BEN NICHOLSON, O.M. | San Gimignano

Jane Mull, USA
Durlacher Gallery, New York
Christie's London, 25 June 1991, lot 265

Possibly London, Alex. Reid & Lefevre Ltd, Recent Paintings by Ben Nicholson, October 1950, cat. no.57

Herbert Read, Ben Nicholson, Work Since 1947, vol. 2, London, 1956, cat. no.99, unpaginated
Norbert Lynton, Ben Nicholson, London, 1993, p.303, illustrated p.302
Peter Khoroche, Ben Nicholson, Drawings and Painted Reliefs, 2002, cat. no.41, p.61, illustrated 60

Unexamined out of frame. The sheet appears at least partially adhered to a backing support, but is not fully laid down. There is very slight cockling to the sheet, with a deckled upper and top left hand edge. There appears an imperfection to the centre of the paper, which is in keeping with the nature of the Artist's working materials, and is discussed in a letter from the Artist dating to 22nd December 1953. To the centre of the upper edge there is a line which may be a crease or an element of the Artist's working method. There are some minor handling marks and light creasings to the sheet, visible down the extreme left hand edge and to the bottom left corner, with a further spot of possible restoration to the lower right extreme right hand edge, visible upon close inspection. There is some minor staining to the sheet, most visible in the upper right hand quadrant, but this excepting the work appears in very good overall condition, with strong, fresh pencil throughout. Housed behind Perspex in a black wooden frame, float-mounted against a cream backing card. Unexamined out of frame. Please contact 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 Prof. Lee Beard for his kind assistance with the cataloguing of the present work. Nicholson wrote in a letter dated 22 September 1953: 

‘Vogue N.Y. sent me a copy in which my drawing of San Gimignano is reproduced (I like that drawing!) I noted with some amusement the scrabble or scuffle in the centre is NOT in your reproduction (without that the drwg [sic] would never have been made)'