Mabel Pryde

English artist (1871–1918)

William Nicholson

(m. 1893)

Children

James Pryde (brother)
Kate Nicholson (granddaughter)
Simon Nicholson (grandson)
Robert Scott Lauder (uncle)
James Eckford Lauder (uncle)

Mabel Scott Lauder Pryde (12 February 1871 – July 1918) was a Scottish artist, the wife of artist William Nicholson, and the mother of artists Ben Nicholson and Nancy Nicholson and the architect Christopher Nicholson.

Life

She was the daughter of David Pryde, headmaster of Edinburgh Ladies College 1870–1891, and Barbara Lauder, whose father William was a brother of the famous Scottish artists Robert Scott Lauder and James Eckford Lauder. Mabel had one brother, the artist James Pryde.^[6] As children, they lived at 10 Fettes Row,^[7] a north-facing Edinburgh house.^[8]

Pryde trained at the Bushey School of Art in Hertfordshire under the tutelage of Hubert von Herkomer.^[6]^[9] Here she met fellow student William Nicholson, whom she married in 1893. She introduced Nicholson to her brother James and all three moved to the Eight Bells, a former pub in Denham, in Buckinghamshire.^[10]

Pryde and Nicholson had four children: Ben (1894–1982); Anthony (1897–1918), killed in action during the First World War; Annie Mary "Nancy" (1899–1978); and Christopher "Kit" (1904–1948). They moved to Rottingdean in 1909.^[6] In July 1918, Pryde died from influenza during the 1918 flu pandemic.^[11]^[12]

Work

Pryde exhibited under her married name in several group shows in London, culminating in a solo show at the Chenil Gallery in 1912.^[9] Her work is included in the collections of the Tate Museum, London^[13] and the National Galleries of Scotland.^[14]

Family Group, Tate
Harlequin with Chair, National Galleries of Scotland
The Red Jersey, Aberdeen Art Gallery

References

^ Sonin, Adam. "Heritage: Ben Nicholson was one of a 'nest of gentle artists' working in Belsize Park in early 20th century". hamhigh.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 November 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
^ "Search Results for England & Wales Marriages 1837–2005 – findmypast.co.uk". search.findmypast.co.uk.
^ Strang, Alice (2015). Modern Scottish Women Painters & Sculptors 1885–1965. Edinburgh: National Galleries of Scotland. p. 86. ISBN 978-1-906270-89-6.
^ "Search Results for England & Wales Deaths 1837–2007 – findmypast.co.uk". search.findmypast.co.uk.
^ "Mabel Nicholson Online". www.artcyclopedia.com.
^ ^a ^b ^c Mabel Pryde Archived 6 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine The Fine Art Society, Retrieved 3 October 2014
^ "'The Harlequin', Mabel Nicholson". Tate. Archived from the original on 25 February 2013.
^ "10 Fettes Row" (PDF). Rae Reid & Stephen W.S. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 March 2012.
^ ^a ^b Rostek, Charlotte (2022), Scottish Women Artists, The Fleming Collection, p. 21, ISBN 9781399910323
^ "How the Beggarstaff brothers invented the modern poster". www.newstatesman.com.
^ "A Continuous Line: Ben Nicholson in England". Tate. Archived from the original on 14 June 2010.
^ "Nicholson, William Biography". The Bookroom Art Press. Archived from the original on 11 September 2011.
^ "Mabel Nicholson 1871–1918". Tate.
^ "Mabel Pryde". www.nationalgalleries.org.