German painter and printmaker. Born in Denmark, he was one of the first Expressionists, a member of the German artistic circle, Die Brücke, and is considered to be one of the great colorists of the 20th century. Condemned by the Nazis as decadent, he is best known for his violent religious works and his foreboding landscapes. He was a deeply religious man, and strove to express his faith with color, in contrasting colors and grotesque distortions. He was also very interested in Primitive art.