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William Henry Hunt, A Warrior Bold, exhibited 1841

A Warrior Bold

Burnley, England, Townly Hall Art Gallery

Watercolor, bodycolor, and gum arabic

19 X 14 in.

 

Provenance:

(S) Christie's London, 21 April 1899 (P) £54 12 s. Arthur Tooth & Sons (S) 21 Nov 1899 (P) £57 6s. Barnet Lewis;

 

 

There is more than readily meets the eye in this very interesting and technically impressive watercolor by William Henry Hunt, now in the Towneley Hall Art Gallery and Museum, Burnley, England. As pointed out in Tom Jones entry for this work in his catalogue for the 198 traveling Hunt Exhibition in Britain, Hunt was making a reference to an event that had occurred the year before - the Eglington Tournament. Although largely forgotten now, the tournament was intended to be a lavish recreation of a medieval joust, but, unfortunately, the undoubtedly expensive event was ruined by rain. Hunt's watercolor was originally entitled Remnants of the Tournament. While that title could have been based on nothing more than all the armor depicted, a public which still remembered the Eglington debacle would likely understand that the black umbrella resting on the suit of armor at the left of the picture showed the artist's more pointed reference.

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Uploaded on December 3, 2010
Taken on December 3, 2010