Yes, indeed, sometimes - well quite often, actually - politics becomes eye-stabbingly tedious and I need a change. At such moments I click on to my art guide, Donald Pittenger, at his Art Contrarian site. Take it from me, he will always show you a superb gallery of paintings and illustrations which delight and intrigue.
As of today his site shows the work of the Cuneos, père et fils, and no, I didn't know that Terence Cuneo's father was also an artist, Cyrus Cincinnati Cuneo (1879-1916) by name. Born in San Francisco, alas, he died young. He studied art in Paris under the tutelage of James Whistler and did some boxing to help pay his way.
The Sinking of the Gneisenau in 1914
Arriving at the ball
You need to scroll down the site to find an earlier post showing some of the works of his son, Terence Cuneo (1907-1996), who was British born but who inherited much of his father's illustrative skill.
The assassination of Reinhard Heydrich in Prague, 27 May 1942
That illustrates a bit of blood 'n' guts from WWII but these next two make interesting what would normally be somewhat boring.
Bristol Aircraft Company assembly line, 1944, showing Beaufighters
The Ford factory in 1947
Two very skilful artists and the fact that they are paintings not photographs makes them all the more interesting to look at. Thanks again, Mr. Pittenger.
Both very good.
The son seems to have more of a subdued manner, but both have a way of drawing your attention to the central theme.
Posted by: Up2L8 | Wednesday, 02 November 2016 at 13:05
Though neither was a member as far as I can tell, the style of the elder is like American Impressionism and the younger like the American "Ashcan School" that followed in reaction.
Posted by: Bob | Wednesday, 02 November 2016 at 16:14
Interesting, Bob, I had never heard of 'the Ashcan School' but I have just had a quick skim through a collection of examples and many of them look very good. Mind you, any group with Edward Hopper in it has to be good!
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ashcan+school&rls=com.microsoft:en-GB:IE-SearchBox&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjevaKSvIrQAhUHBsAKHSOXCQEQ7AkIXg&biw=988&bih=475&dpr=1.7
Posted by: David Duff | Wednesday, 02 November 2016 at 16:22
Interesting paintings and quite appealing in their realism. The sinking of the Gneisenau has a glaring mistake. The smoke from fires and explosions is moving right to left of the painting however the signal flags on the distant warship are standing out left to right. Picky I know but...
Posted by: AussieD | Thursday, 03 November 2016 at 10:16
Well spotted, AussieD, no doubt you were an excellent 'lookout' before you achieved high command.
Posted by: David Duff | Thursday, 03 November 2016 at 10:33
Terence Cuneo will live on for "boys" of a certain age - his train paintings and his Biggles illustrations.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/33/5f/6b/335f6bfa08999b1f4d81d14826dcb5a3.jpg
http://www.biggles.info/Details/25/Illustrations/Page185.jpg
Posted by: Bonnemort | Thursday, 03 November 2016 at 12:00
You're spot on, Bonnemort, I meant to say in the post that they reminded me of the old 'Hotspur' and 'Wizard' comics of yesteryear.
Posted by: David Duff | Thursday, 03 November 2016 at 15:26
Love Cuneo's train paintings. Picky again. The spiders only have six legs.
Posted by: AussieD | Friday, 04 November 2016 at 03:08