Ben Nicholson was one of the most influential British artists of the 20th century. The style of his graphic work is particularly iconic and immediately identifiable.

Key influences on his career included the work of his father (the great painter William Nicholson), Piet Mondrian’s geometric abstraction, Pablo Picasso’s cubism, Alfred Wallis' naïve art, and the sculpture of Barbara Hepworth (to whom Nicholson was married for 13 years).

Nicholson had considerable success with drypoint etching. He liked the unpredictability as to whether each etched line would do as he intended, and the need to continually respond and adapt to the most recent line. The medium led to a further economy and restraint in his work.

“The bite of the steel point into the metal is a terrific experience when all goes right, and the necessity I am finding to reduce the idea to a series of lines is interesting.”

This print, Column & Tree, is from Nicholson's 1960s series 'Greek and Turkish Forms'. It features hand colouring in gouache, an addition which Nicholson experimented with in his proofs but which was not replicated in the final edition of 50. To our knowledge this was the only print in the series of ten etchings to include gouache.

This is one of three Nicholson prints available through the gallery that have been cancelled by hand using blue crayon. These administrative acts ended up an aesthetically pleasing addition, which feels fitting given Nicholson’s acceptance of and interest in the role of chance in the process of etching.

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Notes:

Lafranca 70
Etching in black with hand colouring in gouache
Print cancelled with blue crayon
On Rives wove
Unsigned, aside from edition of 50

Unframed

Printed by François Lafranca, Locarno, with their blindstamp
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Provenance:

Estate of Angela Verren Taunt, friend of Nicholson and copyright holder of his artworks after his death