William Henry Hunt

William Henry Hunt was a protégé of Dr. Thomas Monro and a pupil of John Varley. He developed into a highly respected artist with John Ruskin describing him as one of the leading exponents of English naturalism, while William Makepeace Thackeray quipped that if he were the Duke of Devonshire, he would have a ‘couple of Hunts in every room in all my houses.’¹Hunt’s extraordinary ability to represent a myriad of different textures and surfaces is in evidence in this charming watercolor which forms part of a small group of intimate works that see the artist focus on rest and sleep.² 

In 1832 Hunt’s daughter, Emma, was born. As his wife, Sarah, had been, Emma soon became a favored model and she may well be the sitter in the present watercolor.

1. Sir John Witt, William Henry Hunt (1790-1864), Life and Work, with a Catalogue, London 1982, p. 26

2. For example watercolors that take up this theme see: Sir J. Witt, lit.op.cit., London 1982, cat. nos. 266 & 274, nos. 41 & 77