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1932 (painting) by Ben Nicholson
August 1956 (Val d’Orcia) by Ben Nicholson
May 1958 (Ronco 2 circles) by Ben Nicholson
St. Ives Cornwall, Composition by Ben Nicholson
1943-45 (St Ives, Cornwall) by Ben Nicholson
1934-6 (painting - still life) by Ben Nicholson
Feb 2-54 by Ben Nicholson
Painting by Ben Nicholson
1924 (first abstract painting, Chelsea) by Ben Nicholson
1937 (painting) by Ben Nicholson
June 1937 (painting) by Ben Nicholson
20 April 1979 (vertical stripe) by Ben Nicholson

Where to See Ben Nicholson

39 museums worldwide

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About Ben Nicholson

British · 1894–1982

son of two painters who found Alfred Wallis in a fisherman's cottage, visited Mondrian in Paris, and spent nineteen years painting St Ives

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Portrait of Ben Nicholson
Museums39
Countries7
Most worksTate, Tate Britain · 28 works
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Where to see Ben Nicholson

Ranked by works you can see in person.

Ben Nicholson prints

Hand-finished archival prints from Ben Nicholson's body of work.

Sept 8-54 (Torcello) - Ben Nicholson - Poster Sept 8-54 (Torcello) - Ben Nicholson From £28.00 Feb 2-54 (Ben Nicholson) - Ben Nicholson - Poster Feb 2-54 (Ben Nicholson) - Ben Nicholson From £37.00 1932 (Painting) - Ben Nicholson - Poster 1932 (Painting) - Ben Nicholson From £28.00 June 1937 (painting) - Ben Nicholson - Poster June 1937 (painting) - Ben Nicholson From £28.00 1943-45 (St Ives, Cornwall) - Ben Nicholson - Poster 1943-45 (St Ives, Cornwall) - Ben Nicholson From £28.00 Feb 55 (Ben Nicholson) - Ben Nicholson - Poster Feb 55 (Ben Nicholson) - Ben Nicholson From £28.00 1945 (Still Life) - Ben Nicholson - Poster 1945 (Still Life) - Ben Nicholson From £28.00

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Where can I see Ben Nicholson's work?
    Ben Nicholson's work can be viewed in numerous public collections. In London, the Tate Gallery holds his *August 1956 (Val d'Orcia)*. Other London institutions with works by Nicholson include the Courtauld Institute Galleries, the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Outside London, several galleries across the UK also hold examples of his output. These include the Ulster Museum[5] in Belfast, the Barber Institute of Fine Arts in Birmingham, Bradford Museums and Art Galleries, Bristol Art Gallery, the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, and the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff. In Scotland, you can find Nicholson's pieces at the National Gallery of Scotland and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh, as well as the Glasgow Art Gallery and Museum. Other locations include Leeds City Art Gallery, the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, and the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
  • Where did Ben Nicholson live?
    Ben Nicholson was born in Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, and he lived briefly in Pasadena, California, from 1917-18.
  • Where did Ben Nicholson go to school?
    Ben Nicholson attended the Slade School of Fine Art in London in 1910-11.
  • What should I know about Ben Nicholson's prints?
    Ben Nicholson (1894-1982) is best known for his painted reliefs. He also produced a substantial body of prints, mainly later in his career. Nicholson explored various printmaking techniques, including etching, lithography, and screenprinting. His prints often echo the geometric forms and spatial relationships found in his reliefs and paintings. These works often feature overlapping planes, subtle textures, and a restricted colour palette, often dominated by white, grey, and ochre. One notable series is the "Greek and Turkish Forms" suite of lithographs from the 1960s. These prints display simplified architectural motifs and allude to his travels in Greece and Turkey. Nicholson's prints are not mere reproductions of his other works; instead, they represent a distinct area of his artistic output, with their own unique qualities and concerns. His printmaking allowed him to explore ideas of abstraction and form in a different medium. These works are characterised by their understated elegance and careful attention to detail.
  • Why are Ben Nicholson's works important today?
    Ben Nicholson (1894-1982) was a central figure in the development of abstract art in Britain. His work provides a link between pre-war modernism and later developments. Nicholson's early paintings show representational subjects. He moved toward abstraction in the 1930s. He is best known for his white reliefs. These works combine painting and sculpture. They explore the interplay of light and shadow. Nicholson's practice also included still lifes and drawings. His work is characterised by simplified forms and a muted colour palette. These elements create a sense of calm and order. Nicholson's influence can be seen in the work of many subsequent artists. His exploration of abstraction and his innovative use of materials have had a lasting impact. His art continues to be studied. It is appreciated for its formal qualities and its contribution to the history of modernism. Nicholson's pieces are held in major museum collections worldwide.
  • Who was Ben Nicholson's father?
    Ben Nicholson's father was Sir William Nicholson, who was an accomplished still-life painter.
  • Who is Ben Nicholson?
    Ben Nicholson was born on April 10, 1894, in Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, and both of his parents were painters.
  • What techniques or materials did Ben Nicholson use?
    Ben Nicholson is known for his exploration of form, line, and colour, often within an abstract idiom. His practice encompassed painting, drawing, and relief sculpture. Nicholson's early paintings show the influence of Cubism and often feature still-life arrangements. These works typically employ a limited palette of colours, emphasising geometric shapes and the interplay of light and shadow. In the 1930s, Nicholson began creating white reliefs. These were constructed from carved and layered board; he would then paint them in white or off-white tones. These reliefs mark a shift toward pure abstraction in his work. He aimed to create a sense of depth and space through subtle variations in texture and form. After World War II, colour returned to Nicholson's work. He began incorporating a wider range of hues into both his paintings and reliefs. He also experimented with different materials, such as oil paint, pencil, and collage, to create varied surface effects. His later works often combine abstract and representational elements, hinting at architectural forms or natural motifs.

Sources

Where to See guide aggregates verified holdings of Ben Nicholson's works across the following collections.

  1. [1] museum Toledo Museum of Art Used for: museum holdings.
  2. [2] museum Courtauld Gallery Used for: museum holdings.
  3. [3] museum Buffalo AKG Art Museum Used for: museum holdings.
  4. [4] museum Kettle's Yard Used for: museum holdings.
  5. [5] museum Ulster Museum Used for: museum holdings.
  6. [6] museum National Galleries Scotland Used for: museum holdings.
  7. [7] book Beard, Lee, 1973- author, Butler, Adam, author; Van Cleave, Claire, author; Fortenberry, Diane, author; Stirling, Susan, author, Beard, Lee, 1973- author, Butler, Adam, author; Van Cleave, Claire, author; Fortenberry, Diane, author; Stirling, Susan, author - The Art Book_ New Edition, Mini Format Used for: biography.
  8. [8] book guggenheim-guhe00solo Used for: biography.
  9. [9] book guggenheim-handboo00pegg Used for: biography.

Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-07-02. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.

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