Rolf Nesch was an expressionist who did painting but was especially noted for printmaking. He was born in Germany and because of Nazi aggression, he spent most of his career in Norway.

After serving an apprenticeship as painter and decorator in Hildesheim, Nesch attended the Kunstgewerbeschule in Stuttgart from 1909 to 1912. He went to Dresden as a journeyman in 1912, and was soon admitted to the Dresden Akademie. His studies were disrupted by the outbreak of World War I and, following his return from war captivity in Great Britain, he resumed his work in 1919. He was allocated a master's studio in Dresden.

Three years later, he visited Ernst Ludwig Kirchner in Frauenkirch by Davos for several weeks in order to learn gr...