Exploring the Major New Exhibition at Pallant House Gallery

After more than twenty years, a major new exhibition at Pallant House Gallery brings together works spanning Nicholson’s entire career - from the early poster designs and book illustrations through to the later still lifes and portraits.

The exhibition offers a chance to see familiar favourites alongside some rarely displayed pieces, and explores the various threads of creativity that ran throughout his working life. It opens with William Orpen’s A Bloomsbury Family (1907), showing Nicholson with Mabel and their four children, setting the scene for an exploration of both the work and the relationships that shaped it.

The show includes examples of the bold poster designs created with James Pryde under the name ‘J. & W. Beggarstaff’ - work that helped establish Nicholson’s reputation before he became widely known as a painter. Visitors can also see the celebrated woodcuts from An Alphabet (1898), including the charming opening ‘A was an Artist’, alongside original illustrations from The Velveteen Rabbit (1922) and designs for Clever Bill (1926).

There are intimate portraits throughout, including a newly displayed painting of Ben as a child. A particular highlight is the 1920 portrait of horticulturist Gertrude Jekyll paired with a painting of her gardening boots - created when she was too occupied with gardening to sit for her portrait. Works from the 1915 trip to India with Edwin Lutyens are on display, including landscapes and the portrait Duffadar Valayat Shah, depicting the Viceroy’s Orderly.

For those interested in Nicholson’s work beyond painting, there are theatre costume designs on show, including pieces related to his 1904 design work for Peter Pan. The exhibition features examples of the glittering still lifes that showcase his mastery of light and texture, along with wartime paintings.

The exhibition explores not just the paintings but William himself - his relationships, his various creative pursuits, and the contexts in which he worked. Some of the personal items he used for his still lifes will be on display alongside the finished works. It’s an opportunity to see the breadth of output across different media and subjects, and to appreciate how these various strands connected throughout his career.

Visit Information

Dates: 22 November 2025 – 10 May 2026

Venue: Pallant House Gallery, Chichester

The exhibition is accompanied by a new catalogue with contributions from Stephen Calloway, Simon Martin, Miriam O’Connor Perks, Jane Pritchard, Patricia Reed, and Melanie Vandenbrouck.