COMMENTS TO MY PAGE "ART POSTCARDS WITH A RAILWAY MOTIVE"

Terence Cuneo

Terence Cuneo (1907-1996) was a prolific English painter noted for his scenes of railways, horses and military actions. He was born in London into a family of artists and painters.  Terence Cuneo studied at Sutton Valence School in Kent, Chelsea Polytechnic and the Slade School of Art, before working as an illustrator for magazines, books and periodicals. In 1936 he started working in oils, continuing with his illustration work. During World War II Cuneo was commissioned by the Foreign Office to produce anti-Nazi drawings and cartoons.  After the war, Cuneo was commissioned to produce a series of works illustrating railways, bridges and locomotives. A significant point in his career was his appointment as official artist for the Coronation of Elizabeth II. Still, he received more commissions from industry, which included depicting manufacturing, mineral extraction and road building. He was most famous for his paintings of engineering subjects, particularly locomotives and the railway as a whole. From 1954 his works included a small mouse, sometimes lifelike, sometimes cartoonish. These became his trademark after 1956. They can be difficult to detect, and many fans enjoy scouring his paintings to find one. Even some of his portraits of the famous contain a mouse. His work has been used in a variety of manners, from book jackets and model railway catalogues to posters and jigsaws and even Royal Mail postage stamps.  His work can also be found in many museums, officers messes, and galleries. A major exhibition of his life's work, forming part of the Hull City of Culture celebrations took place at University of Hull in 2017. Curated by the Science Museum Group and National Railway Museum, the exhibition took a fresh look at Cuneo through his unique portrayal of power.

November 24nd 2024

 

 
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