Dean Cornwell

 

 Androscoggin River Falls, study for The Manufacturers National Bank of Lewiston-Auburn, Maine mural, 1960
Pastel and pencil on grey paper
30 x 54-1/2 inches (76.2 x 138.4 cm) (sheet)

Dean Cornwell 

(American, 1892-1960)

 

 Heritage Auction

Dean Cornwell (American, 1892-1960)
Androscoggin River Falls, study for The Manufacturers National Bank of Lewiston-Auburn, Maine mural, 1960
Pastel and pencil on grey paper
30 x 54-1/2 inches (76.2 x 138.4 cm) (sheet)
Signed and inscribed on accompanying label: Dean Cornwell / 33. W 67th St / This is one of 9 entries I am submitting / Mural Cartoon

PROVENANCE:
The artist;
Kirkham Cornwell, son of the above, by descent;
Private collection, Illinois.

LITERATURE:
Lewiston Evening Journal, April 2, 1960, p. 8., completed mural illustrated;
P. J. Broder, Dean Cornwell: Dean of Illustrators, New York, 1978, p. 131, completed mural illustrated.
On the artist's label that accompanies this lot, Dean Cornwell states that this "mural cartoon" is one of nine that he submitted to the Manufacturers National Bank of Lewiston, Maine. Of these nine, the bank chose two including the present work. According to The Manufacturers National Bank pamphlet titled "About our Murals" that accompanies this piece, the work depicts "the symbolic great Falls of the Androscoggin River about 1695 ... the original source of water power for this area from which our industrial progress has been made possible. Observe how the Angroscoggins (for Anasagunicooks), an Indian Tribe of this community belonging to the powerful Abnaki Nation, spear their Maine salmon from thundering, cool clear waters. Indians from miles away fished and hunted this plentiful region and nearby the great Indian Sagamores, Warumbee, maintained his permanent village and fort. What is now Lewiston and Auburn was an important crossroads ... a center from which vital trails led to other sections of the settled country. Note how these native hunters replenish their food supply before the long journey onward, and barter with the Canadian Trader who carries such a tempting meal on his gun."


Condition Report*:

Sheet is hinged to mount along top edge verso; work remains in good condition, with bright colors and sharp lines; there appears to be light overall paper discoloration with very minor mat burn along extreme edges, not visible when framed; several pinholes throughout, most likely due to artist specific processes; an approx. 1 inch tear at left bottom edge, not visible when framed and an approx. 2 inch tear in lower left edge; a small puncture to the right of birds in middle of work; several scattered water droplets in lower left quadrant with a few darker spots of discoloration; framed under acrylic. Framed Dimensions 44 X 68.5 Inches

Cornwell, Dean:Dean Cornwell, born in 1862, was an American artist who was best known as a muralist and for his famous illustrations in national magazines including Harper's Bazaar, Redbook, and Cosmopolitan. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky and as a child observed his civil engineer father do industrial drawings, which led to his interest in art. Cornwell studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and built his career as a cartoonist for the Lousiville Herald and the Chicago Tribune. Cornwell illustrated the works of some of the most famous names in the literary world, including Edna Ferber, Ernest Hemingway, Pearl S. Buck, and Somerset Maugham. He also created murals for the 1939 World's Fair, Bethlehem Steel, and the General Motors Building in New York City. Cornwell's spectacular murals grace buildings throughout the country. Some of the most well known are at 10 Rockefeller Center, the Los Angeles Public Library which illustrates the history of California, and the Lincoln Memorial Shrine in Redlands. The Los Angeles Public Library and Redlands projects took five years to complete. Cornwell had contacts with major companies including Palmolive, Coca Cola, Squibb, Seagram's Gin, and New York Life. Some of Cornwell's most famous murals and ads include the Natchez/Lee Paddlwheel Race, Ivory Soap, Woodbury Soap, The Pennsylvania Railroad, and the"Spirit of 1943." Illustrations, murals, and ads created by Cornwell helped to promote the war effort during the 1940s. During his career, Cornwell was elected to the National Academy of Design and was president of the Society of Illustrators. Dean Cornwell died in 1960.