Ben Nicholson
(1894-1982), Artist; son of Sir William NicholsonSitter in 6 portraits
Artist of 1 portrait
Son of the painters William Nicholson and Mabel Pryde, Nicholson was educated at the Slade school (1910-11), and became the leading abstract artist of his generation. In 1924 he joined the Seven and Five Society becoming its Chairman in 1926. With Paul Nash he founded Unit One to exhibit and publish work, and created the first of his series of 'white reliefs'; geometric shapes in wood, subtly modulated to create an abstract still-life in pure white. This work showed the influences of both Piet Mondrain and Nicholson's second wife, the sculptor Barbara Hepworth. In 1939 Nicholson and Hepworth moved to Cornwall, where Nicholson painted landscapes and introduced colour to his abstract reliefs. He represented Britain at the Venice Biennial in 1954.
1933 (St Rémy - self-portrait with Barbara Hepworth)
by Ben Nicholson
oil on canvas, 1933
NPG 5591
Related People
- Dame Barbara Hepworth (wife)
- Sir William Newzam Prior Nicholson (father)
- Winifred Nicholson (wife)
- Mabel Pryde (mother)
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