Nicholson, Sir William

Nicholson, Sir William, 1872–1949, English woodcut artist, illustrator, and painter. The striking contrasts of black and white of his woodcutting technique were used to great effect on posters, on which he collaborated with his brother-in-law James Pryde. They became known as the Beggerstaff Brothers. Nicholson illustrated many books and his woodcut portraits, verging sometimes on caricature, cover a large segment of London society. He was knighted in 1936. His work is represented in the Tate Gallery, London.