![17. William Henry Hunt, An Interior [with a Woman Peeling Turnips], Exhibited 1844 | by A Graduate of Pomona](http://live.staticflickr.com/6060/6343428180_d5f7475380.jpg)
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17. William Henry Hunt, An Interior [with a Woman Peeling Turnips], Exhibited 1844
An Interior
Nottingham, England, Castle Museum, Inv.. No. 57.38
Watercolor, bodycolor, and gum arabic with scratching out
18 1/8 X22 5.8 in., 46 X 57.5 cm.
Signed
As is often the case, Sir John Witt badly misdated this major watercolor by William Henry Hunt based on his estimate of the age of Sarah Hunt, the artist's wife and the model for the figure in the painting. There are compelling reasons, however, for concluding that the actual date for the painting is either 1843 or 1844. Hunt always exhibited works in the next spring exhibitions following the completion of his watercolors, i.e., any painting completed in the spring 1843, following the closing of the 1843 watercolor exhibition, up until the opening of the 1844 exhibition would be included in the 1844 exhibition. Hunt was particularly prolific during 1843-1844, and the artist had 32 exhibits in the 1844 Spring Exhibition.
A review of the 1844 Spring Exhibition appearing in The Art Union, Vol 6, at pp. 172-174, stated the following about number 52 in the exhibition, "An Interior":
The subject of the drawing is a country maiden peeling turnips in a back kitchen; but its charm is the exquisite nicety of the newly-washed brick floor. The girl is idling over her work, and ready to gossip with any one familliarly disposed. This artist excels in charactering the vacant lackadaisicalities of humble life.
The price of 25 guineas for An Interior was the highest for any single watercolor submitted by Hunt for display at the 1844 exhibition and is consistent with the medium-large size of this work.
The fact that this fine watercolor was a late figure painting by Hunt shows that Hunt consistently painted dignified, objective images of rustic life and that this attitude, which was realized in watercolor through the artist's dedication to precise, empirical observation and innovative techniques intended to produce accurate imitations of visual realities, was not limited to Hunt's early career or any particular type of subject matter.
17. William Henry Hunt, An Interior [with a Woman Peeling Turnips], Exhibited 1844
An Interior
Nottingham, England, Castle Museum, Inv.. No. 57.38
Watercolor, bodycolor, and gum arabic with scratching out
18 1/8 X22 5.8 in., 46 X 57.5 cm.
Signed
As is often the case, Sir John Witt badly misdated this major watercolor by William Henry Hunt based on his estimate of the age of Sarah Hunt, the artist's wife and the model for the figure in the painting. There are compelling reasons, however, for concluding that the actual date for the painting is either 1843 or 1844. Hunt always exhibited works in the next spring exhibitions following the completion of his watercolors, i.e., any painting completed in the spring 1843, following the closing of the 1843 watercolor exhibition, up until the opening of the 1844 exhibition would be included in the 1844 exhibition. Hunt was particularly prolific during 1843-1844, and the artist had 32 exhibits in the 1844 Spring Exhibition.
A review of the 1844 Spring Exhibition appearing in The Art Union, Vol 6, at pp. 172-174, stated the following about number 52 in the exhibition, "An Interior":
The subject of the drawing is a country maiden peeling turnips in a back kitchen; but its charm is the exquisite nicety of the newly-washed brick floor. The girl is idling over her work, and ready to gossip with any one familliarly disposed. This artist excels in charactering the vacant lackadaisicalities of humble life.
The price of 25 guineas for An Interior was the highest for any single watercolor submitted by Hunt for display at the 1844 exhibition and is consistent with the medium-large size of this work.
The fact that this fine watercolor was a late figure painting by Hunt shows that Hunt consistently painted dignified, objective images of rustic life and that this attitude, which was realized in watercolor through the artist's dedication to precise, empirical observation and innovative techniques intended to produce accurate imitations of visual realities, was not limited to Hunt's early career or any particular type of subject matter.