As a youth, Sir William Nicholson studied at an art school run by Bavarian-born (multimedia) artist Hubert von Herkomer. Herkomer was a painter, portraitist, filmmaker and music composer. In 1886, Herkomer built a home, called Lululaund (named after his late wife), in Bushey, a village about 20 miles north of London. The house was designed by the illustrious American architect, Henry Hobson Richardson, which was to be his only building in Europe. Richardson provided his design of the house in exchange for the portrait Herkomer had painted of him. In this home, Herkomer established his studio and an art school—in which the young William Nicholson studied. And it was here that Nicholson met his future wife, Mabel Pryde.
Mabel's brother, James Pryde, became artistic business partners with Nicholson. Together, the two men established Beggerstaffs, a poster-maker and graphic arts studio, which ran from 1893 until 1898.
In 1898, Nicholson published his first four portfolios of art prints: An Alphabet, Twelve Portraits, London Types, and An Almanac of Twelve Sports—with one sport for each month and verses written by Rudyard Kipling.
The print above shows a properly-dressed Late Victorian woman learning to skate on a frozen lake, using a chair for support. Click on the photo above to learn more about it.
Though our Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed, LEO Design is still alive and well! Please visit our on-line store where we continue to sell Handsome Gifts (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
To arrange a visit our Pittsburgh showroom (by private appointment only), please call 917-446-4248.