Cushing paintings sell for £20k
Artworks painted by the iconic actor Peter Cushing have raised more than £20,000 at auction.
The artworks were sold in 25 lots at the Canterbury Auction Galleries in Kent on Tuesday and had been expected to raise £12,000.
One of the actor’s watercolours, a scene of Brenley Corner in Whitstable, sold for £2,000.
Cushing was famed for his roles as Baron Frankenstein, Dr Van Helsing in Dracula and Sherlock Holmes.
Another of the paintings, a view of Whitstable Harbour, sold for £1,600.
Calendar paintings
The paintings were sold on behalf of Cushing’s close friend Bernard Broughton. The actor died of cancer in 1994.
Thirteen of Cushing’s paintings in the sale were used for the 2008 calendar from the Pilgrims Hospice, where the actor died.
Cushing took up painting to deal with the stresses of his acting career. He was taught to paint under the guidance of British artist Edward Seago.
The actor, whose first screen credit was in 1939, appeared in more than 100 films and television shows.
He also made Hollywood movies, including The Man In The Iron Mask and Star Wars in 1977.
He was honoured with an OBE in 1989 for his services to the film industry and died of cancer five years later.
