A Graduate of Pomona
William Henry Hunt, Self-Portrait, c. 1850
Self-Portrait
Private collection
Oil on board
5.91 in., 15 cm. in diameter
Inscribed on verso. "W. Hunt painted by himself
Provenance:
Nottingham, England, Mellors & Kirk (auction house), 27 Nov 2019, Lot 517 (P) £1,600* by the present owner.
Hunt painted very few works in oil, but less than a handful of self-potraits and other portraits of artists in oil are attributed to him. This example, which recently appeared on the art market, seems to be consistent in technique with the portrait of James Holland which was said to be by Hunt when it appeared 30 years ago at Sothebys, London. The manner in which the artist painted the shirt collars in all the self-portraits is very distinctive -- very thin use of highly liquid paint which does not fully cover the underpainting or ground. His works in oil have heavy impasto which is used in defining the features and irregularities in the foreheads of his subjects. This portrait is painted on a prepared board made by Charles Roberson & Co., a firm located in Long Acre, London, which marketed artist supplies from 1810. Hunt lived in the same area. Along with the inscription on the back of the board, what little evidence that exists is consistent with this being a rare, authentic painting in oil by Hunt.
William Henry Hunt, Self-Portrait, c. 1850
Self-Portrait
Private collection
Oil on board
5.91 in., 15 cm. in diameter
Inscribed on verso. "W. Hunt painted by himself
Provenance:
Nottingham, England, Mellors & Kirk (auction house), 27 Nov 2019, Lot 517 (P) £1,600* by the present owner.
Hunt painted very few works in oil, but less than a handful of self-potraits and other portraits of artists in oil are attributed to him. This example, which recently appeared on the art market, seems to be consistent in technique with the portrait of James Holland which was said to be by Hunt when it appeared 30 years ago at Sothebys, London. The manner in which the artist painted the shirt collars in all the self-portraits is very distinctive -- very thin use of highly liquid paint which does not fully cover the underpainting or ground. His works in oil have heavy impasto which is used in defining the features and irregularities in the foreheads of his subjects. This portrait is painted on a prepared board made by Charles Roberson & Co., a firm located in Long Acre, London, which marketed artist supplies from 1810. Hunt lived in the same area. Along with the inscription on the back of the board, what little evidence that exists is consistent with this being a rare, authentic painting in oil by Hunt.