George Leslie Hunter

Pearson & Westergaard, Glasgow;
Major Ion Harrison, and by descent;
Private collection, Scotland

Glasgow, McLellan Galleries, Thistle Foundation, Pictures from a Private Collection, March 1951, no. 78;
Aberdeen Museum and Art Galleries, 1996;
City Art Centre, Edinburgh and Fleming Collection, London, George Leslie Hunter: a Life in Colour, July-November 2012

R. Billcliffe, The Scottish Colourists, London, 1989, p. 168, pl. 101, as 'The White Vase'
Bill Smith and Jill Marriner, Hunter Revisited, Atelier books, 2012, p.166, pl.147

The canvas is unlined and there is good impasto to the work. UV light reveals no signs of damage or restoration and in general the work is in excellent original condition, ready to hang. Within a gilt composition frame.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Painted circa 1930, the present work sees Hunter at his most vibrant and free. A clear departure from his tighter flower arrangements of the pre-war years, The White Vase exemplifies a far looser approach, and sees Hunter freshly inspired by the light of the Mediterranean and the influence of post-impressionism. During the mid to late 1920s Hunter was living and working in the south of France, primarily in the town of St-Paul-de-Vence, and it was at this time that the artist directed significant time and energy to still life painting. On the suggestion of fellow colourist J.D. Fergusson, Hunter exhibited work from this period in New York City. The exhibition was well received, with critics not only highlighting the French influence, but also its distinct originality.  A New York Evening Post review read ‘…It would be difficult not to think of Matisse at first viewing of this exhibition. Yet, after looking at it longer one sees that there has been an influence of Matisse, but here is an individual palette and personality.’ (T.J. Honeyman, Introducing Leslie Hunter, Faber and Faber Limited, 1937, p.135)

This influence is undoubtedly rooted in colour, which grew to become the artist’s central focus. In The White Vase, each individual form receives equal attention, and is isolated with thick black strokes. Hunter creates a harmony between these forms through careful arrangement. The floral drape, reminiscent of Matisse, seeks to connect the background with the flowers in the fore, whilst the vase, cup and bowl work to highlight the white stock flowers. In this respect the work owes much to Paul Cézanne, whose still lifes prioritised the sensation of colour and form over the rules of perspective.  

Also in the manner of Cézanne is Hunter’s use of a square brush. Paint is applied as thick daubs of impasto, allowing the artist to describe the ridges of the vase whilst retaining a vibrancy achieved only with pure pigment. By widening his subject matter to include fruit and tableware, Hunter gave himself the opportunity to develop such methods. This intelligent manipulation of the medium is combined with a high degree of spontaneity, apparent to the left of the table where the hard end of the brush has been used to remove paint.

Hunter is often regarded as the most variable of the colourists and in the early 1920s, his style was often tentative.  However, Hunter’s friend and biographer T.J. Honeyman notes that by the end of that decade, having returned to St Paul, the artist felt sure of himself. The White Vase shows an artist working with absolute confidence in his ability, displaying Hunter’s best characteristics as a colourist. As an entry in the artist’s diary fittingly describes, “Everyone must choose his own way, and mine will be the way of colour.” (T.J. Honeyman, Introducing Leslie Hunter, Faber and Faber Limited, 1937, p.79)