Painting 1937

Copyright

Maker

Ben Nicholson
1894-1982

Title

Painting 1937

Date of Production

1937

Medium

oil on canvas

Dimensions

Height: 79.5 cm (canvas)
Width: 91.5 cm (canvas)

Object Number

P.1984.AH.286

Mode of Acquisition

Mark Ian Alastair Hunter, bequest, 1984

Credit

Courtauld Gallery, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)

Location

Not currently on display

Keywords

Label Text

At this time Nicholson was at the centre of an avant-garde group in London. It included his future wife, Barbara Hepworth, and, for a time, Piet Mondrian, who inspired Nicholson’s exploration of abstraction. Here, the coloured blocks are arranged around a vibrant red square in the centre. The different intensities of the colours create a play of visual effects and a shifting sense of depth. The yellow square has faded over time and was originally a bright acidic colour.

Provenance

Purchased from the artist by (Sir) Leslie and Sadie Martin in 1937; sold to Dr. Hunter in c.1951-52; donated to the Courtauld through the Hunter Bequest 1984.

Exhibition History

Kandinsky’s Universe: Geometric Abstraction in the 20th century, Museum Barberini, Potsdam, 15/02/2025-18/05/2025

Holbein to Hockney - 500 Years of British Art, Fundacion Juan March & Madrid & Spain, 05/10/2012-20/01/2013

...More

Mondrian/Nicholson - In Parallel, Courtauld Gallery, London, 16/02/2012-20/05/2012

Ben Nicholson, De La Warr Pavillion, Bexhill, England, 11/10/2008-04/01/2009

Ben Nicholson, Fondation Pierre Gianadda, Martigny, France, 13/11/1992-31/01/1993

The Hunter Collection of Twentieth Century Masters, Courtauld Gallery, London, 10/10/1987-03/06/1988

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