Featured Who is Harry Cummins?

I have a pair of pastels (I think) on paper. One of them large 27" by 16", labelled and dated to Paris, 1962. One frame missing, the other broken and partially missing, needs cleaning. Inspired by Van Gogh, I think it is fair to say, though not a copy of any work he did that I could find, so original pieces I think. 75 years too late to be of any interest to a collector of impressionist art, I assume.

I can't find any mention of the artist, so didn't make a name. (Maybe someone else can find him?) I guess a talented student from the US maybe taking classes in Europe?

I'm trying to sort all the art I've collected, and there is a lot. Given condition I should throw these out and move on to the next. Unknown artist, no market, discard it, right? But I really like his work. Can anyone find anything on the artist or have any other reason to try to reframe and save these? Or do they belong in the dumpster?

 

Born in Townsville, Queensland, in 1961, Harry Cummins was educated at University College London.

well, not this guy !!!!
It's a common name..

 

Does look like student work. Despite sunflowers, the first was influenced by Cézanne. The second isn't quite as sucessful.

Debora

 

Yep, Cezanne.

 

a proto-hippy that wrote the song "Paris" with the beautiful line "be sure to wear some sunflowers in your hair".

 

I found mention of a Harry Cummins who was selling his art in the 1960s at Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard. He is mentioned just in passing in obituaries and a celebration article a local Vineyard newspaper. And I haven't found any other information about him.

Here is the birthday celebration article in which he is mentioned peripherally:
https://vineyardgazette.com/news/2015/08/13/very-long-life-still-well-lived

 

Thank you Figtree!! Marthas Vineyard would make perfect sense since these works were collected in the Boston area. I hope you won't give up and anything you can add would be much appreciated - clearly your hunting skills hugely exceed mine. I did, however, find a mention of him at a Marthas Vineyard art supply shop: https://darosacorp.com/art-supplies/
"Up until then the Vineyard’s art colony had to bring or mail supplies while here in the summer. Thomas Hart Benton, Virginia Berresford, James Cagney, Harry Cummins, Evette Eastman, Stan Murphy were customers that were relieved that they could purchase fine art supplies, finally, on the Vineyard." Mentioned in the same sentence with Thomas Hart Benton isn't bad

 

Harry cummins was an Irish artist born in 1919 and was a Royal Academy student from 1938 - 1949 not much information is available for him.

 

I would suspect that's not the same Harry Cummins if this is the quality of work he was able to produce after 11 years at the RA.

Debora

 

Why not?
Just because he went to the RA does not guarantee that he was any good.

 

in 1962 he saw the flowers from underneath for 13 years...

 

It's not a question of "good" or "bad" as those are subjective measures. My point was that, after studying art formally for over a decade, one would expect a much better technique. If only from practice, if not true artistic ability.

Debora

 

I don't disagree with your conclusion. And I really decided to hold onto these based solely on the still life, which I really like a lot. (That plus the fact that I generally suffer from being a packrat - which I think is not unusual here). I thought the landscape was interesting mostly for the signature, in case anyone could make headway on who this might be. I do think that the Marthas Vineyard suggestion that figtree found is more likely than someone in Ireland, though I would love to find a signature by either one to compare this to.

One final note, just like all of us, artists have good days and bad days. The canal scene could just be a bad day, or an attempt to try something outside of his normal wheelhouse, or work very quickly, who knows. I won't pretend to know much about art or how difficult it can be to make a piece work, but my daughter got her degree from RISD so I think I do have some appreciation for how hard it can be.

 

Thank you for looking into the life and work of Harry Cummins. I believe he was a partner and painter with the Martha's Vineyard artist Michael O'Shaughnessy...of Martha's Vineyard...also France and England...and Connecticut...as well as older brother of Hollywood movie star from the 1940s-1960s Peggy Cummins...

 

Those are pictures you should keep. We knew Harry Cummins who showed his work in galleries on Martha’s Vineyard MA as well as in Europe. Was also a member of the United Scenic Artists and did set design for My Fair Lady on Broadway. Where are you located? B

 

Welcome to Antiquers, @Bjcofnj -- The original poster, @Jeff Drum , is a regular here but looks like he hasn't logged in since April. I hope he will get a notification of your post.

 

I see it’s an old post but boy this is sure an example of different strokes. I love both of them!

 

I think there is always some market for nice paintings by unknown artists.

I follow auctions of art with inexpensive pieces by unknown artists. The nice ones are almost always well bid on, I’m guessing by people like me who like nice things but can’t afford the well known artists. : -) Something “in the style of” can still be really lovely above the fireplace ; -)

 

I think the landscape might be Paris, with the Seine and the dome of the Institut de France. It looks like it's had a hard life. I wonder what it looked like new.

 

Late to the party, and just my two cents worth, but just a quick comparison of the two signatures....ALL I did was Invert both and contrast + brightness.....and leave it up to you all....it's the endings that have me wondering in particular......

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