Lot 161
  • 161

BEN NICHOLSON | Dec. 59 (Sunion)

Estimate
100,000 - 150,000 GBP
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Description

  • Ben Nicholson
  • Dec. 59 (Sunion)
  • signed, titled, dated and inscribed on the reverse
  • oil on carved hardboard on the Artist's board
  • Artist's board: 64 by 53cm.; 25¼ by 20¾in.

Provenance

Private Collection, Europe, and thence by descent to the present owner

Condition

The relief and board both appear to be sound. There is some slight rounding to the extreme corners of the outer board, and some minor nicks and flecks of loss to the extreme edges and upper corners. The board has been worked by the Artist and as such there are some nicks and dents to both boards and some areas of inconsistent texture, in keeping with the Artist's working methods. There are some areas of possible retouching to the centre of the board. This excepting the work appears to be in very good overall condition. Inspection under ultra violet light confirms the presence of the aforementioned retouchings. The work is framed. 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."

Catalogue Note

We are grateful to Dr Lee Beard for his kind assistance with the cataloguing of the present work.  Dr Lee Beard is currently preparing the forthcoming catalogue raisonné of the Artist’s work and would like to hear from owners of any work by the Artist so that these can be included in this comprehensive catalogue. Please write to Dr Lee Beard, c/o Sotheby’s Modern & Post-War British Art, London, W1A 2AA or email modbrit@sothebys.com



'The kind of painting which I find exciting is not necessarily representational or non-representational, but it is both musical and architectural, where the architectural construction is used to express a "musical" relationship between form, tone and colour' (Ben Nicholson,  'Abstract Art', 1948, quoted in Peter Khoroche, Ben Nicholson: Drawings and Painted Reliefs, Lund Humphries, Aldershot and Burlington, 2002, p.90)