Terence Cuneo

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Monument to Terence Cuneo in Waterloo Station

Terence Cuneo CVO , OBE (born November 1, 1907 in London - † January 3, 1996 ) was an English painter who mainly captured railroads , racehorses and military scenes. He was also the officially commissioned artist for the coronation ceremony of the British monarch in 1953.

life and work

Cuneo was born in London to the Italian Cyrus Cincinato Cuneo and Nell Marion Tenison, who met while studying art with James McNeill Whistler in Paris . He studied at the Chelsea College of Art and Design and the Slade School of Fine Art before working as an illustrator for magazines, books and periodicals. From 1936 he began to work in oil in addition to his drawings and illustrations. During World War II he served as a sapper , but also worked for the War Artists Advisory Committee , producing illustrations of aircraft parts and capturing war events in pictures.

After the war, Cuneo was initially commissioned to do a number of illustrations for railways, bridges and locomotives . A milestone in his career was his commissioning to attend the coronation ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II as the official artist , which immediately earned him a name and worldwide publicity. This gave him additional orders from the industry. The main subjects were production, industrial plants, road structures and, again and again, railway systems. Landscape painting and portrait orders were also given.

Many of his works from 1956 onwards contained a mouse, some lifelike, sometimes as a comic , which became his trademark. Many of the mice are difficult to find; even some of his portraits include one.

His works were used for a wide variety of purposes, they were used to design book covers, posters , product packaging and even Royal Mail stamps . Many museums such as the Royal Institution or the Guildhall Art Gallery exhibit works by him.

reception

Cuneo has received several awards, including the Order of the British Empire and the Royal Victorian Order . A larger than life bronze monument to Cuneo by Philip Jackson stands today in the main passage of Waterloo station in London. It was commissioned by the Terence Cuneo Memorial Trust, founded in 2002, to give the artist a permanent memorial in a place where he liked to be and where he met many people. A mouse is also hidden on the memorial and peeks out of the sketch pad on the floor. In addition, the Slade School of Art awards an annual trust donated prize.

In 1991 the East Coast (railway operating company) christened its 91111 electric locomotive with the name "Terence Cuneo". A mouse painted by Cuneo was attached to the locomotive.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Antiques Roadshow Series 32; 15th Brooklands, broadcast January 17th, 2009

Bibliographies

  • John FC Westerman and Terence Cuneo (Illustrator): Menace From The Air. Oxford University Press, 1938
  • T. Cuneo: The railway painting of Terence Cuneo. New Cavendish Books, 1984
  • Guild of Railway Artists (forward by T. Cuneo): To The Seaside. David Charles (London), 1990
  • Narisa Chakra: Terence Cuneo: Railway Painter of the Century. New Cavendish Books, 1990

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Cuneo, Terence
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Cuneo, Terence Tenison
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English railroad, horse and military painter
DATE OF BIRTH November 1, 1907
PLACE OF BIRTH London
DATE OF DEATH January 3, 1996