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Lot Essay
In May 1930 Nicholson held his first exhibition of paintings in Paris at the celebrated galleries of Bernheim-Jeune at 109 rue du Faubourg St Honoré. Whilst the show was not entirely a success, it did give Nicholson the opportunity to see Picasso's 'abstractions' at Paul Rosenberg's gallery which he greatly admired. Nicholson was becoming more and more aware that the experiments of the French avant-garde were more in keeping with his own artistic objectives and he seriously considered moving to Paris in 1932, when the great cubist dealer, Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler, told him that he and other dealers would only consider looking at his work if he moved to France.
Although they did not meet at the time, Braque had seen Nicholson's exhibition at Bernheim-Jeune in 1930. Through the collector Roché, Braque sent Nicholson a very favourable account of his impressions of the show. Inspired by this report, Nicholson visited France in the spring of 1933 where he befriended and came heavily under the influence of both Braque and Picasso. Unsurprisingly, Nicholson's paintings of the following months owe an enormous debt to both artists. Nicholson was infected by their bold avant-gardism and saw the infinite possibilities of experimenting with Cubism. 'This abstract language (of which Picasso has a more profound knowledge than anyone) is a new thing and it is misleading to people who are new to it. Certainly I feel I discover something new about it each week and in my work what I felt to be abstract two months ago hardly seems so at all now and one continues like that' (in a letter to Winifred Nicholson, dated 3 May 1933).
Here in Le Petit Provençal, probably painted during Nicholson's visit to St Rémy in Provence in the spring of 1933, we clearly see the English painter's debt to Braque as he builds his composition using the vocabulary of cubism. Nicholson's assimilation of the papier collé technique, the multiple viewpoints, the visual puns and the whole feel of the carefully worked, modulated surface, owes much to his French mentor.
Although they did not meet at the time, Braque had seen Nicholson's exhibition at Bernheim-Jeune in 1930. Through the collector Roché, Braque sent Nicholson a very favourable account of his impressions of the show. Inspired by this report, Nicholson visited France in the spring of 1933 where he befriended and came heavily under the influence of both Braque and Picasso. Unsurprisingly, Nicholson's paintings of the following months owe an enormous debt to both artists. Nicholson was infected by their bold avant-gardism and saw the infinite possibilities of experimenting with Cubism. 'This abstract language (of which Picasso has a more profound knowledge than anyone) is a new thing and it is misleading to people who are new to it. Certainly I feel I discover something new about it each week and in my work what I felt to be abstract two months ago hardly seems so at all now and one continues like that' (in a letter to Winifred Nicholson, dated 3 May 1933).
Here in Le Petit Provençal, probably painted during Nicholson's visit to St Rémy in Provence in the spring of 1933, we clearly see the English painter's debt to Braque as he builds his composition using the vocabulary of cubism. Nicholson's assimilation of the papier collé technique, the multiple viewpoints, the visual puns and the whole feel of the carefully worked, modulated surface, owes much to his French mentor.