Emil Nolde (1867-1956) was a German ‘expressionist’ painter and printmaker. ‘Expressionism’ is an art movement in which concepts were derived from nature, figures were distorted or magnified, and colors were enhanced. Emil Nolde, Max Pechstein and Otto Mueller were the key pioneers of ‘expressionism’ and the trio joined the ‘expressionist’ group ‘Die Brucke (The Bridge, 1905)’. Emil’s works, including “The Prophet”, were influenced by his own experiences, a typical feature of ‘expressionism’. Some of his most famous works were:
o The Prophet (woodcut)
o Portrait of a young woman and child
or Portrait of a man
or Portrait of a Girl
or young couple
“The Prophet” is Nolde’s most famous woodcut, as well as the best in the world to date. Woodcut refers to a carved block of wood from which engravings are made. “The Prophet” symbolizes the wild and raging pain in the painting. Emil created this after recovering from a serious illness. After recovery, he was inspired to create paintings on spirituality and also began to reference segments of the Bible. “The Prophet” was one such piece in the post-recovery spiritual series.
Nolde’s prints had simple lines or stained glass colors that highlighted his free life, regardless of conventional rules, regulations, and practices. He frequently used yellow and red dye in his works. His paintings were mainly based on demonic heads, mysterious appearances and religious figures as in “The Prophet”, reflecting the artist’s penchant for ancient and timeless sentiments.
Created in 1912 and measuring 12 5/8″ x 8 3/4″ (32.1 x 22.2 cm), the German Expressionist work “The Prophet” remains a masterpiece of 20th-century art. It prints best on Japanese paper, which is in short supply. Emil’s most famous print has only a black and white color pattern, depicting a religious figure. “The Prophet” is shown to have overgrown hair and beard, his face is quietly depressed, and his eyes and cheeks are sunken, showing the Prophet’s personal neglect. Emil’s most famous stamp is intense, despite being speechless. Without a doubt, “The Prophet” generates and establishes a deep feeling of spirituality in the viewers. The face of the “Prophet”, despite its darkness and clarity, acts as a playground for human pain and suffering. Emil Nolde, in all of his works, always wanted very much to convey his messages clearly from him.
