Trendrine 2
Ben Nicholson - 1947, Oil on canvas 38 x37 cm
Ben Nicholson started to use a Cubist style in the 1920's after he made several trips to Paris on his way to Lugano in Switzerland. Nicholson claimed that after seeing a synthetic painting by Picasso and described it as
a real revelation...very potent and absolutely real
Nicholson thought that this work was total abstract, which stated the way British art had become left behind from other European countries, to think that a 'Synthetic' cubist painting to be total abstract would be wrong, to think that any cubists work to be total abstract would very wrong. The short lived 'Vortism' movement made no effect onto British art, and soon it would be that British artist's started to look and follow the trend of French art.
During the 1920's Nicholson changed and shifted between the cubist inspired style and a rough primitive one shown here. The canvas has a pure qualities associated with the synthetic works done by Picasso, spaces of bare canvas, low relief's and the build up of geometric planes indicate these influences. Nicholson was also inspired by the works by Gris. The composition of still life and landscape was first developed by Gris but a thing about this painting is that the colours are so pure and restrained unlike any contemporary painter of that time, and this makes the painting look very individual and very English.