A. Maitland
Mrs L.A.C. Saywood
Her sale, Sotheby's, London, 16th June 1976, lot 29
Browse and Darby, London

London, Roland, Browse & Delbanco, Paintings by William Nicholson and Josef Herman, April-May 1948, no.40;
London, Roland, Browse & Delbanco, Names to Remember, June-July 1948, no.10.  

Lillian Browse, William Nicholson, Hart-Davies, London, 1956, no.390, p.95.

The panel appears to be in good overall condition. There is a horizontal line of paint along the lower edge and a vertical line along the left edge which appear slightly inconsistent with the rest of the paint surface, but these appear to be the reworkings of the artist. Examination under ultra-violet light reveals scattered areas of fluorescence, all of which appear to be in the hand of the artist. Held in a gilded composition frame. Please telephone the department on 020 7293 5381 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."

Painted in the early 1940s, Flowers in Paper in a Vase exemplifies the dynamic treatment of the still life subject that Nicholson had developed during the early years of the First World War. Whilst the confident and fluid brushstrokes clearly signal his exemplary draughtsmanship and recall earlier Dutch inspired works such as The Lustre Bowl with Green Peas (1911, Coll. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh) and Stocks (see lot 17), Nicholson has infused his trademark handling with an altogether brighter palette bringing a fresh modernity to the traditional genre of the still life.

Nicholson had always been fascinated by the play of light and shadow and in particular, by the multifarious effects generated by the reflection and refraction of light caused by differing material properties. In Flowers in Paper in a Vase, the dense yet delicate foliage of the bouquet is arranged to both counter-balance the shape of the vase but also to contrast with its distinctive reflective properties.

We are grateful to Patricia Reed for her kind 𝄹assistan🔴ce with the cataloguing of this lot.