Work of cartoonist celebrated with special exhibition at Mottisfont.
The art of popular cartoonist Norman Thelwell is being celebrated at a special National Trust exhibition.
Thelwell: Ponies and Places will run from January 16 to April 10 at Mottisford, which is near to where the artist lived.
Best known for his hilarious cartoons of plump little girls on equally spherical ponies, these familiar pictures are joined by other satires of twentieth-century life, alongside paintings of local landscapes.
The exhibition, which features over 70 original artworks, includes many that have never been on show before.
First created in the 1950s and published extensively since, Norman’s pony cartoons are still easily recognisable today. The artist drew the endearing characters Penelope and her mischievous pony Kipper in hundreds of humorous scenarios, from ungainly jumps and gallops to the destruction of country fairs.
The images have also been successfully used in the licensing world, with the rights being handled by Karen Addison Associates.
Families visiting in February half term can also enjoy a ‘Giddy Gallops’ activity trail inspired by the exhibition. There is also a Thelwell-themed a ‘spot the detail’ trail in the gallery throughout the exhibition.
