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Still life

Print
1928 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The collection of jugs, mugs, glasses and so on, found in the house of painter William Nicholson were an early influence on his son Ben (1894-1982), and principles behind the construction of still-life painting remained important to Nicholson throughout his career, even in his most abstract geometric constructions. Linocut was particularly favoured by him as a medium throughout the 1920s and 1930s. It provided a means of obtaining a strong linear pattern within an overall painterly surface. Linoleum was also very cheap and easily accessible, which encouraged spontaneity. Ben Nicholson printed in very small editions, usually giving the prints away as presents, but an impression of Three Mugs and a Bowl was in his own possession at the time of his death, suggesting it was a favourite.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleStill life (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Linocut on paper
Brief description
A linocut by Ben Nicholson depicting a still life: three mugs and a bowl. Great Britain, 1928.
Physical description
Linocut print on paper
Dimensions
  • Height: 39.8cm
  • Width: 28.6cm
Style
Marks and inscriptions
"for RBF April 44" to the right in pencil
Gallery label
This is one of Nicholson’s earliest surviving linocuts. He kept a print of it until his death, suggesting it was a favourite. The absence of colour enabled him to concentrate on the overlaying of pure form, which he outlined in simple white line. The inking and printing of the eight known impressions was done by Nicholson himself with a glutinous, dry ink that produced a heavily textured ground.(August 2019)
Credit line
Angela Verren-Taunt 2001; All Rights Reserved, DACS
Subjects depicted
Summary
The collection of jugs, mugs, glasses and so on, found in the house of painter William Nicholson were an early influence on his son Ben (1894-1982), and principles behind the construction of still-life painting remained important to Nicholson throughout his career, even in his most abstract geometric constructions. Linocut was particularly favoured by him as a medium throughout the 1920s and 1930s. It provided a means of obtaining a strong linear pattern within an overall painterly surface. Linoleum was also very cheap and easily accessible, which encouraged spontaneity. Ben Nicholson printed in very small editions, usually giving the prints away as presents, but an impression of Three Mugs and a Bowl was in his own possession at the time of his death, suggesting it was a favourite.
Bibliographic reference
Taken from Departmental Circulation Register 1967
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.655-1967

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Record createdNovember 20, 2002
Record URL
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