A was an Artist

Lovely exhibition at The Grange in Rottingdean looking at the life and work of William Nicholson.

The show was in a house in which Nicholson had lived and was a good mix of prints, paintings and ephemera. The first gallery highlighted his graphic work - woodcuts and illustrations from the earliest Beggarstaff period, through his famous woodcut series, to his later book designs. I am fond of his woodcuts and part own a copy of “O is an Ostler”. All the sets were represented here.

I’d not realised he had done book illustration as well including the first edition of “The Velveteen Rabbit” and theatrical costume designs. 

The other gallery looked at his paintings - portraits, landscapes and still life – including his earliest known painting Blenheim Bridge. They had also borrowed the famous red boots (Miss Simpson’s Boots) that appear in the world record setting still life that recently sold in Christie’s.

I’d not been to this gallery before so can I recommend it. In this show it was punching above its weight and it also had a nice permanent room on Burne-Jones who also lived in the village. There was a good café in the garden too.

Closes 31 July 2023

Review

Telegraph


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