For the past century, Mabel Pryde Nicholson has often been overshadowed by her husband, the renowned still-life and portrait painter William Nicholson, and her son Ben, a pioneer of British abstract painting. However, the current exhibition, “Prydie,” held at the former vicarage of St Margaret’s in Rottingdean—once the Nicholson family home—brings renewed focus to the artist’s work.
Hosted at The Grange, the 18th-century vicarage that the Nicholsons called home from 1909 to 1914, the exhibit highlights Nicholson’s unique style, which blends naturalism with romanticism, a combination that captivated contemporary critics. The vicarage, renamed The Grange after its purchase from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, was previously occupied by the Revd Arthur Wynne, who had persuaded the Commissioners to relocate to a more cost-effective village residence.
Nicholson’s body of work largely reflects her immediate surroundings—her children and the interiors of her home—providing a poignant glimpse into her domestic life and artistic vision. The exhibition offers a chance to reassess and appreciate the contributions of Mabel Pryde Nicholson, recognizing her distinctive artistic voice that has long deserved its place in the spotlight.
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