given by Halls Holdings Ltd's representatives or agents are statements of opinion and not fact. If you require any further information about any lots in this auction or about bidding please do not hesitate to contact us again.