William Nicholson

[1872-1949]

Painter and poster artist

Nicholson's best-known early works were his illustrations for An Alphabet and An Almanac of Twelve Sports [with verses by Rudyard Kipling], and London Types [with verses by W E Henley], and previous to that he designed posters in collaboration with his brother-in-law James Pryde, a partnership known as the Beggarstaff Brothers. In 1904 James Barrie invited Nicholson to design costumes for the first production of Peter Pan, but his later reputation was based mainly on his portrait work, and he was knighted in 1936. Nicholson produced a pen and wash portrait of Clayton for Lawrence.

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