The Cushty Crusaders – Original Oil Painting by David Renshaw

'The Cushty Crusaders' is an original oil painting by British contemporary artist David Renshaw, celebrating one of the most unforgettable moments from the classic BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses.

Inspired by the much-loved episode “Heroes and Villains”, David revisits the wonderfully absurd night when Del Boy and Rodney Trotter swap Peckham market trading for capes and masks, dressing as Batman and Robin for a fancy-dress party. When their unmistakable yellow Trotters Independent Trading Co. Reliant lets them down en route, the brothers are forced to continue their journey on foot, inadvertently becoming genuine heroes along the way.

In David Renshaw’s interpretation, that piece of British television history becomes something entirely his own. The famous yellow three-wheeler takes centre stage beneath a brooding night sky, while Del Boy and Rodney stand together as the Caped Crusader and Boy Wonder. Above them, the Bat-Signal cuts dramatically through the clouds, while David’s signature red heart, complete with its unmistakable sense of optimism and affection, sits proudly on the roof rack.

It is classic Renshaw storytelling; nostalgia, humour, meticulous detail and a great deal of heart.

From Peckham to Gotham

David’s Iconic Cars Collection celebrates vehicles that have become every bit as memorable as the characters who drove them, transforming familiar moments from film and television into highly collectable contemporary art.

Few vehicles fit that description better than the Trotters’ battered yellow three-wheeler.

With its hand-painted Trotters Independent Trading Co. signage and gloriously ambitious list of destinations from new New York, Paris, and Peckham, it has become one of British television’s most instantly recognisable vehicles. Here, David brings together two pieces of popular culture in one brilliantly playful composition; the superhero mythology of Batman and Robin and the unmistakably British world of Del Boy and Rodney.

Gotham may have had the Batmobile. Peckham had something altogether more cushty. For collectors of David Renshaw, Only Fools and Horses memorabilia, British comedy artwork or iconic film and television cars, 'The Cushty Crusaders' is rich with details that reveal themselves the longer you look.

And unlike one of Del Boy’s market bargains, this really is the genuine article.

A Unique David Renshaw Original

Painted entirely by hand in oils on board at David Renshaw’s Southport studio, 'The Cushty Crusader's is a one-of-a-kind original, bringing together David’s unmistakable storytelling, meticulous detail and wonderfully playful sense of nostalgia.

Every element carries the mark of the artist himself, from the individual brushwork and rich layers of colour to the atmospheric night sky and characterful details that make the composition unmistakably Renshaw.

For established David Renshaw collectors, original paintings from the Iconic Cars Collection offer the opportunity to own a completely unique work from one of the artist’s most characterful bodies of work. For an Only Fools and Horses fan, it’s an irresistible collision of contemporary British art, cult television and pure nostalgia.

Lovely jubbly? We think so.

Specifications

• Medium: Original Oil on Board.
• Image Size: 39.3 x 39.3 cm / 15.47" x 15.47"
• Framed Size: 66.5 x 66.5 cm / 26.18" x 26.18"
• Frame: Signature Renshaw Silver / Blue Frame as shown.

Please note that these are hand-gilded frames. The patina can vary from piece to piece, including darker and lighter shade areas within each edge.