The Life and Identity of Emile Nolde Born Hans Emil Hansen on 7 August 1867, the man who would become known as Emile Nolde grew up near the village of Nolde in the Duchy of Schleswig. His early years were shaped by the rural, agrarian life of his family. He eventually moved away from this path, choosing instead to work as a wood carver and furniture decorator. This tactile, physical labor preceded his shift toward painting and printmaking. He adopted his artistic name as a way to establish a separate identity from his family's expectations. His presence in the early 20th century was marked…