Dean Cornwell

(American, 1892–1960)

Dean Cornwell was born on March 5, 1892, in Louisville, Kentucky. He began his career as a cartoonist for the Louisville Herald, shortly thereafter enrolling at the School of the Art Institue of Chicago, and at the same time working in the art department of the Chicago Tribune. In 1915 he went to study at the Art Students League of New York under Harvey Dunn, and during the First World War produced posters promoting the war effort.  
 
Cornwell’s illustrations appeared in popular magazines such as the Saturday Evening Post, Cosmopolitan, and Harper's Bazaar alongside the work of authors including Pearl S Buck, Ernest Hemingway, and W Somerset Maugham. He also worked as a commercial artist for several prominent brands, among them Coca-Cola, Lucky Strike, and Palmolive. 
 
In 1927 Cornwell travelled to London to study mural painting under Frank Brangwyn, assisting on a number of projects including one at the House of Lords. Following his return to the US, Cornwell's fame as a muralist (which had earned him the nickname ‘the Norman Rockwell of muralists’) led to commissions for notable locations such as the Los Angeles Public Library and the New York City Court of Appeals. 
 
Cornwell was President of the National Society of Mural Painters from 1953–57 and was inducted into the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame in 1959. He died on December 4, 1960. 
 
Cornwell’s painting Portrait (oil on canvas) was sold for a record-breaking price of $245,700 at auction.

Dean Cornwell Artworks

Dean Cornwell (481 results)
THE CAFE TABLE, 1920

Dean Cornwell

THE CAFE TABLE, 1920

Sale Date: September 23, 1992

Auction Closed

PRELIMINARY STUDY. CAPTAIN BLOOD WITH..., 1930

Dean Cornwell

PRELIMINARY STUDY. CAPTAIN BLOOD WITH..., 1930

Sale Date: May 2, 1992

Auction Closed

STORY ILLUSTRATION. DISTAUGHT MOUNTIE &..., 1919

Dean Cornwell

STORY ILLUSTRATION. DISTAUGHT MOUNTIE &..., 1919

Sale Date: May 2, 1992

Auction Closed

STORY ILLUSTRATION. MAN MEETING JAPANESE WOMAN, 1923

Dean Cornwell

STORY ILLUSTRATION. MAN MEETING JAPANESE WOMAN, 1923

Sale Date: May 2, 1992

Auction Closed

The wreck of the

Dean Cornwell

The wreck of the"Rough and Tumble", 1938

Sale Date: April 15, 1992

Auction Closed

CORNER OF THE STUDIO

Dean Cornwell

CORNER OF THE STUDIO

Sale Date: January 8, 1992

Auction Closed

RECLINING NUDE

Dean Cornwell

RECLINING NUDE

Sale Date: December 18, 1991

Auction Closed

CAPTURING THE GANG

Dean Cornwell

CAPTURING THE GANG

Sale Date: December 18, 1991

Auction Closed

NURSE AND ANGELS ABOVE WORLD WAR I SOLDIERS, 1918

Dean Cornwell

NURSE AND ANGELS ABOVE WORLD WAR I SOLDIERS, 1918

Sale Date: November 2, 1991

Auction Closed

MAN SITTING IN CHAIR OF A SPANISH HOME, 1921

Dean Cornwell

MAN SITTING IN CHAIR OF A SPANISH HOME, 1921

Sale Date: November 2, 1991

Auction Closed

BLOWING OUT THE TORCH

Dean Cornwell

BLOWING OUT THE TORCH

Sale Date: May 21, 1991

Auction Closed

A WOMAN OF CHARACTER, 1923

Dean Cornwell

A WOMAN OF CHARACTER, 1923

Sale Date: April 17, 1991

Auction Closed

The robe

Dean Cornwell

The robe

Sale Date: April 17, 1991

Auction Closed

Dean Cornwell

"NICODEMUS COMING TO JESUS AT NIGHT"

Sale Date: March 24, 1991

Auction Closed

ORIENTAL MOTHER WITH CHILD, 1929–1929

Dean Cornwell

ORIENTAL MOTHER WITH CHILD, 1929–1929

Sale Date: December 17, 1990

Auction Closed

THE DEN OF INIQUITY, 1918–1918

Dean Cornwell

THE DEN OF INIQUITY, 1918–1918

Sale Date: December 6, 1990

Auction Closed

A MAN'S MAN, 1916–1916

Dean Cornwell

A MAN'S MAN, 1916–1916

Sale Date: December 6, 1990

Auction Closed

Swordsman sharpening his weapon

Dean Cornwell

Swordsman sharpening his weapon

Sale Date: June 5, 1990

Auction Closed

RAKING THE LEAVES

Dean Cornwell

RAKING THE LEAVES

Sale Date: February 1, 1990

Auction Closed

Aviator Charting His Course

Dean Cornwell

Aviator Charting His Course

Sale Date: September 14, 1989

Auction Closed

Shirley had been very quiet during the..., 1922–1922

Dean Cornwell

Shirley had been very quiet during the..., 1922–1922

Sale Date: June 23, 1987

Auction Closed

Umbrellas, 1918–1918

Dean Cornwell

Umbrellas, 1918–1918

Sale Date: June 23, 1987

Auction Closed

A noisy streetcar, 1927–1927

Dean Cornwell

A noisy streetcar, 1927–1927

Sale Date: May 20, 1987

Auction Closed

Japanese weaver, 1923–1923

Dean Cornwell

Japanese weaver, 1923–1923

Sale Date: December 5, 1986

Auction Closed