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George Leslie Hunter
1877-1931
still life with flowers and fruit
signed l.r.: L Hunter
oil on board
68.5 by 56 cm., 27 by 22 in.
The book 'Introducing Leslie Hunter', by T.J. Honeyman, 1937 accompanies this lot.
Provenance:
Alex Reid and Lefevre Ltd, Glasgow
This painting is undoubtedly one of Hunter's finest still lifes from circa 1925. It has all the classic elements that differentiate Hunter's art from his fellow Colourists. The innate sense of harmony, the unusual mixture of motifs and shapes, the contrast between the weight of the fruit and the soft texture of the roses and, the incredibly complex array of colour and decoration which simply assaults the eye.
Throughout his artistic development, Hunter had three major influences at work in his paintings. Early on and in common with his fellow Colourists, Peploe, Fergusson and Cadell, he was pre-occupied with Impressionist artist, Manet's building-up of form through the skilful use of fluid or loaded brushstrokes. By 1919 however, Hunter was at last able to translate his understanding of Cezanne's theory of vibrating colour chords not only to create form but to convey the essence of nature itself. By the time of his 1923 exhibition in Glasgow, Hunter's work was beginning to gain a measure of success although typically Hunter was unable to rest on his laurels.
With the memory of an earlier trip to Paris still fresh in his mind, Hunter felt strongly that he wanted to experiment more with his sense of line and spent most of 1924 playing with this concept. Dramatically in 1925 a third major influence affected Hunter's direction. He was seduced by Matisse's latest still lifes and figures in interiors then on view in Paris. Hunter's subsequently strived to translate how volume gives way to flat plane and economy of line. Ironically it took a further three years in the Cote d'Azur and his final two years in Glasgow, before he resoundingly achieved this.
Still Life with Flowers and Fruit exposes these conflicting concepts in a brilliant display of lively brushwork, vivid colour and intuitive sense of design. Interestingly Hunter is able to lose his sense of volume in the fruit, fruit dish or vase yet the bold dark lines act to divide the pictorial design into flatter planes. Colour as always is confidently juxtaposed between cool and warm areas, sometimes to highlight form, sometimes to compliment areas of flat space.
In December 1925, Hunter had a successful exhibition at Alexander Reid in Glasgow. For once the critic for the Glasgow Herald writes in genuine delight, 'Like all progressive artists, Hunter's art has advanced stage by stage until he has now evolved a style of his own, which in its compelling power and decoration and realistic elements is well in advance of anything he has hitherto achieved.' The still lifes are described as, '..strong and striking in design and gorgeous in their colour harmonies. His favourite theme in this connection is a vase of flowers or a dish of fruit set against a richly patterned curtain.' (Glasgow Herald, 17th December 1925).
It has often been asserted that the Colourist's palette lightened and became more daring after time spent in South of France with its brilliant light. Such an assertion has ignored the facts and specifically in Hunter's case, nothing could be further from the truth.
Still Life with Flowers and Fruit clearly demonstrates the opposite is true - it was completed a year before he moved to the South of France. Hunter's colour, composition and harmony are a wonderful amalgamation of his own creativity, vision and unique understanding of modern art, how it functions and what it represents. In 1924 the Four Scottish Colourists exhibited in Paris as Les Pentres de L'Ecosse Moderne at the Calerie Barbazagnes. The French praised the modernity of their art and berated their own artists for lack of direction. The French Government brought paintings by Peploe and Fergusson, although Hunter had to wait until the 1931 exhibition to receive that recognition.
Still Life with Flower and Fruit confidently proclaims Hunter's special contribution to the modern movement and ultimately delivers an intensely beautiful and timeless painting.