Emil Nolde

Frank Collection, Mannheim (acquired in 1922)
Private Collection, Rheinland
Sale: Lempertz, Cologne, 1960, lot 202
Vohwinkel Collection, Cologne
Sale: Lempertz, Cologne, December 6, 1977, lot 487
Acquired at the above sale and thence by descent

Munich, Der Neue Kunstsalon, Emil Nolde, 1912, no. 28
Halle, Kunstverein, 1914
Essen, Kunstverein, 1921
Bonn, Gesellschaft für Literatur und Kunst, 1921
Barmen, Ruhmeshalle, 1922
Frankfurt-am-Main, Ludwig Schames, Emil Nolde, 1922, no. 30
Munich, Günther Franke, 1947, no. 2

Artis, vol. 29, Konstanz, 1977, no. 11, illustrated p. 49
Kunstmagazin, vol. 18, Wiesbaden, 1978, no. 1, illustrated p. 23
Martin Urban, Emil Nolde, Catalogue Raisonné of the Oil Paintings, 1895-1914, vol. I, Seebüll, 1987, no. 502, illustrated p. 439

Canvas is not lined. Surface retains a rich, textured impasto. Some slight undulation in the canvas, small brown stain at center of bottom edge. There is a half-inch horizontal tear in the left figure's left knee. Under UV light no inpainting is apparent. Work is in very 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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Painted in 1912, this work exemplifies Nolde's brazen palette and thick, textured paint application. The doll and jumping jack are "relics of a theatrical event still imbued with the stylized emotions of performance" (S. Hiller, The Myth of Primitivism, London, 1991, p. 99).

In 1911, Nolde and his wife traveled to the Low Countries to visit James Ensor, whose fantastical compositions surely stirred Nolde's own interest in depicting children's playthings, while subverting the inherent innocence of his models. Upon his return from the North, he began frequenting the Ethnographic Museum in Berlin, finding interest in exotic cultures and "primitive" forms. These experiences and new interests lay the foundation for this charming work - a still life that depicts two figures locked in an enigmatic and seemingly fraught relationship--a union of wild and domestic, both childlike and sophisticated.

Fig 1: James Ensor, The Great Judge, 1898, oil on canvas, Private Collection