1921 - circa 1923 (Cortivallo Lugano)
Ben Nicholson, 1921–c. 1923

Influenced by the work of his father, Sir William Nicholson, the artist's roots lie also in the paintings of the Italian Primitives and the great, early modern masters including Cezanne, Picasso and Braque. In this work he appears to reject his Edwardian heritage in favour of both of these earlier and more contemporary influences. The extraordinary freshness of this painting derives from the power of these influences on his way of seeing, in combination with his response to the beauty of the Swiss landscape. The picture is prophetic of the artist's mature work in its acute sense of space, interval and light; in its perfectly judged use of colour and in its concern with the physicality of the painted surface.
More information
Title of artwork, date
1921 - circa 1923 (Cortivallo Lugano), 1921–c. 1923
Date supported
1990
Medium and material
Oil and pencil on canvas
Dimensions
43 x 60 cm
Grant
30000
Total cost
132400
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