Emil Nolde

Bonde Bonnichsen, Stemmild, Denmark
F.H. Ulrich, Düsseldorf (by 1957)
Galerie Wilhelm Grosshennig, Düsseldorf (by 1966)
Wilhelm Reinhold, Hamburg (acquired from the above on 8th June 1966)
Private Collection, Hamburg (by descent from the above; sale: Christie's, London, 2nd February 2004, lot 30)
Private Collection, Switzerland (purchased at the above sale)
Private Collection (by descent from the above; sale: Sotheby's, London, 4th February 2010, lot 228)
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Tønder, Tønder Museum, Emil Nolde, 1951, no. 31.
Odense, Fyns Stiftmuseum, Emil Nolde, 1956, no. 9
Kiel, Kunsthalle, Emil Nolde, 1956-57, no. 9

The artist's handlist, 1910, no. 367 (titled Holzeinschiffen III)
The artist's handlist, 1930
Martin Urban, Emil Nolde, Catalogue raisonné of the Oil Paintings, 1895-1914, London, 1987, vol. I, no. 453, illustrated p. 392

The canvas is not lined and there do not appear to be any signs of retouching visible under UV light. The varnish is uneven in places which gives rise to some uneven fluorescence under UV. There are lines of craquelure throughout, which at present appear to be stable, most prominently to the waves, and with some paint lifting in places. There are some further areas of paint shrinkage to the darker pigments. The canvas is undulating and there are a few very minor flecks of paint loss in places, away from the central composition and not distracting. This work is in overall good condition.
"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."

Having spent his childhood and much of his life in the German province of Schleswig-Holstein, in what Emil Nolde described as ‘that narrow region which lies between the two seas’, the artist was rarely out of sight or sound of the sea. Seascapes occupied an important place in his imagination and his work, and this subject matter forms some of Nolde’s earliest mature paintings. Painted in 1911, Einschiffung is a dynamic example demonstrating the artist’s preoccupation with depicting the powerful force of the sea as a natural element. The expressive, thick brushstrokes of various brilliant blues showcase the artist’s instinctive response to nature, and create an intense horizontality in the composition. The horses fight against the invincible strength of the sea, with waves of white impasto crashing at their hooves, making their way to the boat in the background. Young, spirited equine creatures are another favourite motif of the artist, and here he combines the raw energy of these animals with that of the sea to imbue the scene with a highly charged dramatic tension.

Nolde’s first studio, located on the island of Alsen where he spent the summer months from 1903 onwards, was a wooden hut on the very edge of the beach. There he could observe the sea closely, at any time of the day, and in all its moods. His first biographer, Max Sauerlandt, wrote that ‘Nolde understands the sea like no other painter before him’ and that ‘above all, he enjoyed painting the sea in stormy agitation, showing heavy swells transforming into white breakers beneath heavy clouds’ (Max Sauerlandt, Emil Nolde, Munich, 1921, pp. 49-50).