A Graduate of Pomona
William Henry Hunt, Still Life of Fruit (c. 1850)
This large, magnificent still life by William Henry Hunt is in the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum of Cambridge University. The solidity of the fruit and the placement of each piece within the moss covered dirt background is as fine as anything the artist ever painted. When viewing the original, however, one can see that Hunt began this piece on a smaller sheet of watercolor paper, later expanding the composition by placing the work he had already done on a larger sheet and continuing from there. Hunt was known for his frugality, but it is more likely that he didn't want to dispose of what was turning out to be a very good work and start over on new paper. Hunt often extended his work, and in many cases, such as this one, he was so successful in concealing the additions that they hardly distract from the final appearance of the watercolor.
William Henry Hunt, Still Life of Fruit (c. 1850)
This large, magnificent still life by William Henry Hunt is in the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum of Cambridge University. The solidity of the fruit and the placement of each piece within the moss covered dirt background is as fine as anything the artist ever painted. When viewing the original, however, one can see that Hunt began this piece on a smaller sheet of watercolor paper, later expanding the composition by placing the work he had already done on a larger sheet and continuing from there. Hunt was known for his frugality, but it is more likely that he didn't want to dispose of what was turning out to be a very good work and start over on new paper. Hunt often extended his work, and in many cases, such as this one, he was so successful in concealing the additions that they hardly distract from the final appearance of the watercolor.