The oldest man
in the world

Terry Shaul lived a life marked by isolation, eccentricity, and an unbreakable bond with his cat, Tibby. Without any formal artistic training, Shaul developed a style that defied conventional representation.

His paintings are often described as ‘naïve’ for their bright, non-naturalistic colours and simplified forms, conveying a childlike, dreamlike world. However, spend enough time with his work and you might begin to challenge this definition. There is a complexity and depth to his work, often captured in the eyes of his subjects, that portrays an artist with great substance.

His worlds, painted on whatever surface he could find, served as an escape from a reality he found unwelcoming, and he escaped not by painting whimsical dream-like worlds, but by painting what he understood and what lay in front of him. Terry’s distinct humour and solitude fills his work, as he explored themes of simplicity, isolation, and the passage of time.

Despite his eccentricities, his life was deeply poignant, evidenced in his growing obsession with age and mortality. By surrounding himself with personal vignettes; murals, wall drawings, and depictions of ordinary, long-lasting items, Terry found solace and continuity in his art. His last years, spent in isolation, ended with a sudden death at home, where he lay undiscovered for days. Terry’s art lives on, its stillness capturing the quietude of his life.

Terry painted to transcend time, so he might remain, as he often signed off, “forever and beyond eternity.”

Short biography

Terry Shaul (1929–1991) was born in Lewisham, South London to Winifred and Herbert Shaul. At the age of three, he and his brother were sent to boarding school as their parents moved to West Africa. His early life was marked by limited family connections, and he rarely spoke about his upbringing.

Shaul attended Dulwich College but left at the age of 15 or 16 without qualifications. He worked various jobs, including postman, waiter, farm labourer, street lamp lighter and dustman. At 18, he was conscripted into the RAF and served for two years, stationed in Staffordshire and later Germany.

In 1953 Shaul moved to Cornwall, where he pursued work as a film extra and began his interest in art. He married Elizabeth, with whom he had two children, but their relationship ended a few years later.

Shaul continued to live in Cornwall, often in precarious conditions. He resided in a disused chapel in Idless near Truro and later a slaughterhouse in Madron — previously a work house where Alfred Wallis had lived — where he struggled to maintain stability. He was evicted multiple times due to living in unsuitable premises. In 1969 his mother helped him purchase a cottage in Barripper, near Camborne where he spent the rest of his life.

His paintings gained some recognition but did not provide financial stability. He relied on state benefits in later years, supplemented by small commissions and odd jobs. He died on or around August 10, 1991, in his home, reportedly from coronary atheroma.

Shaul is buried in Camborne Cemetery, where the wooden cross, which marks his grave, reads “The Oldest Man in the World,” a phrase he often used to describe himself.

Due to the cost of canvas and other materials, Terry would often paint on whatever surfaces he could find.