Studio Still Life by  Sir William Nicholson

Studio Still Life 1914

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Dimensions: support: 1314 x 1626 mm frame: 1545 x 1850 x 113 mm

Copyright: © Desmond Banks | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate

Editor: Sir William Nicholson's "Studio Still Life" presents such a collection of objects. I am struck by the formal arrangement of these elements. What do you notice? Curator: The composition is intriguing. Note the interplay between the draped fabric on the left and the architectural facade in the background, mediated by the objects placed in the foreground. The artist uses a restricted palette, unified by the contrast between light and dark. Editor: It's interesting how the objects seem to be arranged almost like a stage. What do you think that conveys? Curator: Indeed. The placement invites us to consider the relationship between these objects and their symbolic potential. What story do they tell through their form and placement? Editor: I see a dialogue between interior space and exterior world. Thank you for sharing your perspective. Curator: It's a pleasure to explore these visual relationships.

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tate about 2 months ago

http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/nicholson-studio-still-life-n05642

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tate's Profile Picture
tate about 2 months ago

This unusually large still life shows an unframed painting by Nicholson of the Palais Royal in Paris, with his own studio equipment arranged around it. It was a gift from the artist to the theatre producer Edward Knoblock, who had lent him his flat in the Palais Royal. At the right there is a letter from Nicholson, saying 'My dear Knoblock, Here you are, it's the best I can do. Yours affectionately, William Nicholson'. The picture may then have been painted as a present in recognition of Knoblock's kindness.The strong eighteenth-century overtones of several of the objects, including the gilt bust and the ivory flute, suggest a conscious act of homage to Chardin. Gallery label, September 2004