William Henry Hunt

Three portrait studies, including a self-portrait aged 25, a portrait of a gentleman; and a portrait of a lady, traditionally identified as the artist’s parents

Lot Closed

July 8, 02:09 PM GMT

Estimate

2,000 - 3,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

Property from the Collection of the late Cyril and Shirley Fry

William Henry Hunt

London 1790 - 1864

Three portrait studies, including a self-portrait aged 25, a portrait of a gentleman; and a portrait of a lady, traditionally identified as the artist’s parents

Each coloured chalks and pencil, mounted together as one;

each signed: W. Hunt

96 by 80 mm; 95 by 117 mm; 95 by 117 mm

London, Fry Gallery, Watercolours and Drawings from the Collection of Mr and Mrs Cyril Fry, 1967, nos. 12a, 12b, & 12c

Self-portrait Aged 25 Years: M.H. Grant, A Chronological History of the Old English Landscape Painters (in oil) from the XVIth to the XIXth Century, vol. II, London 1926, p. 311;
J. Witt, William Henry Hunt (1790-1864). Life and Work with a catalogue, London 1982, p. 176, nos. 362, 363, 364 (Self-portrait Aged 25 Years, pl. 30)

William Henry Hunt was born at 8 Old Belton Street, London. His parents were John and Judith Hunt, his father was a tin-plate worker. A sickly child, who showed early signs of artistic talent, his father enrolled him in an apprenticeship with John Varley in 1806. Hunt was to become one of the most sought after artists of his day.

Two other self-portraits survive, in the National Portrait Gallery, London.¹

1. National Portrait Gallery, acc. no. 768 & 2636