A Graduate of Pomona
William Henry Hunt, Bird's Nest with Wild Roses, 1864?
Bird's Nest with Wild Roses
Private Collection
Watercolor and bodycolor
7.25 X 8.5 in, 18.5 X 21.5 cm
Signed, l. l.,, W. HUNT
Provenance:
With J&W Vokins, London (19th century dealer);
(S) Bukowskis Market, Norrköping, Sweden, 28 Aug 2013, Lot No. 443663 (P) 37,756 SEK $5,788.75
This fine watercolor of a bird's nest and wild roses is clearly a more mature work than the similar subjects by Hunt in the Victoria & Albert Museum and in the Fry collection. All the elements of the composition are more fully developed, which is especially obvious in the moss-covered background. The blonde colors point to a date late in the artist's career, as does the somewhat smaller size of the work compared to most of Hunt's bird's nest still life paintings. By the 1860s, Hunt's work was in such demand that he could charge higher prices for smaller works which could be painted more quickly. In fact, the last bird's nest composition by Hunt which was exhibited at the Society of Painters in Water-colours was No. 280 in the 1864 exhibition, Bird's Nest, Wild Rose, etc. I am unaware of any other watercolor by Hunt of this subject and in his late style other than the present example. I therefore would tentatively conclude that this is the last of Bird's Nest Hunt's bird's nests!
William Henry Hunt, Bird's Nest with Wild Roses, 1864?
Bird's Nest with Wild Roses
Private Collection
Watercolor and bodycolor
7.25 X 8.5 in, 18.5 X 21.5 cm
Signed, l. l.,, W. HUNT
Provenance:
With J&W Vokins, London (19th century dealer);
(S) Bukowskis Market, Norrköping, Sweden, 28 Aug 2013, Lot No. 443663 (P) 37,756 SEK $5,788.75
This fine watercolor of a bird's nest and wild roses is clearly a more mature work than the similar subjects by Hunt in the Victoria & Albert Museum and in the Fry collection. All the elements of the composition are more fully developed, which is especially obvious in the moss-covered background. The blonde colors point to a date late in the artist's career, as does the somewhat smaller size of the work compared to most of Hunt's bird's nest still life paintings. By the 1860s, Hunt's work was in such demand that he could charge higher prices for smaller works which could be painted more quickly. In fact, the last bird's nest composition by Hunt which was exhibited at the Society of Painters in Water-colours was No. 280 in the 1864 exhibition, Bird's Nest, Wild Rose, etc. I am unaware of any other watercolor by Hunt of this subject and in his late style other than the present example. I therefore would tentatively conclude that this is the last of Bird's Nest Hunt's bird's nests!