Ernst Wilhelm Nay

(German, 1902–1968)

Ernst Wilhelm Nay was a German painter known for his association with the Art Informel movement and post-World War II artists such as Karel Appel, Jean Dubuffet, and Alberto Burri. Despite working exclusively in abstraction, Nay’s distinctive Expressionistic use of color and textile-like patterning show the influence of representational painters like Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and the Henri Matisse. Born on June 1, 1911 in Berlin, Germany, he went on to study under Karl Hofer at the Berlin Art Academy. Nay was on track for a successful career in Germany, until the Nazi regime labeled his work as Degenerate, thereby making it illegal for him to show or even produce artworks. After being conscripted into the Nazi army, the artist served in France where he was able to secretly paint in a friend’s sculpture studio. It was not until a decade after the war with his participation in the 1956 Venice Biennale that Nay made a breakthrough into the international art scene. Today, his works are in the collections of the Kunstmuseum Basel, the Tate Modern in London, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, and the Nationalgalerie in Berlin, among others. he died on April 8, 1968 in Cologne, Germany.

Ernst Wilhelm Nay Artworks

Ernst Wilhelm Nay (2,589 results)
Figur mit Blumen, 1948–1948

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Figur mit Blumen, 1948–1948

Sale Date: October 9, 1997

Auction Closed

Waldgeist, 1948–1948

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Waldgeist, 1948–1948

Sale Date: October 9, 1997

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Arabische Szene, 1948–1948

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Arabische Szene, 1948–1948

Sale Date: October 9, 1997

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Grosse Sitzende mit Spiegel, 1947–1947

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Grosse Sitzende mit Spiegel, 1947–1947

Sale Date: October 9, 1997

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Siebdruck 1966-I NOR, 1966

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Siebdruck 1966-I NOR, 1966

Sale Date: June 18, 1997

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Farblitho 1968-2, 1968

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Farblitho 1968-2, 1968

Sale Date: June 18, 1997

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Siebdruck 1966-II NOR, 1966

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Siebdruck 1966-II NOR, 1966

Sale Date: June 18, 1997

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Offset 1966 NOR, 1966

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Offset 1966 NOR, 1966

Sale Date: June 18, 1997

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Sitzende II, 1948

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Sitzende II, 1948

Sale Date: June 6, 1997

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Komposition, 1967–1968

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Komposition, 1967–1968

Sale Date: June 3, 1997

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Geh durch den Spiegel, Folge 10, 1955–1955

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Geh durch den Spiegel, Folge 10, 1955–1955

Sale Date: June 3, 1997

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Geh durch den Spiegel, Folge 46

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Geh durch den Spiegel, Folge 46

Sale Date: June 3, 1997

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Zwei Badende am Bergsee, 1938–1938

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Zwei Badende am Bergsee, 1938–1938

Sale Date: June 3, 1997

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Geh durch den Spiegel, Folge 28

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Geh durch den Spiegel, Folge 28

Sale Date: June 3, 1997

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Lofotenlandschaft I, 1937–1937

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Lofotenlandschaft I, 1937–1937

Sale Date: June 3, 1997

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Komposition, 1965

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Komposition, 1965

Sale Date: June 2, 1997

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Komposition, 1965

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Komposition, 1965

Sale Date: June 2, 1997

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Komposition, 1966

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Komposition, 1966

Sale Date: June 2, 1997

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Variation III #25, 1955

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Variation III #25, 1955

Sale Date: June 2, 1997

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Komposition, 1966

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Komposition, 1966

Sale Date: June 2, 1997

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Brustbild einer jungen Frau im Korbsessel, 1928

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Brustbild einer jungen Frau im Korbsessel, 1928

Sale Date: May 31, 1997

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Fischer mit ihren Booten an der Ostsee, 1936

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Fischer mit ihren Booten an der Ostsee, 1936

Sale Date: May 31, 1997

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Komposition in Rot, Blau und Grün, 1965

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Komposition in Rot, Blau und Grün, 1965

Sale Date: May 31, 1997

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Mädchen mit Kopftuch, 1930

Ernst Wilhelm Nay

Mädchen mit Kopftuch, 1930

Sale Date: May 31, 1997

Auction Closed