William Nicholson

William Nicholson 
at the Pallant House Gallery, Chichester 
until 10 May 

William Nicholson is one of those artists who has been unjustly neglected because they have a far more famous relative. In this case, it was his son Ben, champion of British Modernism, doyen of the St Ives school, married to Barbara Hepworth and friend of Mondrian... However, there is more to William than meets the eye. 

My first understanding of his work was that he was highly academic, focussing on that 'least interesting' of genres, the Still Life. First of all, there's nothing dull about a good painting, whatever the genre - and the evocation of mood and character through the depiction of objects can really be the test to show who truly is good. Second, he wasn't actually that 'academic': his approach to all of the genres in which he showed interest was truly ground-breaking. And third, William Nicholson truly was a master: in the Still Life paintings you can see every surface, imagine the feel of every texture, and discern surprising details. Can you see the self portrait in the image above, for example? 

However, William started life as a printmaker, designing posters and book illustrations, before moving into portraiture. And even though he was most renowned as a painter of Still Life, his landscapes are both evocative and precise. He designed sets and costumes for the theatre - and for everyday life. He was one of those artists who was his own best creation, always dressed to the nines, a dandy around town, as well as a forbidding presence at home. 

All of this is explored in the Pallant House Gallery's superb exhibition (their exhibitions always are), and, as ever, I will lead you through as much of it as time permits. 

Please remember, I do not record my talks.