Winifred Nicholson

H.S. Ede, and thence by descent to the present owners

London, The Fine Art Society, From a Private Collection, 16th June - 1st July 2010, cat. no.11.

There are pin holes visible in the top corners, with very minor traces of resultant loss, surface dirt and rubbing in these areas, partly in line with the framing. There is a tiny area of loss in line with a probable framing abrasion to the centre of the extreme upper edge. There is surface dirt to the work, with a fine vertical scuff line to the left hand side of the extreme upper edge, with very slight flattening to one or two of the raised thicker globules of impasto. There are a few further minor surface scuffs visible in the bottom left hand corner, with further traces of light frame abrasions to the extreme edges. There are a few tiny, minor lines of craquelure towards the centre of the left hand edge. There are a few spots of surface dirt and flecks of matter. This excepting the work appears in very good overall condition. Ultraviolet light reveals no obvious signs of fluorescence or retouching. Housed in a thick plain wooden frame. Please telephone the department on +44 (0) 207 293 6424 if you have any questions regarding the present work.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

We are grateful to Jovan Nicholson for his kind assistance with the cataloguing of the present work.

'She obtains a freshness in her painting, and for colour, I know of no one who interprets so truthfully the pure clarity of flowers themselves.' 

(Jim Ede, 'Ben Nicholson, Winifred Nicholson and William Staite Murray', Artwork, Vol.16, Winter 1928, p.267)

Jim Ede was an early supporter of Winifred Nicholson’s work and credited his meeting of Ben and Winifred Nicholson in 1924 as the inspiration for creating Kettles Yard, Cambridge. He collected her work for over forty years and corresponded with her throughout his life. Kettle’s Yard houses the largest collection of pictures by Winifred Nicholson and held exhibitions of her work in 1972, 1987 and 2001.