William Nicholson
Sir William Newzam Prior Nicholson (Newark-on-Trent 1872 – Berkshire 1949)
Category
Books
Date
1956
Materials
Place of origin
England
Collection
Chartwell, Kent
NT 3127425
Summary
A catalogue of the paintings for the artist William Nicholson. Book gifted by: Lillian Browse Book Inscription: To Sir Winston Churchill with the greatest admiration, Lillian Browse 1956. Date of Inscription: The book was received by Churchill on the 5 July 1956.
Full description
**The Inscribed Books Collection, to which this book belongs, consists of gift inscriptions on third party books given to Sir Winston Churchill from friends, family, and well-wishers, unsolicited presentation copies of books by strangers, as well as presentation copies from authors who were genuine friends and colleagues. After his death in January 1965, Churchill personally bequeathed the collection via his Will as a testament to his national and international achievements. 'William Nicholson' provides a complete catalogue, as far as could be traced, of the paintings by British painter Sir William Nicholson (5 February 1872 - 16 May 1949). Published in 1956 by Rupert Hart-Davis, the book was put together by Lillian Browse (12 April 1906 - 2 December 2005), a London art dealer and art historian as well as a partner in two London galleries. First, Roland, Browse and Delbanco and then Browse & Darby. At the time, Browse was considered an authority on Nicholson's artworks. During the Second World War she organised exhibitions at the National Gallery, whose collections had been removed to the Aberystwyth for safety. In 1998 Browse was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to the visual arts. After first meeting Churchill and his wife, Clementine, in the summer of 1933, Nicholson was to become a close family friend and popular feature in Chartwell life during the 1930s. By this time Nicholson, son of a Conservative Party MP, was already a successful and established artist of still-life, landscape and portraits. He was to have an important influence over Churchill's artistic development, especially the introduction of a softer brighter, palette. In fact, Churchill later recalled to the then Director of the Tate, Sir John Rothenstein: "I think the person who taught me most about painting was William Nicholson" The pair often painted together at Chartwell, and in 1935 both produced scenes of the swimming pool there which now hang together in the Studio at Chartwell. In 1936, Nicholson received a knighthood and from then on the Churchills referred to him affectionately as ‘S’ William, or as Winston preferred 'Cher Maître'.
Bibliographic description
144p.,54 plates (part col.) : ill. ; 25cm. Provenance: inscribed "To Sir Winston Churchill with the greatest admiration, Lillian Browse 1956". Binding: publisher's grey cloth; with dust jacket.
Provenance
The book was gifted to Churchill from Browse herself and was received on 5th July 1956. The art dealer inscribed the book with her signature as well as a message addressed to Churchill, circa 1956, which reads: "To Sir Winston Churchill with the greatest admiration, Lillian Browse 1956"
Makers and roles
Sir William Newzam Prior Nicholson (Newark-on-Trent 1872 – Berkshire 1949) Lillian Browse (1906-2005)