Ben Nicholson

1962 (blue Paros)

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About this artwork

During the 1960s Nicholson returned to producing relief works in a similar vein to those he had made in the 1930s. This work comprises carved board with a painted surface and graphite lines. Nicholson has, however, scraped off much of the warm white paint, to create a worn, textured surface. The composition includes an exact circle, which offers a stillness against the surrounding, irregular shaped forms. Although distinctly abstract, at this time Nicholson’s reliefs were often inspired by the landscape. The title refers to a visit Nicholson made to Paros in Greece in autumn 1961. With this in mind the two blocks of blue colour call to mind a clear, Mediterranean sky.

Updated before 2020

  • artist:
    Ben Nicholson (1894 - 1982) English
  • title:
    1962 (blue Paros)
  • date created:
    1962
  • materials:
    Oil and pencil on carved board
  • measurements:
    Framed: 30.70 x 36.60 x 5.20 cm
  • object type:
  • credit line:
    Bequeathed by Felicitas Vogler 2007
  • accession number:
    GMA 4882
  • gallery:
  • subject:
  • artwork photographed by:
    Antonia Reeve
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Ben Nicholson

Ben Nicholson