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William Nicholson (artist)

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For other people named William Nicholson, see William Nicholson (disambiguation).
Sir William Nicholson
a black-and-white portrait photograph of William Nicholson
William Nicholson, photographed in Bloomsbury on 3 February 1908 by Alvin Langdon Coburn.
Born
William Newzam Prior Nicholson

5 February 1872
Newark-on-Trent, Notts
Died16 May 1949
Blewbury, Berks
NationalityEnglish
Known forpainter of portraits, still-lifes and landscapes; engraver, graphic artist, illustrator
Movementnone
Spouses
Olympic medal record
Art competitions
Gold medal – first place 1928 Amsterdam Graphic works[1]

Sir William Newzam Prior Nicholson (5 February 1872 – 16 May 1949) was an English painter of still-life, landscape and portraits, also known for his work as a wood-engraver, illustrator, author of children's books and designer for the theatre.

Life

William Nicholson was born in Newark-on-Trent on 5 February 1872, the youngest son of William Newzam Nicholson, an industrialist and Conservative MP of Newark, and his wife Annie Elizabeth Prior, the daughter of Joseph Prior and Elizabeth (née Mallam) of Woodstock, Oxon.[2] He was educated at Magnus Grammar School, where he was coached by an art-master, William Cubley of Newark-on-Trent, who had been a pupil of Sir William Beechey. He was briefly a student at Hubert von Herkomer's art school, where he met his future wife Mabel Pryde (1871–1918), who introduced him to her brother James Pryde (1866–1941).[3] From the autumn of 1891 he attended the Académie Julian in Paris, but after six months returned to Newark.[3][4][5]

In the spring of 1893 Nicholson eloped with Mabel Pryde,[6] whom he had by then known for four years; they were married in Ruislip on 25 April.[7][8] The couple went to live in what had been a pub, the Eight Bells at Denham, Bucks. They were soon joined by Mabel's brother James, and not long after by Ellen Terry's son Edward Gordon Craig and his wife May, who had also recently eloped and married. Nicholson received an annual allowance of £150 from his father.[9] William and Mabel Nicholson had four children: the celebrated painter Ben (1894–1982); Anthony (1897–1918), who died of wounds in France during the First World War; Annie Mary "Nancy" (1899–1978), artist and wife of the poet Robert Graves; and the architect and designer Christopher "Kit" (1904–1948). Mabel died in July 1918, and their son Tony soon afterwards.[3]

From about 1910 until he remarried in 1919, Nicholson's housekeeper Marie Laquelle, whose real name was Adèle Marie Schwarz, née Schiestel, was also his mistress. Nicholson painted her several times, first as Carlina in 1909; he also painted her daughter Georgette and her second husband Norman Holder.[5]

In October 1919 Nicholson married Edith Stuart-Wortley, widow of Sir John Stuart-Wortley, and who, under the name Elizabeth Drury, was also a painter.[10] Nicholson had painted her in the previous year as Lady in Grey.[8] Their daughter Liza was born in 1920.[3] Edie had two children from her previous marriage, and Nancy's daughter Jennie had been born the previous year. Nicholson's books for children all date from the 1920s.

From 1935 until his death, Nicholson's companion was the novelist Marguerite Steen. According to Steen, they met in Andalucia in May 1935, and by mid-June were living together at Nicholson's mews studio in Apple Tree Yard, off Jermyn Street. Nicholson had been separated from Edie for some years, but they remained on good terms; although she promised to give him a divorce, she never did so.[11]

Work

Graphic work

From 1893 to 1898 Nicholson collaborated with James Pryde in designing posters. Their partnership was conspicuous for striking graphical work and woodcuts—they were known as the Beggarstaff Brothers,[12] and their poster work was significant historically.

Nicholson was involved in illustrating early books by Robert Graves, with Nancy, Graves' first wife. He wrote and illustrated characteristic children's books: The Velveteen Rabbit (1922) by Margery Williams and his own Clever Bill (1926) and The Pirate Twins (1929) for Faber & Faber.

Paintings

From about 1900 Nicholson concentrated on painting, encouraged by Whistler. He first exhibited as a painter at the International Society, of which Whistler was President.

Work in other fields

In 1904 he designed the original settings for Peter Pan, and went on to design other plays and to illustrate several books. He also designed stained glass, notably a memorial window at St Andrew's Church, Mells.

Reception

Nicholson was knighted in 1936.[13]

Published works

As author and illustrator

  • An Alphabet. London: William Heinemann, 1898.
  • Twelve Portraits. London: William Heinemann; [New York]: R.H. R[ussell], 1899.
  • Douze portraits Paris: H. Floury, [1899].
  • Characters of Romance. London: William Heinemann, New York: R.H. Russell, 1900.
  • Twelve Portraits – Second Series. London: William Heinemann; New York: R.H. Russell, 1902.
  • Clever Bill. [London]: William Heinemann, [1926].
  • The Pirate Twins. [London]: Faber & Faber, [1929].
  • The Book of Blokes. [London]: Faber & Faber, [1929].

