Nicholson began this painting a year after Jean Hélion invited him to join the important international group Abstraction-Création, based in Paris. Despite the group’s emphasis on pure abstraction, Nicholson developed a hybrid style of figuration and abstraction.

This picture is an example of his successful integration of representational and abstract elements in his work. Although there are indications of a handle, goblet, mug and plate, these areas also read as flat geometric shapes.