Emil Nolde

Jolanthe Nolde, Heidelberg (by descent from the artist in 1956)
Thence by descent to the present owners

Kiel, Kunsthalle, Emil Nolde, 1956-57, no. 32
Heidelberg, Kunstverein, Emil Nolde, Gemälde, Aquarelle, Graphik. Eine Privat-Sammlung, 1958, no. 18

Artist's Handlist, listed as '1938 Zinnien und Stockrosen'
Martin Urban, Emil Nolde. Catalogue Raisonné of the Oil-Paintings, London, 1990, vol. II, no. 1187, illustrated p. 472

The canvas is unlined and there is no evidence of retouching under ultra-violet light. This work is in very good original condition. Colours: Overall fairly accurate in the printed catalogue illustration, although brighter and more contrasted in the original.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Zinnien und Stockrosen is a powerful example of Nolde's great series of flower paintings. His intensive preoccupation with this particular subject – in 1906 the artist had already painted the first picture of this series – has been suggested as a reflection of his continuing interest in the art of Van Gogh, which he encountered in exhibitions during the 1920s and early 1930s. The bright colours, the bold brushstrokes and the magnificent texture of the surface undoubtedly demonstrate a reference to the great Dutch post-Impressionist, as well as evincing Nolde's emotional admiration of the beauty of nature. As he himself expressed it: 'The blossoming colours of the flowers and the purity of those colours – I loved them. I loved the flowers and their fate: shooting up, blooming, radiating, glowing, gladdening, bending, wilting, throwing away and dying' (quoted in Peter Selz, Emil Nolde (exhibition catalogue), The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1963, p. 49).