Sculptor and painter, born in London. From 1952–62 he attended the Central School of Arts and Crafts and Harrow School of Art, teachers including Roger Hilton and Philip Turner; was then at Academy of Fine Art, University of Pennsylvania, in America, studying anatomy under Robert Beverley Hale, 1968–70; and worked in collaboration with Marc Chagall in France. Gained five Arts Council Awards. In 1965 Cornell won a Royal Mint national selection and was appointed coin and medal engraver/sculptor, a position held until 1969. He was elected a fellow of RBS in 1971, becoming vice-president of SPS in 1977. In 1982 Cornell was awarded the Diploma di Merito Universita delle Arti, in Italy. Cornell took part in many exhibitions in Britain and abroad, including RA, 1967; 14th International Medaille, Koln, 1971; Plazzotta Studio, 1984; Cadogan Gallery, and Armstrong-Davis Gallery, Arundel, both 1985; and Henry-Brett Galleries, Stow-on-the-Wold, 1991.