{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O14892"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O14892/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2023NP9750/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2023NP9750/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2023NP9750","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2019LX1602","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O14892","accessionNumber":"P.2-1961","objectType":"Watercolour","titles":[{"title":"Abstract composition","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"Abstract composition of rectangular shapes","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Nicholson, Ben","id":"A2322"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"gouache","id":"AAT70114"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"watercolour","id":"THES250889"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Gouache on Whatman's watercolour sketching board","categories":[{"text":"Watercolours","id":"THES277714"}],"styles":[{"text":"Constructivism","id":"AAT21393"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2023NP9750","2019LX1602"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLH","id":"THES49654"},"free":"","case":"WD","shelf":"170","box":"A"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"watercolour (painting)","id":"AAT78925"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1936","earliest":"1936-01-01","latest":"1936-12-31"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"30.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"42.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Inscribed on the reverse with an arrow and 'TOP' to indicate that the grey squares are at the top of the composition","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""},{"content":"Ben Nicholson 1936","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"signed and dated in pencil on the reverse"},{"content":"Royal 545","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"marked in pencil on reverse"}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"This gouache is one of a series of paintings based on  rectangular forms and are refinements of a still-life of 1924  (Painting - Trout) in which the subject matter was reduced to  simple overlapping planes treading a fine balance between the  motif and pure abstraction.","briefDescription":"Watercolour, Abstract composition, by Ben Nicholson, gouache, 1936.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>100 Great Paintings in The Victoria & Albert Museum.</u> London: V&A, 1985, p.198"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Norbert Lynton, Ben Nicholson, London: Phaidon, 1993, repr. p.160, text p. 162"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Ben Nicholson 1894-1982\nGouache, 1936\nSigned and dated, on the back, 1936\n\nIn 1934 Nicholson visited the studio of Piet Mondrian, the Dutch artist whose abstract work was based on grids. In 1936 he began to make non-representational coloured paintings based on rectangles. Their forms appear to be superimposed in space. These are key works in the emergence of geometric abstract painting in Britain.\n\nGouache on paper\n\nPurchased 1961\nMuseum no. P.2-1961","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}}],"partNumbers":["P.2-1961"],"accessionNumberNum":"2","accessionNumberPrefix":"P","accessionYear":1961,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-09","recordCreationDate":"1999-12-15","availableToBook":false}}