ID 831283
Lot 233 | GEORGE LESLIE HUNTER (1877-1931)
Estimate value
£ 70 000 – 100 000
Apples in a White Fruitbowl and a Pink Rose in a Vase
signed 'L Hunter' (upper left)
oil on board
16 x 17 3/4 in. (40.6 x 45.1 cm.)
Painted circa 1925.
Provenance
Anonymous sale; Christie's, Scotland, 6 December 1990, lot 267.
with Richard Green, London, where purchased by the present owner in April 2009.
Post lot text
Apples in a White Fruitbowl and a Pink Rose in a Vase is a wonderful example of George Leslie Hunter’s enduring devotion to depicting dishes of fruit and vases of flowers in his still-lifes. The painting likely dates to 1925, following Hunter’s return from a visit to Paris with his friend William McInnes to see an exhibition of Henri Matisse’s contemporary work. Described by the art historian Jill Marriner as ‘a triumphant year,’ 1925 saw Hunter’s first solo exhibition for five years, held at Alexander Reid’s gallery in Glasgow (B. Smith and J. Marriner, Hunter Revisited: the Life and Art of Leslie Hunter, Edinburgh, 2012, p. 119). In a letter written by Hunter to Matthew Justice, he describes his ‘new lease for life’ following the trip to France, and this certainly rings true in the critical reception of his output from that year. A delighted critic for the Glasgow Herald described the still-lifes of this year as ‘strong and striking in design and gorgeous in their colour harmonies’ (Glasgow Herald, 17 December 1925). The present work’s signature is notable, as it was around this time that his paintings began to be signed ‘L Hunter,’ the form which persisted into the final years of the artist’s life.
Hunter wrote in his diary that ‘Everyone must choose his own way, and mine will be the way of colour…’ (T.J. Honeyman, Introducing Leslie Hunter, London, 1937. p. 97). In the present work, the vivid zesty tones of the citrus fruits vibrate across the canvas, offset by a rich green, petal pink, and the crisp white of the dishes and curtain in the background. The thicker and looser application of paint and lighter background represent Hunter’s practice during in the mid-1920s, leading Marriner to describe these paintings as ‘some of the most stunning landscapes and still-lifes he has ever painted’ (B. Smith and J. Marriner, op. cit., p. 122). Interestingly, while the composition’s perspective is flattened, unlike Matisse, Hunter does not completely abandon it. Rather, fluid brushstrokes and carefully chosen colour chords work together to produce a harmonious work that extols Hunter’s powers as an important Colourist, eager to forge a unique artistic personality.
| Artist: | George Leslie Hunter (1877 - 1931) |
|---|---|
| Applied technique: | Oil, Painted |
| Art style: | Modern art |
| Genre: | Still life |
| Auction house category: | Paintings |
| Artist: | George Leslie Hunter (1877 - 1931) |
|---|---|
| Applied technique: | Oil, Painted |
| Art style: | Modern art |
| Genre: | Still life |
| Auction house category: | Paintings |
| Address of auction |
CHRISTIE'S 8 King Street, St. James's SW1Y 6QT London United Kingdom | |
|---|---|---|
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| Phone | +44 (0)20 7839 9060 | |
| Buyer Premium | see on Website | |
| Conditions of purchase | Conditions of purchase |
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| Lot number | 233 |
|---|---|
| Auction house | CHRISTIE'S |
| Auction date | 20.10.2022 |
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| Lot number | 233 |
|---|---|
| Auction house | CHRISTIE'S |
| Auction date | 20.10.2022 |
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| Lot number | 233 |
|---|---|
| Auction house | CHRISTIE'S |
| Auction date | 20.10.2022 |
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| Lot number | 233 |
|---|---|
| Auction house | CHRISTIE'S |
| Auction date | 20.10.2022 |
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| Lot number | 233 |
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| Auction house | CHRISTIE'S |
| Auction date | 20.10.2022 |
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| Lot number | 233 |
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| Auction house | CHRISTIE'S |
| Auction date | 20.10.2022 |
