Research Point - Ben Nicholson

Ben Nicholson was strongly influenced by his father, William Nicholson, he began by painting his still lifes in a style similar to that of his fathers.

This changed in 1920 and for the next few years his work altered rapidly as he experimented with different modes of working.

Throughout his career, Nicholson frequently travelled and painted inspirational locations, from the Scottish borders to Cornwall. He particularly liked locations that were remote and a sense of distance.
In the 1930s, Nicholson became Britains leading expodent of Modernism. Influenced by Mondrian, Picasso and Braque - Nicholsons wor was still ever changing, from his white reliefs to a series of blocks of colour, however Nicholson would still return to still life, incorporating compositions of cups and jugs like his earlier work.

One of Nicholsons great influences was his wife Barbara Hepworth, his work changed significantly during the time they met. Before the war broke out, they left London and returned to an area of great significance to Nicholson - the St Ives area in Cornwall, it was here that he created some of his most recognised pierces of art. Nicholson stayed committed to his love of abstration and reinforced the constructivist side of his approach. He seemed to pull together many aspects of his previous work, creating abstract - still life - landscape paintings.

Nicholson included windowsills and tables in his paintings, leaving the viewer feeling like they are involved in the image and can place themselves there. The idea then evolved to the objects becoming simple lines and shapes on the landscape which bear a similar resemblance to his earlier reliefs. The objects look as though they could almost be part of the landscape.