A Graduate of Pomona
William Henry Hunt, Le Malade Imaginaire, Exhibited 1855
Le Malade Imaginaire
Private collection
Watercolor and bodycolor with gum arabic and scratching out
7 X 5 inches, 17.78 X 12.70 cm
Signed, l.l., W. HUNT
Provenance:
(S) Christie's Glasgow, 23 June 1988, Lot 45 (as Self Portrait in Nightshirt) (P) £2,600*, $4,300* Chris Beetles, Ltd., London, from whom purchased in July 1988 by the present owner
William Henry Hunt (1790-1864) served as his own model in this watercolor. Hunt, who was 64 or 65 years old when he painted this self-portrait, holds a tea cup filled with medicine, undoubtedly just poured from the vial he clasps in his left hand. He must have just taken a taste, much to his displeasure judging from the sneer on his face.
This watercolor was one of a handful of figure paintings exhibited by Hunt in his later years at the spring exhibitions of the Society of Painters in Water-Colours , sometimes referred to as the Old Watercolour Society. By 1855, Hunt's remarkable still life watercolors were in such demand that the artist had little time for painting the figure subjects which had earlier brought him fame.
As a figure painter Hunt was known for his humor, which accounted in part for his popularity. His works stood out at the annual watercolor exhibitions, which were largely filled with landscape watercolors. But his humor could be subtile, or even incomprehensible unless the viewer knew the original title chosen by the artist for the work. In this case, the title stenciled on the picture's old frame is merely Self-Portrait of the Artist, but the original title, borrowed from Moliere, was Le Malade Imaginaire. And unless that title is known, we not only would miss out on much of the humor but also would fail to see just what a good sport the artist was when he posed for the subject shown - a hypochondriac.
William Henry Hunt, Le Malade Imaginaire, Exhibited 1855
Le Malade Imaginaire
Private collection
Watercolor and bodycolor with gum arabic and scratching out
7 X 5 inches, 17.78 X 12.70 cm
Signed, l.l., W. HUNT
Provenance:
(S) Christie's Glasgow, 23 June 1988, Lot 45 (as Self Portrait in Nightshirt) (P) £2,600*, $4,300* Chris Beetles, Ltd., London, from whom purchased in July 1988 by the present owner
William Henry Hunt (1790-1864) served as his own model in this watercolor. Hunt, who was 64 or 65 years old when he painted this self-portrait, holds a tea cup filled with medicine, undoubtedly just poured from the vial he clasps in his left hand. He must have just taken a taste, much to his displeasure judging from the sneer on his face.
This watercolor was one of a handful of figure paintings exhibited by Hunt in his later years at the spring exhibitions of the Society of Painters in Water-Colours , sometimes referred to as the Old Watercolour Society. By 1855, Hunt's remarkable still life watercolors were in such demand that the artist had little time for painting the figure subjects which had earlier brought him fame.
As a figure painter Hunt was known for his humor, which accounted in part for his popularity. His works stood out at the annual watercolor exhibitions, which were largely filled with landscape watercolors. But his humor could be subtile, or even incomprehensible unless the viewer knew the original title chosen by the artist for the work. In this case, the title stenciled on the picture's old frame is merely Self-Portrait of the Artist, but the original title, borrowed from Moliere, was Le Malade Imaginaire. And unless that title is known, we not only would miss out on much of the humor but also would fail to see just what a good sport the artist was when he posed for the subject shown - a hypochondriac.