William Nicholson 1872-1949

Nicholson's work is characterised by its understated elegance and attention to detail, drawing viewers into a world of quiet contemplation. The elegantly minimal background and shallow picture space of Pink Peonies is typical of William Nicholson's still life artworks leading up to the First World War. Nicholson's flower pieces were usually composed of flowers from the artist’s garden, or from those of his friends and clients.

For most of the spring and summer of 1913 Nicholson was in Paris working on the reverse glass paintings for the dining room of his friend, the American playwright Edward Knoblock (1874-1945). This work was challenging, and one can imagine the pleasure he would have experienced addressing the subject of this vase of peonies.

In this artwork, a bouquet of pink peonies takes center stage, their lush petals and intricate forms rendered with exquisite detail and sensitivity. Nicholson's use of colour is particularly striking, with soft shades of pink and white dominating the palette, accented by touches of green and brown. The flowers seem to glow from within, their delicate hues suffused with a gentle warmth that emanates from the canvas.

The composition is balanced and harmonious, with the flowers arranged in a loose cluster against a neutral background. The play of light and shadow adds depth and dimension to the scene, creating a sense of volume and presence within the painting. Nicholson's meticulous attention to detail is evident in the subtle variations of tone and texture throughout the bouquet, capturing the natural beauty and fragility of the flowers with remarkable fidelity.

Nicholson's choice of these delicate pink peonies in bloom, standing in a tall upright glass vase, contrast with the strong dark shadow that falls across the wall. By lighting the flowers in a way that produces this shadow, Nicholson introduces a theatricality that adds intrigue and drama to this seemingly simple scene.