03/05/2025
Happy 143 birthday to Dean Cornwell!
Dean Cornwell was a brilliant left-handed painter and muralist who dominated the illustration field for many years.
He always had a strong work ethic and often worked seventeen-hour days, seven days a week, producing over 1,000 illustrations for nearly every major publication in the country including Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, Redbook, and Good Housekeeping magazines.
He illustrated the work of authors including Edna Ferber, Ernest Hemingway, and Owen Wister. He did advertising illustrations for hundreds of companies including GM, Eastern Airlines, Paul Jones Whiskey, Seagram’s Gin, Woodbury Soap, Palmolive, Goodyear, New York Life and Coca-Cola. During the first World War he produced posters promoting the war effort.
He was a major presence in American illustration during the first half of the 20th century. Due to his popularity, he was nicknamed the “Dean of Illustrators.”
DEAN CORNWELL (1892-1960)
KINDRED OF THE DUST
1920, oil on canvas mounted to masonite
25 3/4” x 20 7/8”, initialed and dated lower right
Kindred of Dust, May, 1920 by: Peter B. Kyne, Cosmopolitan Magazine
“’I think I have paid my debt to the McKayes,’”
