The Quintessential Cornish is the authorised biography of celebrated artist Norman Cornish and is again available, reprinted to celebrate with his centenary year. As the authors we had known Norman for many years when we were asked to write his authorised biography to coincide with his 90th birthday. We regularly held conversations with Norman to ensure biographical accuracy for our book, which runs to 180 full colour pages with 150 illustrations and introduction by author Sid Chaplin’s widow Rene who was a close friend of the Cornish family. We document and discuss Norman’s life and achievements and contextualise the significance of his work from the art perspective and from its importance as a social documentary. We debate Norman’s style, techniques and influences and the importance of his work in the panoply of twentieth century British art, analysing why his images are immediately accessible and memorable to all. It was always a pleasure to talk to Norman and to hear his far-ranging thoughts on art and his philosophy of his personal study of his prime subject – human interaction in his home town community. Although working as a collier for over 30 years, Norman always saw himself as an artist who happened to make his living as a miner before becoming a full-time professional artist in 1966. Although a very able communicator with a great facility for language, Norman always thought pictorially. It was, however, his ability to translate these images into paintings that gave him his greatest gift of communication. Robert McManners and Gillian Wales 2019 180 Pages, 22.7cm x 25cm
