By Guy Nicod
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: Abstract Vegetable Still Life with Squash Broccoli and Courgettes Gouache
Guy Nicod (French 1923 - 2021)
Gouache and oil paint on artist paper, unframed
Size: 19.75 x 24 inches (height x width)
Provenance: Artists estate, France
Condition: Good overall with light edge wear and small handling marks consistent with age. There are small tears where staples have been removed from the corners of the piece.
Description:
This vibrant and engaging gouache by Guy Nicod depicts an abstracted kitchen still life filled with colourful vegetables and organic forms. Dominating the composition are several large slices of squash or gourds, including a distinctive halved yellow squash at the top centre, its seeds and curved interior rendered in bold green and orange. Additional orange forms throughout the scene resemble whole or cut butternut squash, their warm tones balancing the cooler blues and greys of the background.
Clusters of textured green shapes suggest broccoli, leafy greens, or bunches of herbs, adding lively movement and organic rhythm to the arrangement. Long vertical yellow and green forms resemble courgettes or marrows, while darker oval shapes read as avocados or aubergines, their rich brown and deep green tones grounding the composition.
The vegetables sit across a series of angled tabletops and draped surfaces painted in red, ochre, and pale grey. These geometric fields enhance the sense of depth and create a dynamic contrast with the rounded, natural shapes of the produce. Nicod’s use of gouache produces velvety opacity and layered textures, allowing him to push the boundaries between representation and abstraction.
This work is ideal for collectors interested in modernist food still lifes, kitchen interiors, vegetable paintings...
Category
Mid-20th Century Modern Guy Nicod Abstract Paintings
