Gustav Schiefler - Emil Nolde
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Description
A striking 1915 Expressionist portrait of art historian Gustav Schiefler, rendered with bold brushwork and a subjective, moody colour palette.
Emil Nolde painted this portrait of the art historian and collector Gustav Schiefler in 1915. Schiefler was a significant figure in the early reception of Expressionist art, particularly known for his comprehensive catalogue of the graphic works of Edvard Munch and Nolde himself. The portrait captures the subject in a formal top hat and spectacles, yet the execution departs from traditional academic portraiture.
Nolde employs a heavy, gestural application of paint, characteristic of his mature Expressionist style. The face is rendered in non-naturalistic tones, with deep purples and shadows that suggest a psychological interiority rather than a mere physical likeness. The background is a dark, atmospheric void, which pushes the figure forward and creates a sense of isolation. The stark contrast between the dark clothing and the bright, almost luminous yellow of the waistcoat provides a sharp visual anchor within the composition.
This work demonstrates Nolde's interest in the emotional capacity of colour. He does not seek to document the sitter with photographic precision; instead, he interprets the personality of Schiefler through aggressive brushwork and a subjective palette. The spectacles, rendered with quick, bright strokes, draw attention to the eyes, which are partially obscured, adding to the enigmatic quality of the sitter. The painting remains a primary example of how Nolde used the portrait genre to explore the tension between the individual and the surrounding darkness of the early twentieth century. It is a study of a man who was deeply involved in the art world of his time, presented through the lens of an artist who prioritised raw, immediate expression over refined finish.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Gustav Schiefler - Emil Nolde
Artist Biography
Emil Nolde
He was born Emil Hansen in Nolde, a village on the Danish-German border, and took the village name as his surname. He was self-taught until his late twenties, when he studied briefly in Munich and Paris. He joined Die Brücke (The Bridge), the German Expressionist group, in 1906 but left after eighteen months, finding group membership constraining. He preferred to work alone.
His religious paintings, The Life of Christ and the multi-panel Pentecost altarpiece, are violent and ecstatic. The faces are distorted, the colours clashing, the compositions compressed. They are closer to medieval devotional painting than to anything being produced in early twentieth-century Europe. The Catholic Church was unenthusiastic.
He joined the Nazi Party in 1934, apparently believing that Expressionism would be embraced as authentically German. He was wrong. The Nazis declared his work 'degenerate' in 1937, confiscated over a thousand of his paintings from German museums, and eventually forbade him from painting. He continued to work in secret, producing small watercolours he called his 'unpainted paintings.' Over 1,300 of them.
After the war he was rehabilitated and honoured. He lived to ninety-one. His Nazi Party membership has complicated his legacy permanently, and should.
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