As illustrator

  • An Almanac of Twelve Sports. Verses by Rudyard Kipling, illustrations by William Nicholson. London: William Heinemann, 1897.
  • Almanach de douze sports 1898. Illustrations by William Nicholson, text by Octave Uzanne (Kipling's verses were not used in the French edition). Paris: Société française d'éditions d'art, [1898].
  • London Types. Quatorzains by William Ernest Henley, illustrations by William Nicholson. London: William Heinemann; New York: R.H. Russell, 1898.
  • Tony Drum: a Cockney Boy. Edwin Pugh, ten coloured plates from designs by the Beggarstaff Brothers (five by Nicholson, five by James Pryde). London: William Heinemann; New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1898.
  • The Square Book of Animals. Rhymes by Arthur Waugh, illustrations by William Nicholson. London: William Heinemann, 1900 (designed 1896, copyright 1899).
  • Oxford, Parts I and II, each containing lithographs by William Nicholson, descriptive notes by Arthur Waugh. London: Stafford Gallery, 1905.
  • The Velveteen Rabbit, or, How Toys Became Real. Margery Williams, illustrations by William Nicholson. London: William Heinemann, 1922.

Exhibitions

The principal exhibitions of William Nicholson include:

Date Gallery Catalogue Notes
1903 Stafford Gallery, London The Works of William Nicholson[14] first one-man show
April 1905 Galeries Barbazanges, Paris Exposition des oeuvres de William Nicholson[15]
1906 W. B. Paterson Gallery, London
June–July 1910 Chenil Gallery, London Exhibition of Paintings by William Nicholson: Rottingdean Landscapes and Other Subjects[16]
April–May 1911 Goupil Galleries, London Oil Paintings by William Nicholson[17]
June–July 1918 Goupil Galleries, London Still-life etc. by William Nicholson [18]
June–July 1927 Beaux Arts Gallery, London Pictures and Drawings by William Nicholson [19]
1930 Beaux Arts Gallery, London
1933 Castle Museum and Art Gallery, Nottingham first retrospective
May–June 1933 Beaux Arts Gallery, London Retrospective Exhibition of Paintings by William Nicholson [20] retrospective
1934 City Museum and Art Gallery, Belfast Loan Exhibition of Paintings and Prints by William Nicholson [21] retrospective
1934 Leicester Galleries, London Recent Paintings by William Nicholson [22]
1936 Leicester Galleries, London An Exhibition of Paintings by William Nicholson[23]
1938 Leicester Galleries, London An Exhibition of Paintings by Sir William Nicholson[24]
1942 National Gallery, London Exhibition of Paintings by Sir William Nicholson and Jack B. Yeats[25] retrospective, with Jack Yeats retrospective
1943 Leicester Galleries, London
1945 Roland, Browse and Delbanco, London Paintings by Sir William Nicholson[26]
1947 Arts Council, London Sir William Nicholson: Paintings, Woodcuts and Lithographs[27]
1951 Leger Gallery, London
1951 Roland, Browse and Delbanco, London
1954 Roland, Browse and Delbanco, London
1967 Marlborough Fine Art, London William Nicholson[8]
1967 Folio Society, London Sir William Nicholson: Prints and Drawings[28]
1972
William Nicholson Centenary Exhibition[29]
1980–81
William Nicholson: Paintings, Drawings and Prints[30]
April–May 1981 Maclean Gallery William Nicholson: Woodcuts and Lithographs[31]
1982–83
William Nicholson: segno e immagine in un'ottica vittoriana[9]
1990 Browse & Darby William Nicholson, 1872–1949[32]
1995–96
William Nicholson: Landscape and Still-life[33]
May–July 1998 Kunsthalle Darmstadt, Darmstadt William Nicholson, das graphische Werk: 1895–1905[34]
October 2004 – January 2005 Royal Academy of Arts, London William Nicholson (1872–1949): British Painter and Printmaker[5]

