William Nicholson Woodcuts

Past display archive
26 March 2013 - 2 March 2014

Room 29: case display

Free

James Abbott McNeill Whistler
published by William Heinemann, after William Nicholson
published 1899 (1897)
NPG D32970

At the beginning of his career, William Nicholson experimented with graphic art, producing hand-coloured woodcuts that were widely praised for the boldness and simplicity of their design.  These were to establish his reputation as a radical artist and pave the way to his future success as a portrait painter.   

This display focuses upon three examples published as part of an edition of lithographs by William Heinemann, in 1899.  Through his portraits of Queen Victoria, James McNeill Whistler and Sarah Bernhardt, Nicholson sought to express the essential characteristics of his subjects, producing striking images that continue to resonate today.

© National Portrait Gallery, London