Nay’s artistic credo
“Motion” (1962), with its vibrant colors, rhythmic composition, and almost tangible sense of motion, embodies Nay’s artistic credo: painting as visible music, color as pure energy.

Artistic development: from the beginnings to abstraction
Nay studied under Karl Hofer in Berlin from 1925 to 1928 and became involved with Expressionism, color theory, and classical composition at an early stage. A scholarship from the Villa Massimo in 1931 took him to Rome, where he created his first abstract works. His stay on the Lofoten Islands in 1937, funded by Edvard Munch, shaped his “Fisherman Pictures”—expressive color landscapes that translate nature into pure painting.
After military service and captivity, Nay developed a dark, mythical visual language in the “Hekate Pictures” (1945–1948), before venturing a fresh start in the “Fugal Pictures” (1949–1951) employing glowing colors and intricate forms. In 1950, the Kestner-Gesellschaft in Hanover presented his first retrospective—a sign of his growing recognition.

The ‘Disk Paintings’: color as rhythmic movement
Starting in 1954, Nay created his most famous series: the “Disk Paintings”. In these works, he reduced the visual language to circular forms that rhythmically traverse the canvas. Our “Motion” (1962) is among the last and most dynamic works of this series. In this piece, the disks slowly dissolve, the colors merge, and a new, almost chaotic energy permeates the image. The primary colors yellow, red, and blue radiate intensely, while dark accents in the center create dramatic tension. The impasto brushstrokes and overlapping layers of paint lend the work a tactile quality—the viewer can literally feel the artist’s movement.

A work in transition: between disks and eyes
In 1962, Nay stood at an artistic crossroads. The “Disk Paintings” had earned him international recognition – he held his first solo exhibition in New York in 1955, was represented at the Venice Biennale in 1956, and also participated in the documenta. Yet “Motion” already hints at a new phase: the disks begin to dissolve, the forms become more fragmentary, and the first hints of the later “Eye Paintings” become apparent. This period of transition imbues the work with a special appeal, as it represents both a farewell and a new beginning.


Günther Franke: The collector and patron
A central figure in Nay’s career was the Munich art dealer Günther Franke, who had supported the artist since the 1930s. Franke, who had opened his gallery in 1923, was a passionate patron of Modernism and exhibited works by Max Beckmann, Oskar Schlemmer, and Pablo Picasso alongside Nay’s. His commitment to Nay went far beyond business—a correspondence between the two attests to a deep personal bond. “Motion” was once part of Franke’s private collection.

Nay’s contribution to post-war Modernism
Today, Nay’s "Disk Paintings” are considered a significant contribution to German post-war abstraction. They combine musical rhythm with painterly freedom. “Motion” is a highlight from this period – a work that explores the boundaries of the “Disk Paintings” and already paves the way for the “Eye Paintings.” Its provenance as part of the Günther Franke Collection underscores the painting’s significance. Franke, who was one of the first gallery owners to revive modern art after the war, recognized Nay’s genius early on. The fact that “Motion” is part of his personal collection speaks to the work’s exceptional quality.

‘Motion’ – where abstraction comes to life
Ernst Wilhelm Nay’s “Motion” is more than a painting—it is a visual experience that captivates the viewer. The vibrant colors, dynamic forms, and almost musical composition make it a very special work of German abstraction. The title “Motion” is programmatic: the disks seem to spin, the colors blend into one another, and the painting feels like a concert for the eyes. As one of the last “Disk Paintings“, it simultaneously marks the transition to a new artistic phase and thus embodies the incessant progress of Nay's work. ”Motion" combines all the qualities that characterize Nay's art: color as energy, form as rhythm, and painting as a living movement. [MH]