George Leslie Hunter

STRUCTURE The canvasboard is sound. There are a few minor, old signs of craquelure to some of the thicker areas of impasto, notably to the sea on the left edge and also right of the palmtree upper right. The surface may benefit from a light clean; otherwise it appears in good overall condition with rich areas of impasto. ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT Under UV light there is some retouching in the upper left corner and a few small spots along the centre of the left edge, above the boat in the foreground, along the centre of the lower edge and above right of the signature. FRAME Float mounted within a dark stained wooden box 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."

Hunter first visited the French Riviera at the end of 1926, and in the following three years painted a number of scenes from locations on the French coast that reached from Marsailles to Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.  Hunter was inspired by the intense Mediterranean light and the bright colours of the south of France, and his desire to capture the land and seascapes of the region led him to adopt a fast painterly style that relied on a thin application of paint and an unmediated bright palette that differs remarkably from his previous approach to landscapes that show a heavier use of impasto.  On the Beach is a vibrant canvas that is fully representative of this transformation in Hunter's approach to landscape painting.  The abstraction of the boat in the foreground, as well as the figures of the bathers and bathing tents along the beach, and the quick yet confident brushstrokes used to depict them speaks to the urgency that Hunter felt to capture the scenes of the south French coast. The parallel brushstrokes used to create the surf of waves and the line of tents and buildings on the beach reveal both a strong influence of the techniques of Paul Cézanne and the growing sense of spontaneity that Hunter felt on the Riviera. 

While the setting of the painting is unknown, it may likely be a scene of the beach at Juan-les-Pins, a popular resort town and one of Hunter's favourite locations to paint. Hunter painted the beach at Juan-les-Pins on a number of occasions, including The Beach, Juan-les-Pins (Sotheby's, Edinburgh, 26 April 2007, lot 101).