References

  1. ^ Database Olympics: William Nicholson. Accessed March 2012.
  2. ^ Lillian Browse (1956) William Nicholson. London: Rupert Hart-Davis.
  3. ^ a b c d Colin Campbell (1992) William Nicholson: The Graphic Work. London: Barrie & Jenkins. ISBN 0-7126-2189-X.
  4. ^ William Nicholson (1872-1942). The Bookroom Art Press. Accessed March 2012.
  5. ^ a b c Colin Campbell, Merlin James, Patricia Reed and Sanford Schwartz (2004) The Art of William Nicholson. London: Royal Academy of Arts. ISBN 1-903973-44-9.
  6. ^ Sanford Schwartz (2004) William Nicholson. New Haven; London: Yale University Press, for the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art.
  7. ^ John Rothenstein (1984) Modern English Painters, Volume One: Sickert to Lowry. London; Sydney: Macdonald. ISBN 0-356-10353-6. Second revised edition; first published (1952) as Modern English Painters: Sickert to Smith, 2 vols. London: Eyre & Spottiswoode. pp. 113–120.
  8. ^ a b c Alan Bowness (1967) William Nicholson, exhibition catalogue. London: Marlborough Fine Art.
  9. ^ a b Paola Watts (1983) William Nicholson: segno e immagine in un'ottica vittoriana (in Italian). Roma: Edizioni Quasar di Severino Tognon, for Soprintendenza per i Beni Artistici e Storici di Roma.
  10. ^ Tim Hilton (1996) "The head of the family". The Independent, 21 January 1996.
  11. ^ Marguerite Steen (1966) Looking Glass: An Autobiography by Marguerite Steen. London: Longmans. pp. 160–181.
  12. ^ History of Graphic Design: The Art Nouveau Movement (1890-1914). Anneser Design. Accessed March 2012.
  13. ^ Supplement to The London Gazette. 34296:3996. Accessed March 2012.
  14. ^ [s.n.] (1903) The Works of William Nicholson, exhibition catalogue. London: Stafford Gallery.
  15. ^ Octave Uzanne (1905) Exposition des oeuvres de William Nicholson, exhibition catalogue. Paris: Galeries Barbazanges.
  16. ^ [s.n.] (1910) Exhibition of Paintings by William Nicholson: Rottingdean Landscapes and Other Subjects, exhibition catalogue. London: Chenil Gallery.
  17. ^ [s.n.] (1911) Oil Paintings by William Nicholson, exhibition catalogue. London: Goupil Gallery.
  18. ^ [s.n.] (1918) Still-life etc. by William Nicholson, exhibition catalogue. London: Goupil Gallery.
  19. ^ [s.n.] (1927) Pictures and Drawings by William Nicholson, exhibition catalogue. London: Beaux Arts Gallery.
  20. ^ [s.n.] (1933) Retrospective Exhibition of Paintings by William Nicholson, exhibition catalogue. London: Beaux Arts Gallery.
  21. ^ [s.n.] (1934) Loan Exhibition of Paintings and Prints by William Nicholson, exhibition catalogue. Belfast: City of Belfast Museum and Art Gallery.
  22. ^ [s.n.] (1934) Recent Paintings by William Nicholson, exhibition catalogue. London: Leicester Galleries.
  23. ^ [s.n.] (1936) An Exhibition of Paintings by William Nicholson, exhibition catalogue. London: Leicester Galleries.
  24. ^ [s.n.] (1938) An Exhibition of Paintings by Sir William Nicholson, exhibition catalogue. London: Leicester Galleries.
  25. ^ Sir Kenneth Clark (1942) Exhibition of Paintings by Sir William Nicholson and Jack B. Yeats, exhibition catalogue. London: National Gallery.
  26. ^ [s.n.] (1945) Paintings by Sir William Nicholson, exhibition catalogue. London: Roland, Browse and Delbanco.
  27. ^ [s.n.] (1947) Sir William Nicholson: Paintings, Woodcuts and Lithographs, exhibition catalogue. London: Arts Council of Great Britain.
  28. ^ [s.n.] (1967) Sir William Nicholson: Prints and Drawings, exhibition catalogue. London: Folio Society.
  29. ^ [s.n.] (1972) William Nicholson, 1872-1949: centenary exhibition, exhibition catalogue. London: Roland, Browse and Delbanco.
  30. ^ Duncan Robinson (1980) William Nicholson: Paintings, Drawings and Prints, exhibition catalogue. [London]: Arts Council of Great Britain. ISBN 0-7287-0245-2.
  31. ^ Elizabeth Cayzer (1981) William Nicholson: Woodcuts and Lithographs, exhibition catalogue. London: Maclean Gallery.
  32. ^ [s.n.] (1990) William Nicholson, 1872–1949, exhibition catalogue. London: Browse & Darby.
  33. ^ Hilary Lane, Penny Johnson (1995) William Nicholson: Landscape and Still-life, exhibition catalogue. Eastbourne: Towner Art Gallery. ISBN 1-871360-08-0.
  34. ^ Carola Kleinstück-Schulman, Hermann Kleinstück, Klaus G. Gerhardt (1998) William Nicholson, das graphische Werk: 1895–1905, exhibition catalogue. Darmstadt: Justus von Liebig.

Further reading

  • Andrew Graham-Dixon (29 September 2004) 'William Nicholson by Augustus John' Sunday Telegraph, "In The Picture".
  • [s.n.] (1988) The Nicholsons: A Story of Four People and Their Designs: Ben Nicholson, 1894-1982; Nancy Nicholson, 1899-1977; Kit Nicholson, 1904-1948; E.Q. Nicholson, born 1908, exhibition catalogue. York: York City Art Gallery. ISBN 978-0-903281-06-5.
  • Works by William Nicholson at Project Gutenberg
  • Public Domain Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1922). Encyclopædia Britannica (12th ed.). London & New York: The Encyclopædia Britannica Company. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

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