Kate Nickleby
Artist
John Phillip
(Aberdeen, Scotland, 1817 - 1867)
AssociatedAssociated with
Charles Dickens
(Portsmouth, England, 1812 - 1870)
Date1862
Mediumoil on panel
ClassificationsPaintings And Drawings
DimensionsOverall: Height: 55.4 cm, Width: 45.7 cm
Frame: Height: 77.5 cm, Width: 67.6 cm
Frame: Height: 77.5 cm, Width: 67.6 cm
AcquisitionBequeathed in 1956 by George Calvert.
CopyrightOut of copyright - CC0
LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub
Object numberABDAG004127
About MeIn this tender composition John Phillip depicts the moment in Charles Dickens' novel Nicholas Nickleby when Kate Nickleby, Nicholas' sister, 'with a heavy heart, and many sad forebodings' is forced, through financial constraints, to go to work. Phillip expertly catches Kate's reticence with her eyes downcast and face in the shade. Phillip knew the story well - he owned a four volume compendium of Dickens' work, which included Nicholas Nickleby. It is possible that Phillip and Dickens may have met - they had mutual friends, so Phillip may have been paying homage to Dickens in choosing to paint this subject.Just two years earlier Phillip had bought Whistler's At the Piano,(below) the first picture to be exhibited by Whistler at the Royal Academy. This painting proved to be a huge influence on Phillip's painting style. This is especially true of Kate Nickleby, with its simple composition in profile and predominant use of black.
Kate is silhouetted against the sunlit wall behind her and dressed sombrely in black, with only a dash of purple visible on her violet hat decorations and ribbons.
More About Me
The moment in Charles Dickens' Nicholas Nickleby when the hero's sister "with a heavy heart and many forebodings" is forced because of financial problems to go to work
