Ben Nicholson Paintings

English abstract painter Ben Nicholson (1894-1982) was the son of noted artists Sir William Nicholson and Mabel Pryde. During his long career he produced works influenced by a variety of styles including, Post-Impressionism, Cubism and Neoplasticism. I love the way he combined "dirty-textured" earth tones with sections of "clean-flat" bright colors.

Still Life, 1947, oil on board, 23.5" x 25". Aberdeen Art Gallery

Still Life, 1945, oil on canvas, 27" x 27". Albright-Knox Art Gallery

Still Life- Odyssey 1, 1947, oil on canvas, 27" x 22". The British Council

Still Life, 1945, 33" x 26", oil on canvas. Tate Collection

Still Life- Cerulean, 1946, oil on canvas over board. Pallant House Gallery

Still Life, 1945, oil on board, 23" x 11.75". UMMA

Vertical Seconds, 1953, 29.75" x 16.5". Tate Collection

Still Life, 1945, 14" x 23.5", oil and pencil on canvas. Hazlitt Holland-Hibbert

Florentine Ballet, 1934, oil on canvas, 14" x 24". Hazlitt Holland-Hibbert

Still Life, 1934-36, oil and gesso on canvas, 16" x 20". Tate Collection

June 1937, 1937, 62.75" x 79.25". Tate Collection

Home and birth place of Ben Nicholson in Denham, Buckinghamshire, England. via

Five month old Ben and mother Mabel Pryde, 1894. Tate Gallery Archives

Ben Nicholson, c. 1935. Photo: Humphrey Spender. via

Ben Nicholson and his second wife, sculptor Barbara Hepworth. Getty

Ben Nicholson's Porthmeor studio, St Ives. via

General Information:
Artist: Ben Nicholson (1894-1982)
Nationality: English
Birth: Denham, Buckinghamshire, England on April 10, 1894
Death: London, England on February 9, 1982
Style InfluencesCubism, Neoplasticism, Post-Impressionism

Points of Interest:
• His room at the Porthmeor Studios neighbored Sir Terry Frost's.
• He used to scrape the surface of his paintings with a razor blade.
• He sometimes used a kitchen table as his paint palette.
• He was a member and chairman of the artist group Seven & Five Society.

Related Links:
Go to- Tate Collection of Ben's work
Go to- Chronology of Ben's life and work
Go to- Great article about experiences with Ben at the Porthmeor Studios  
Go to- Porthmeor Studios renovation
Go to- St Ives School of Painting at the Porthmeor Studios

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