A picture that is meant to fill a certain space should decorate that space.
The Nabis group, including Bonnard and Vuillard, said all art is essentially decorative. Preston was still in Europe and was visiting all sorts of museums.
More white. More geometric table-cloths. Plus, for a change, a lot of black.
Tightly controlled domestic contrivances.
| Margaret Preston, Still life, 1915 |
A black tray teeters on the edge of the checkered table-cloth with a strong band of black in the background pushing the painting to the front. Flatness + decoration.
Meanwhile there was a big fat war going on.
Julia Ritson
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