Artwork on QE2

[Michael Gallagher]

Rosie - most of the Stephen Card paintings on QE2 were prints so perhaps not as valuable as you think. Most of the paintings for Cunarders on G Stairway were just prints so reduced value. Who knows if those paintings are still in place on G Stairway are in place but we do know that the print of 'QE2 and Britannia' by Card which hung over the bell on Three Deck was removed and handed over in New York during her last call there.

[Twynkle]

Hello!
Thank you for this...
It's interesting...so the book's a bit misleading!
(Unless my mind's a bit 'off course' -
which could just be the case!)

I wonder then - are the originals on the other Cunarders?
These would be valuable, wouldn't they?
 
Rosie

[Twynkle]

The sculpture of QE2 in silver made by someone for Asprey's has an interesting history
It would be interesting to know who commissioned it, and who was the silversmith.
Here, there's a reference in this version of WeAreCunard to it being made in the 1970s
Was it in the Cunard Boardroom before it was placed in the Midships Lobby in 1999?
Hopefully, someone somewhere can tell us more - please!

http://wearecunard.com/2010/10/breaking-news-–-as-queen-elizabeth-arrives-in-southampton-we-feature-the-artwork-and-royal-spa/

[Rod]

When the Hotel Officers numbers were reduced and the Engineer Officer numbers were increased, we took over Officer cabins on 1 deck forward near the Crew Mess. All of those cabins had numbered prints.
One cabin that I seemed to be assigned to most often had this charcoal print of the Cathedral at Reims, #75 of 150. I loved it!
I decided that it would be mine!. To cut a long story short, made plans....got a similar poster to replace it the next time I was on leave....came back to the ship...same cabin......there it was...GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lost opportunityl
OH WELL! You snooze...you lose.

[Twynkle]

Pictures painted by Harley Crossley.

.....Known for painting in oils using a palette knife, artist Harley Crossley had seven of his large original paintings of Cunard and White Star ships on one of the stairways on board QE2. His most recent work of art, depicting Queen Elizabeth leaving Southampton, will be on display in the Grand Lobby.....
http://www.cunard.com/About-Cunard-Line/News-Room/Press-Information/Queen-Elizabeth/?art=6453

Sadly, the artist died in August 2013
https://www.harley-crossley-studio.co.uk/about.php
http://www.guildofwaterwayartists.co.uk/news_features/read_81356/a-tribute-to-harley-crossley.html

Somewhere on the Forum, there is a superb inventory of paintings that have been on board QE2, posted a while ago by Michael Gallagher.
Having tried to find it under various headings -  please, does anyone know where it can be found?!
A link here would be useful.
Hopefully all the original paintings by Mr Crossley and others are held in safe-keeping.

[Michael Gallagher]

In the 1992 refit a new Art Gallery was created on board. Some 100-150 canvasses, consisting of oil replicas of Impressionist and post-Impressionist and framed prints and original paintings were fitted on the walls of the ‘D’ Staircase, in a new Art Gallery area amidships on the Boat Deck (in the corridor areas, port and starboard) and throughout QE2. Among the artists whose work was featured (mainly as high quality reproductions on canvass) were Monet, Pissaro, Renoir, Degas, Turner, Carot, Cezanne, Gaugin, Toulose-Lautrec, the Makk Family, Gary Swanson and Norman Rockwell. A special desk was positioned near the Library on Quarter deck to accommodate an art director who would be available answer questions and offer personal guided tours of the art gallery.
   
According to Cunard: “Soon to disappear are the days when passengers wandered up the ‘D’ Stairway on the QE2 wondering what on earth the pictures are all about. Why? Because the main staircase is to be turned into an Art Gallery...all in all, this new project will offer a further dimension to life on the QE2 - and promises to make the journey so interesting that passengers will be reluctant to use the lifts”.

Boat Deck midships corridor starboard side seen here on 19 August 1993.

[Rob Lightbody]

Did anyone think that worked??  The corridor looks far too narrow to be doing that with it!

[Michael Gallagher]

It wasn't a success and the frames of the paintings were OTT which made the corridors look cluttered.

[cunardqueen]

Then the dreaded Art Auctions , some of us only went for the free glass of sparkling stuff,On a Med cruise l met up with two Priests and had great fun discussing strokes and the excellent use of the High Palette and in the ended we concluded it was all shite , But for the three of us great fun, Not sure the Auctioneer held the same view.