L. Cornelissen & Son
A historic London retailer of art supplies and materials.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
L. Cornelissen & Son is a historic art-supplies shop in London, founded in 1855 by Louis Cornelissen, whose family had Flemish roots in lithography. The business developed as a specialist supplier serving artists and other users of fine-art materials rather than as a mass-market general retailer. Its long history is closely associated with central London's artistic and cultural districts and with the continuity of specialist craft retail. From 1861 until 1987, the shop operated at 22 Great Queen Street. That address placed the business near the West End and the institutions, studios, theatres, and professional communities that helped make central London an important market for art materials. The shop's identity was built around specialist knowledge and the availability of supplies for artists, a positioning that distinguishes it from ordinary stationery and general-purpose retail. The Cornelissen family's direct involvement eventually ended. The last member of the Cornelissen family working in the business died in 1977, after which the shop closed. Its subsequent survival depended on intervention by Stavros Mihalarias, a Greek restorer of Orthodox icons and a customer of the shop, and his friend Nicholas Walt. They worked to preserve the business and reopened it in 1979. The revived shop later moved from its historic Great Queen Street premises to 105 Great Russell Street in Bloomsbury, with the move taking place in 1988. The present location places the retailer close to the British Museum and other cultural institutions in the area. The business continues under the L. Cornelissen & Son name and maintains an online presence through its official website. Publicly available reference material identifies it primarily as a London art shop and specialist art-materials supplier; detailed corporate ownership, financial, executive, and product-line information is not established in the supplied sources.
History
L. Cornelissen & Son was established in London in 1855 by Louis Cornelissen. The founder came from a Flemish family associated with lithography, a background connected to the specialist and technical character of the business. From its early development, the shop operated as a dedicated supplier of materials for artists rather than as a general retail business. In 1861, the shop settled at 22 Great Queen Street. It remained there for more than a century, until 1987. The Great Queen Street period formed the central part of the firm's historical identity and linked it with the professional and cultural life of central London. The business's longevity depended on its specialist role and its relationship with customers who required art materials and expert retail knowledge. The direct Cornelissen family connection continued into the twentieth century. The final Cornelissen family member employed in the business died in 1977, and the shop subsequently closed. Its closure might have ended the company's history, but Stavros Mihalarias, a Greek restorer of Orthodox icons and an existing customer, discussed the shop's future with his friend Nicholas Walt. Their efforts led to the reopening of L. Cornelissen & Son in 1979. After reopening, the business entered a new phase under non-Cornelissen stewardship. It left Great Queen Street and moved to 105 Great Russell Street in London's Bloomsbury district in 1988. The current site continues the shop's association with central London's museums, cultural organizations, and artistic communities. The retailer now also has an official website, extending its presence beyond its physical London premises. The supplied historical sources do not provide a complete account of its product catalogue, ownership structure, management, or financial performance, so those aspects remain undocumented here.
- 1988
Moved to Bloomsbury
[1]The shop moved to its current address at 105 Great Russell Street in Bloomsbury, London.
- 1979
Shop reopened
[1]Stavros Mihalarias and Nicholas Walt helped revive and reopen the business after its closure.
- 1977
End of direct Cornelissen family involvement
[1]The last Cornelissen family member working in the business died, after which the shop closed.
- 1861
Moved to Great Queen Street
[1]The shop began its long period at 22 Great Queen Street, where it remained until 1987.
- 1855
Business founded
[1]Louis Cornelissen founded L. Cornelissen & Son in London as a specialist art-supplies business.
Products and positioning
A specialist, heritage-oriented London art-supplies retailer serving artists and other users of fine-art materials.
Art materials
Art supplies
The business is identified in reference material as a London art-supplies shop. Its specialist retail identity is based on supplying materials used by artists and related practitioners, although the supplied sources do not provide a verified detailed catalogue of individual brands, media, tools, or product ranges.
Sources2 sources
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