There is hardly any other painter of Modern Art who examined the sea and its phenomena as intensively as Emil Nolde. The sea, so close to his Seebüll home, inspired Nolde to to new interpretations over and over again. In most cases the sea, depicted in different lighting and weather conditions, is the sole actor. Now and then a few boats are added or a bird can be seen in the distance. Some beach paintings in oil are known, but they have a special position in the artist's oeuvre. Especially the motif of bathers - which was one of the central motifs of the "Brücke" artists, among whom Nolde also counted for a short period of time - is rather unusual in his oeuvre. The scene of a happy summer's day is captured in its entirety. The bright blue of the sky merges with the green-blue of the sea and is reflected in the mother's summer dress. The figures are not the main protagonists, the bathing children and their mother are captured with quick strokes. Rather, it is about capturing the relaxed happy atmosphere of these light moments in summer when days seem endless. [SM]