Artist Terence Cuneo

Today's post, 13th January 2015, comprises four photographs of jigsaw puzzles, each depicting one of a set of Royal Mail postage stamps based on paintings by Terence Cuneo.

Terence Tenison Cuneo illustrated or painted many subjects but had a deep-seated affinity for steam locomotives. He was born in London in 1907 and both his parents, Cyrus and Nell, were artists. I could easily write many posts about this man - not just the best British railway artist of the 20th century  but one of the best known artists. His paintings are sought after world-wide and make premium sums at auction. He attended Chelsea and Slade Schools of Art but left in 1927 to follow in his father’s footsteps by working as an illustrator for magazines, books and periodicals. His canvas subjects included Royalty (for example, the Queen's Coronation); portraits; military scenes; railways; posters; motor-sport; industry; landscapes; wildlife and cartoons : in fact, he produced so many paintings that no one quite knows how many. 

The special postage stamp commission above was from the Royal Mail who wanted to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Great Western Railway. The commission was for famous UK express trains and Cuneo produced five, yes five, paintings. He was a little worried about his large canvasses being reproduced effectively as tiny images but his concern subsequently proved to be unfounded. The Post Office, philatelists and steam railway enthusiasts alike praised them unreservedly. The 500-piece Waddingtons’ jigsaw puzzles reproduced four of the stamps, making a handsome and popular set. The set comprised the Flying Scotsman (17p stamp), the Golden Arrow (22p), the Cheltenham Flyer (29p) and the Royal Scot (31p). But why was there no fifth puzzle replicating the Cornish Riviera Express on the 34p stamp? The four puzzles are shown in the above photographs.