Editing Emil Nolde (section)

==Religious motifs==
Although religious images make up a relatively small part of Nolde's artistic oeuvre, he considered some to be "milestones" with respect to his progression as an artist.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Nolde|first=Emil|title=Das eigene Leben. Die Zeit der Jugend 1867–1902|year=1931|location=Berlin|pages=107}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Dieterich|first=Caroline|title=Emil Nolde: Retrospective|publisher=Prestel|year=2014|editor-last=Krämer|editor-first=Felix|location=Munich|pages=105–107}}</ref>

Nolde, who grew up a farmer's son in a small, religious community near the German-Danish border, was left with lasting impressions of Judeo-Christian stories after reading the Bible in its entirety.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Nolde|first=Emil|title=Das eigene Leben. Die Zeit der Jugend 1867–1902|year=1945|edition=2nd expanded|location=Cologne|pages=29}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> In his early religious works (1900–1904), he was unable to solidify his own style and distinguish himself from several role models, [[Jean-François Millet]] and [[Honoré Daumier]].<ref name=":0" />

Nolde experienced a turning point in 1906; in that year, he shifted from an impressionistic style to a depiction of religious themes that emphasized the emotion of the moment, use of bright colors and only two dimensions of representation.<ref name=":0" /> This new devotion to religious artwork was hastened by a near death experience in 1909 after drinking poisoned water at the age of 42.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Nolde|first=Emil|title=Jahre der Kämpfe|year=1934|location=Berlin|pages=103–4}}</ref>
After 1911 Nolde's religious treatments—now including etchings—became darker and more ominous in tone than his previous works.<ref name=":0" /> Even his wife, Ada, was unnerved by his bold vision. In response to his nine-part ''The Life of Christ'', she wrote in a letter: "For the first few days I was only able to take a furtive peek now and then, so strong was the effect."<ref name=":0" /><ref>Ada Nolde to Luise Schiefler, February 1912, Archiv der Nolde Stiftung Seebüll</ref>