Cher Maître: The Art of William Nicholson

Interesting online lecture from the Wallace Collection looking at the artist William Nicholson and his influence on the art of Winston Churchill.

Simon Martin,  director of Pallant House Gallery, which recently had an exhibition on Nicholson, led us through his life and art. I had seen the show and loved I so it was interesting to be reminded of it. Talked us through his early print work, his portraits and landscapes and his wonderful still-lives.

Given the lecture was put on to mark the Wallace Collection’s Churchill show I would have liked to know a bit more about the connection. They met in 1933 when Nicholson was commissioned to paint a portrait of Churchill and his wife and in subsequent years Nicholson is known to have visited Chartwell, Churchill’s home on at least 10 occasions and they were known to paint side by side. Churchill referred to Nicholson as his Cher Maître or Dear Master.

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