Emil Nolde exhibited in London

London - This exhibition will explore the artistic relationship between Herbert Beck (1920 – 2010) and his mentor Emil Nolde (1867 – 1956), featuring 10 important watercolours by Nolde made between 1908 and 1952, alongside 12 works by Beck.

Through landscapes, figurative works and still lifes the show will examine how Beck learnt from Nolde’s work the importance of working “from within” and to use the expressive potential of watercolour to create mystical paintings filled with colour, freedom and space.

Nolde was declared a 'degenerate' artist by the Nazis, who forbade him to paint in 1941, yet he continued to make watercolours in secret. He called these important works his “unpainted pictures”, several of which will be displayed in this show, such as Seltsames Paar und Figur im Hintergrund and Akte, Mann und Frau (Frau Hände vor der Brust gekreuzt).

Nolde taught Beck to give freedom to his inner expression, imparting upon him his belief that “every colour holds within it a soul”. Beck developed further numerous theories on watercolour’s ability to provoke emotional responses in the viewer, evident in his “meditative landscapes” and organic compositions.

Transcending time and space, these luminescent watercolours envelop the viewer, demonstrating the unique shared vision of Nolde and Beck. This is the second exhibition of watercolours by Herbert Beck at Connaught Brown, following on from Herbert Beck: Works on Paper in 2012.