From Booklist
In spite of being one of Britain's leading twentieth-century artists, Ben Nicholson (1894-1982) and his work have not been accorded the sort of comprehensive scrutiny they deserve, until now. And this grand, color-rich (250 colorplates) retrospective was well worth the wait. Art historian Lynton, an acquaintance and devoted admirer of Nicholson, is indefatigable, tracing the roundabout evolution of Nicholson's style and inspirations decade by decade, painting by painting. The son of artists, art was in Nicholson's blood, and he followed its call over the static of his rivalry with his father. The company of women was essential to Nicholson; the first two of his three wives were artists, and every aspect of his daily existence related to his work. Innately talented and consumed by the sensuality of painting, Nicholson was a great experimenter, prolific, poetic, and dynamic right up to the end of his art-filled life. Lynton's commentary keeps pace with each phase of Nicholson's creativity as he played with the elements of landscape and still lifes, explored the eloquence of limitations in his famous white reliefs, and reveled in the glory of color and surface texture and transparency. In closing Lynton writes, Nicholson's art is "about being alive and conscious of living, of breathing, moving, sensing." It is also about beauty. Donna Seaman


From Book News, Inc.
Nicholson (1893-1982) was an internationally prominent pioneer of abstract art whose career spanned 60 years. His work is represented here with some 400 reproductions. The text is detailed and insightful, concentrating on the content and context of individual pieces within a broadly chronological framework, but interweaving some biographical material as well. Clearly a labor of love, publication of this comprehensive monograph coincides with the celebration of Nicholson's centenary in 1994. A big, hefty volume measuring 10x12x" Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Ben Nicholson (1894-1982) was one of the greatest artists of the twentieth century. A pioneer of abstract art in Britain, he first came to prominence with his famous 'white reliefs', but he also maintained a lifelong attachment to landscape and still-life forms, and in a career' of over sixty years he produced a remarkable range of carved reliefs, paintings, drawings and prints.

Norbert Lynton's subtle and sensitive study, the first full-length, comprehensive monograph on the artist's life and work, was originally published in 1993 in a large edition with many supplementary illustrations. For the second, paperback, edition it is reissued in a shorter format. With the text unchanged and with over 190 illustrations, the new edition makes this standard work available at a competitive price to a new and much wider audience.

FROM THE CRITICS

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