The German painter Emil Nolde (1867–1956) had an immense impact on expressionism with his innovative use of colour.<sup>1</sup> Nolde saw colour as the painting’s essence, rather than merely a means of illustration—a radical view even for the progressive expressionists. His <em>Pentecost</em> (1909) is typical of his use of contrasting colours and expressive spontaneity.<sup>2</sup><br><br>During WW2, despite initially advocating the Nazi Party, Nolde’s work was labelled as ‘un-German’, and 48 of his 1052 confiscated works were displayed at the <em>Entartete Kunst</em> (degenerate art) exhibition of 1937.<sup>3</sup> Four years later, Nolde’s paintings were also banned from sales.<sup>4</sup> <br><br>After the war and following his death in 1956, Nolde’s reputation continued to grow, with German chancellor Angela Merkel choosing two of his paintings for the chancellery in 2006.<sup>5</sup> Nolde’s stoicism in the face of Nazi persecution was a source of national pride, and his story formed part of the efforts to rehabilitate Germany on the international stage.<sup>6</sup><br><br>In 2013, following Nolde’s surviving wife’s death, the Nolde estate in Seebüll provided public access to their previously unseen archives.<sup>7</sup> <br><br>Documents containing Nolde’s antisemitic beliefs were discovered, including a de-Judaisation proposal in 1933 for deporting Jews to a separate state.<sup>8</sup> It also became clear that Nolde’s public image had been influenced by the previous director, Joachim von Lepel, emphasising Nolde’s persecution by the Nazis,<sup>9</sup> whilst removing antisemitic views from his autobiography.<sup>10</sup><br><br>These revelations have caused a shift in Germany’s perception of Nolde, epitomised by the chancellery’s decision to find replacements for his paintings.<br><br>Others have argued for Nolde’s art to be viewed independently of his political affiliations, raising questions on whether it is possible to isolate art from its historical context.<sup>11</sup><br>