Back to album

William Henry Hunt, The Gleaner, Exhibited 1832

The Gleaner

Cambridge, England, The Fitzwilliam Museum of the University of Cambridge

Watercolor and bodycolor with scratching out

28.3 cm X 19.6 cm

 

Provenance:

Rev. E. Coleridge, Eaton, by 1844;

Arthur W. Young, by whom bequeathed to the Fitzwilliam Museum in 1936.

 

 

This image of a young girl holding straw exists in three authentic versions by Hunt. One of these, presumably the first painted, was exhibited by the artist at the 1832 watercolor exhibition in London. It must have enjoyed much success or the artist would not have painted at least two replicas. Hunt is known to have painted more than one painting of the same image, but it appears from anecdotal evidence that he would seek the permission of the owner of the primary version before making any replica. The artist was so skilled at copying the appearance of natural objects that he was able to paint copies which were virtually identical each other. This makes it impossible in most cases to know which version was painted first. In a few instances, the provenance of one version can be traced back to the purchaser at the watercolor society's exhibition. Hunt also dated some of his replicas using the later year in which the replica was actually completed, making it obvious the the version with the earlier date was the exhibited painting.

 

This version of The Gleaner is in the Fitzwilliam Museum at Cambridge. Two other close to identical watercolors are known ; one which sold at Christie's in the 1980s and another which was in the private collection of a London watercolor dealer at the same time..

254 views
4 faves
0 comments
Uploaded on November 25, 2010
Taken on April 11, 2008