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LESLIE HUNTER (1877-1931), STILL LIFE WITH FLOWERS IN A STRIPED VASE, Signed, oil on canvas<b...

Currency:GBP Category:Everything Else / Other Start Price:NA Estimated At:40,000.00 - 60,000.00 GBP
LESLIE HUNTER (1877-1931), STILL LIFE WITH FLOWERS IN A STRIPED VASE, Signed, oil on canvas<b...
LESLIE HUNTER (1877-1931)
STILL LIFE WITH FLOWERS IN A STRIPED VASE
Signed, oil on canvas
103cm x 76cm (40.5in x 30in)
and verso 'Three-quarter length portrait of T.J.Honeyman in evening dress'
Provenance: William McInnes
A gift to the current owner's mother and thence by descent
Literature: T.J.Honeyman, Introducing Leslie Hunter, 1938 for various references to McInnes and Honeyman's longtime friendship with Hunter
Note: William McInnes was one of the most staunch and long-standing of Hunter's patrons. He not only had a deep appreciation of Hunter's own painting but was influenced by him in the acquisition of works by other artists. It was Hunter, for instance, when they were together in Paris in 1925, who persuaded McInnes to purchase a brilliant still life by Matisse. McInnes for his part was painted by Hunter on a number of occasions and along with McNair and Honeyman was part of the committee who put together his memorial exhibition in February 1932.
T.J.Honeyman, whose portrait is to be found on the reverse of the still life, was like McInnes one of Hunter's closest friends and supporters. His biography Introducing Leslie Hunter is still regarded as the primary source for any on-going studies and their letters provide a fund of information into the relationship of artist and dealer. As has been pointed out Honeyman, who had encouraged Hunter to mount an exhibition of portraits at Reids in 1931, was unaware of the existence of our portrait until shown the reverse of our still life some years later. It is tempting to suggest that the portrait may be the one referred to by Honeyman in his biography: 'I was persuaded by Hunter's burning desire to do something in the Manet tradition to spend many a weary hour clad in dress clothes for the black and white effect.....it still remains an unfinished work and has acquired the title 'Seats still left at eighteen pence and two shillings'.
Our still life, an unusually large format, dates from the final years of Hunter's life and bears close comparison to the unfinished canvas found in Hunter's studio on his death in 1932 which is illustrated no.43 on page 205 of Honeyman's biography. A complex composition by Hunter's usual standards, the New York Times critic's assessment of his earlier work is equally valid in this instance: 'Mr Hunter's strongest point is in his colour....attaining a luscious brilliancy in some of his handsome still lifes. He is one of those artists in whose style spontaneity plays a large part.'

£40,000-60,000