Dimensions: support: 353 x 454 mm
Copyright: © Desmond Banks | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: Nicholson’s “Harbour in Snow, La Rochelle,” a small oil painting held at the Tate, presents a muted scene. I’m struck by the thick application of paint. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: Look closely at the impasto. Nicholson builds texture, mimicking the gritty reality of a working harbour in winter. Consider the labour involved in moving materials, building boats, and the sheer physicality of life in this port. The painting isn't just about aesthetics; it's about the means of production. Editor: So, you see the painting itself as documenting labour? Curator: Exactly. It blurs the line between fine art and the working world. Editor: Interesting. I’ll definitely think about the materiality and production more consciously.
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http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/nicholson-harbour-in-snow-la-rochelle-t03792
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Towards the end of his life Nicholson twice went to La Rochelle, on the Atlantic coast of France. He was particularly fond of the town, and these visits were his last abroad. In 1938 he painted at least eight views of La Rochelle, mostly looking down on the harbour from his first-floor room.The painting is almost entirely grey. Nicholson often limited his colours, and was happy to take advantage of the fall of snow. The paint was spread thickly over the canvas with both brush and knife, like a fine pâté on bread. Some details are shaped in relief, and others scratched through the paint to a layer beneath. Gallery label, August 2004
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