Peter Kuhfeld Explained
Peter Kuhfeld (born 1952) is an English figurative painter. He was born in Cheltenham and is married to the English figurative painter Cathryn Kuhfeld, née Showan. They have two daughters who have often appeared in their paintings.
Biography
Kuhfeld is the only child of a German prisoner of war and an English classical pianist. Between 1972 and 1976 he studied at Leicester School of Art.[1] He worked from 1976 to 1978 at Rugby School of Art, where he gave lessons in drawing and painting, before securing a place at the Royal Academy School of Art.[2] During 1977-80 Kuhfeld studied under the painter Peter Greenham[1] CBE, RA. In 1978 he was created a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Painters.[3]
While at the Royal Academy Schools Kuhfeld won various notable scholarships and prizes:1978-79 David Murray Landscape Prize; 1979 Royal Academy of Art Silver Medal for Drawing, Royal College of Surgeons Dooley Prize for Anatomical Drawing; 1980 Elizabeth Greenshield Foundation Scholarship and Richard Ford Scholarship for study in Spain.
In 1985 the New Grafton Gallery in London gave Kuhfeld his first major exhibition, with the painter Christa Ga, which helped establish him as one of the up-and-coming members of the New English Art movement. In 1986 Kuhfeld was elected to membership of the New English Art Club. In 1992 he became an elected member of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, which he resigned in 2005. In 2009, he unveiled a portrait of Harry Patch, the oldest man in Europe and last surviving World War I soldier, which Kuhfeld called "a privilege"[4] and "was struck by this extraordinary man".[5]
In 2012, he was commissioned by Charles, Prince of Wales to paint the royal wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.[6] Prince Charles has been a patron of his and Kuhfeld painted portraits of Prince William and Prince Harry in 1986.[7]
For the event of the 2023 coronation of Charles III and Camilla, Kuhfeld was selected by King Charles III to paint his state portrait.[8]
Exhibitions
- 1985 Christa Ga and Peter Kuhfeld, New Grafton Gallery, London
- 1987 Royal Academy Schools Tradition, Highgate Gallery, London
- 1987 The Long Perspective, National Trust Foundation for Art, Agnew's London
- 1987 The New English Art Club, W.H.Patterson, London
- 1988 A Personal Choice, Sir Brinsley Ford, The Fermoy Gallery, King's Lynn Festival
- 1989 Salute to Turner, National Trust Foundation for Art, Agnew's London
- 1989 The Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries, London
- 1990 Accompanied the Prince and Princess of Wales to Nigeria, Cameroon and Tunisia
- 1990 Accompanied the Prince and Princess of Wales to Japan
- 1991 Five New English Painters, W.H. Patterson, London
- 1992 The Order of Merit: New Portrait Drawings commissioned by Queen Elizabeth II, National Portrait Gallery (London)
- 1993 Accompanied the Prince of Wales to Poland
- 1994 Venice in Peril, W.H. Patterson, London
- 1994 Peter Greenham CBE, RA. Memorial Exhibition, Christie's, London
- 1995 Centenary National Trust Foundation for Art, Christie's, London
- 1995 The Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries, London
- 1996 NEAC 2000, The Fine Art Society, London
- 1997 The Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries, London
- 1998 Royal Society of Portrait Painters at the National Portrait Gallery, London
- 1998 30th Anniversary, New Grafton Gallery, London
- 1998 Princes as Patrons, National Gallery of Wales, Cardiff
- 1998 Travels with the Prince, Hampton Court Palace
- 1999 Variations on a Theme, W.H. Patterson, London
- 1999 Royal Society of Portrait Painters, National Portrait Gallery, London
- 1999 Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries, London
- 1999 Christmas Exhibition – Seven pictures of Pulteney Bridge, Bath, W.H. Patterson, London
- 2000 People's Portraits, Royal Society of Portrait Painters, London
- 2000 Millennium, W.H. Patterson, London
- 2000 Royal Society of Portrait Painters, at the National Portrait Gallery, London
- 2002 New English Art Club at the Royal Academy, Royal Academy of Arts, London
- 2002 Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London
- 2002 Royal Society of Portrait Painters, winner of H.R.H. The Prince of Wales’ Prize for Portrait Drawing
- 2002 Royal Society of Portrait Painters, at the National Portrait Gallery, London
- 2003 The View, Waterstones, London
- 2003 Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London
- 2003 Petley Fine Art, Monte Carlo
- 2004 Drawing, Petley Fine Art, London
- 2004 Accompanied the Prince of Wales to Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia
- 2004 Cathryn and Peter Kuhfeld, New Grafton Gallery, London
- 2005 Petley Fine Art, London
- 2005 John Ward, Friends and Family, Faversham, Kent
- 2006 Drawing, Petley Fine Art, London
- 2006 John Cornforth Memorial exhibition, Sotheby's, London
Notes and References
- News: Cheltenham artist paints 'Last Tommy'. April 29, 2009. Gloucestercitizen.co.uk. May 7, 2015. 18 May 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150518104230/http://m.gloucestercitizen.co.uk/CHELTENHAM-artist-paints-Tommy/story-11883285-detail/story.html. live.
- Web site: PETER KUHFELD RP NEAC . . 30 November 2023 . 29 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220529030404/https://therp.co.uk/portfolio/peter-kuhfeld-rp-neac/#publications . live .
- Web site: Peter Kuhfeld . . 30 November 2023 . 29 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220629093004/https://www.newenglishartclub.co.uk/artists/81-peter-kuhfeld/overview/ . live .
- News: 'The Last Tommy': artist unveils portrait of First World War veteran Harry Patch. April 29, 2009. telegraph.co.uk. May 7, 2015. 20 December 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161220011917/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/5239406/The-Last-Tommy-artist-unveils-portrait-of-First-World-War-veteran-Harry-Patch.html. live.
- News: 'Last Tommy' Portrait revealed. April 29, 2009. metro.co.uk. May 7, 2015. 22 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160422025700/http://metro.co.uk/2009/04/29/last-tommy-portrait-revealed-63692/. live.
- News: Kent artist Peter Kuhfeld's work for Royal Collection. April 25, 2012. bbc.co.uk. May 7, 2015. 24 September 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924150155/http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-kent-17829660. live.
- News: Perspectives of life. April 16, 2012. Kentonline.co.uk. May 7, 2015. 4 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304065347/http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent/news/perspectives-of-life-a65367. live.
- Web site: Coronation Artists . royal.uk . 5 May 2023 . 30 November 2023 . 6 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230806222302/https://www.royal.uk/news-and-activity/2023-05-05/coronation-artists . live .
