Nicholson – Rhythm, Time, Space and Colour

Ben Nicholson - Still Life with Jugs and Mugs -1929 - 38 x 56 cm - oil and pencil on canvas

This, what may seam to be a simple painting is really very sophisticated, and Nicholson was successfully developing his approach to the wonderful spatial considerations being refined in the twentieth century.

He has subtly provided us a sense of movement (our movement) by altering our position in space when we view the mugs from above and from a level position simultaneously.  You are meant to sense it more than to see it, and the sophistication of his elegant simplicity is wonderful.

I love how he also provides us with the sense of space by rendering the mug handles in front of the mugs.  This has stayed with me for years and I hope you can you feel and appreciate it.  The handles also provide a lovely rhythm, integrating the two mugs with the jug at the right.  Nicholson also provided other beautiful rhythms with the vertical bands on lower mug and the horizontal bands of colour on the pictures and the mug in the centre, which obviously brings us to the focus with strong use of colour.  I feel the strong white shape balances with the strong combination of the green and reds and their combined power is on the verge of dominating.  This is a great example of colour ratio, or in other words not having the colour compete or dominate the wonderful subtle considerations in the rest of the composition.

It is a joy to engage with Nicholson’s wonderful journey towards becoming a true master.

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