German expressionist (1867-1956)

Emil Nolde (born as Hans Emil Hansen, until he named after his birthplace in 1902) is considered to be one of the most important German Expressionists.

He was rejected by the Munich Academy, he went to Paris to continue his studies at the local Académie Julien. Since 1905, lived and worked on the Danish island of ALS and in Berlin and was member of the "bridge". Shortly after Nolde from the artistic community "Bridge" at the end of 1907, he met the Norwegian painter Edvard Munch in Berlin, which his works impressed him. When visiting his friend Hans Fehr in 1908, he began to discover the technique of water-colours for himself and finally virtuosity to implement.

Nolde work includes numerous of watercolour, oil painting, graphics and some sculptures. His designs are characterized with flowers, landscapes, city scenes, religious motives , always in the situation " composed" , but all of the colour here. When Nolde 1927 moved into his stone house "Seebull" in the North Frisian Neunkirchen, he surrounded it with a large garden and provided him with motifs.

It should be difficult years. Noldes position to Nazism research for a long time and has found quite complicated. 48 of his works were in the notorious art exhibition in 1937 "degenerate art " was showed more than 1000 seized and in 1941 he was even a fate the other painter karl schmidt rottluff and sculptor edwin scharff met had imposed. Nolde responded secretly about 1.300 "Unpainted Pictures" created: small-format watercolours, often in a free, experimental forms. It was, not least which established his post-war fame. In 1955 he was represented at the first Documenta, and also on the second in 1959 his work was presented.

Emil Nolde works can be found in the collections of top museums worldwide, including in the Art Institute of Chicago, in the Hermitage art in New York City, in the Berliner Brucke Museum, the Albertina, Vienna and at the art museum in Basel, to name a few.

An alloy of copper with other metals (especially with tin) used since ancient times.

Bronze casting:

When casting bronze, artist usually applies the lost-wax technique which is dating back more than 5000 years. It's the best, but also the most complex method of producing sculptures.

Sculpture "The Book Reader" by Ernst Barlachs is shown here as an example:

First, the artist forms a model of his sculpture. It is embedded in a liquid silicone rubber composition. Once the material has solidified, the model is cut out. The liquid wax is poured in the negative mould. After cooling down, the wax casting is removed from the mould, provided with sprues and dipped into ceramic mass. The ceramic mass is hardened in a kiln, and the wax flows out (lost mould).

Now we finally have the negative form, into which the 1400 ° C hot molten bronze is poured. After the bronze had cooled down, the ceramic shell is broken off and the sculpture comes to light.

Now the sprues are removed, the surfaces are polished, patinated and numbered by the artist himself or, to his specifications, by a specialist. Thus, each casting becomes an original work

Designation for an art object (sculpture, installation), which is produced according to the will of the artist in multiple copies in a limited and numbered edition.

Artist's multiple contributed to "democratization" of art as the work was made available and affordable for a wider audience.