What happened to the Ben Nicholson wall painting?

The Ben Nicholson wall painting, originally a mural created as a thank-you gift in 1947, was expertly salvaged from the bedroom wall it was painted on by art conservationists. The current owners of the property in Surrey arranged for its removal, where it was skillfully taken off the wall in a single piece, still attached to the original plaster.

The Story of a Unique Art Piece

This distinctive wall painting holds a special place in the history of modernist art, being a direct expression of gratitude from a renowned artist.

Creation and Purpose

• Artist: The mural was painted by the distinguished modernist artist Ben Nicholson, who passed away in 1982 at the age of 87.
• Year of Creation: It was created in 1947.
• Original Location: The artwork was painted directly onto the bedroom wall of friends at their property in Surrey.
• Purpose: Nicholson intended it as a personal thank-you gift for their hospitality.

The Salvage Operation

Given its unique nature and value as an authentic artwork by a significant modernist, the decision was made by the property's current owners to preserve the mural.

Expert Conservation Efforts

The process of preserving the wall painting involved meticulous work by specialized professionals:

1. Initiation: The current owners of the Surrey property recognized the painting's significance and sought its preservation.
2. Engagement of Experts: Art conservationists, skilled in handling delicate artworks, were brought in for the task.
3. Precision Removal: The conservationists expertly undertook the challenging process of removing the mural.
4. Intact Preservation: Crucially, the entire painting was salvaged in one complete piece, carefully detached from the wall along with the plaster it was painted on.

This sophisticated salvage operation ensures the continued existence and study of this unique Ben Nicholson wall painting, transitioning it from a fixed architectural feature to a more portable, preserved artwork.