Cecil M. Round Online

It is unusual for Cecil Round’s work to gain media attention but last weekend saw the ‘Midweek Herald’ run essentially an advertorial for the fine work of Devon’s Ottery (St Mary) Auction Rooms.  Arts Writer, Alison Summerfield, interviewed auctioneer and valuer, David Sumner, who quoted Cecil Round’s ‘Chalk Cliffs’ from 1930, as being up their amongst his favourites.

“It sums up romantic notions of days gone by with little thatched fishing cottages tucked away in narrow valleys; a nostalgic piece of whimsy, almost befitting a chocolate box.”  The painting, David says, has little or no economic value and is no masterpiece.  Yet it is a piece that successfully communicates between artist and audience, stirring emotion and effecting a response.

“Sometimes what I need from a painting is like chicken soup for the soul; something warm, comforting and a little cosy,”  he says.

You can read the full article at:  The Midweek Herald.

Thanks for your interest in the work of Cecil Round and for continuing to send in new material for our online gallery.  We are always interested to hear from other owners of Cecil Round’s artwork and, equally, from anyone who shares an interest in his work.

We’ve been struck by the number of really interesting back-stories that often accompany your correspondence – quite literally, from all over the world.  With this in mind, very shortly it is our intention to start featuring some of these stories, along with more detailed close-ups and analysis of his pictures.  We will also start to feature more general news stories and information relating to Cecil Round’s work.  We hope this will bring added interest for visiting enthusiasts and encourage others to continue sharing their pictures and stories!

Watch this space and, in the meantime, don’t forget to look for updates in the online gallery – we’ve been able to upload four new images this month.  Many thanks.

Cecil Mendelssohn Round (1865-1933) was a landscape and figure painter. His work was exhibited at a number of provincial galleries but, of particular note, he had the proud distinction of exhibiting at the Royal Academy on six occasions between 1885 and 1898, although he was not actually a Royal Academician.

Over the past twenty years, auction sale results have generally indicated a decline in interest for much of his work although there have been occasional exceptions. However, in spite of this trend, as personal collectors of his art, we thought a website celebrating the life and work of this largely forgotten artist would be a worthwhile endeavour, to ensure current and future generations have access to details about his life and work.

The purpose of this website is therefore two-fold: to celebrate the life of the man behind the art and to act as a clearing house for news and information relating to his work. As our research continues and new details come to light, we will periodically update and expand the content of the site – any help you are able to provide, by supplying news, information and images of his artwork, will be gratefully received and acknowledged.

NOTE: To check for recent updates to our website, please refer to the notes in the right-hand margin.