Charles Frederick Tunnicliffe was a British painter and printmaker known for his naturalistic and detailed depictions of animals, especially birds native to the United Kingdom.
Holly Johnson of Holly Johnson Antiques, has acquired a large collection of Tunnicliffe paintings, many of which are on show in her stunning antique showroom in Knutsford, Cheshire.
Born in Langley, Cheshire, Tunnicliffe was raised on a farm, and by the age of 14 he was juggling farming duties with his studies at Macclesfield School of Art. At 19, Charles was accepted to study at the Royal College of Art in London and it was then when he gave up his rural life on the farm and moved to the city to pursue a career as an artist.
Upon completion of his studies, in London, Tunnicliffe moved to the Isle of Anglesey where he spent most spent most of his working life. His early works were mainly advertisements for veterinary products and animal feeds, but his wood cuts in 1932 for Tarka the Otter by Henry Williamson established his reputation.
Throughout his career, Tunnicliffe worked in several media, including watercolour painting, etching and aquatint, wood engraving, woodcut, scraperboard (sometimes called scratchboard), and oil painting.
His work was also used to illustrate Brooke Bond tea cards and as a result was seen by millions of young people in the UK in the 1950s and 60s. His work was characterised by its precision and accuracy, but also by the way which he was able to portray birds as they were seen in nature, providing lively and engaging images of avian wildlife for people to enjoy.
Colour Wash and Pencil Drawing by Charles Frederick Tunnicliffe, England circa 1960
From March 1953, Tunnicliffe painted many of the cover illustrations for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. In 1995, the RSPB sold 114 works of art at a Sothebys Auction, raising £210,000, the most expensive of a partridge making £6,440. At his death, much of his personal collection was bequeathed to Anglesey Council on the condition that it was housed together and made available for public viewing. This body of work can be seen at Oriel Ynys Mon (The Anglesey Gallery).
Tunnicliffe became one of the most popular and expert naturalist artist-illustrators of his day, contributing works for the Ladybird series, Alison Uttley and H E Bates, as well as periodicals such as Country Life and the Radio Times. He was given the Gold Medal of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in 1975. He was elected a Royal Academician in 1954 and was awarded an OBE in 1978.
Holly Johnson said, "Tunnicliffe's works of art will feel very familiar to many people. The Ladybird children's books are very popular and have been read by millions, but people might not know that Tunnicliffe illustrated the ever so popular books. Not only did he illustrate children's books, his wildlife depictions have been used for everything from book covers, jigsaw puzzles to biscuit tins.
"Tunnicliffe was an artistic genius and is widely regarded as Britain's foremost twentieth-century wildlife artist."
Charles Frederick Tunnicliffe set of six watercolours of pigeons, England circa 1960
For more information, visit Holly Johnson Antiques:hollyjohnsonantiques.com
