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George Leslie Hunter (British, 1877-1931)Portrait of Arthur Leyden signed 'Hunter' (upper right)oil on canvas61.2 x 50.5 cm. (24 1/8 x 19 7/8 in.)unframedFootnotes:ProvenanceArthur Leyden and thence by descentLiterature & MediaBill Smith and Jill Marriner, Hunter Revisited, the Life and Art of Leslie Hunter, Atelier Books, Edinburgh, 2012, p.68Palin on the Colourists, Directed by Eleanor Yule, First aired on BBC 2, 2000; BBC DVD, 2008 BBC Worldwide Ltd. Having experimented with Manet's technique of opaque paint on a light ground in still life, Hunter moved on to tackling portraits. Datable to circa 1913, this is one of two portraits in the Leyden Collection when Arthur and his brother, John sat for Hunter. It is a misconception that Hunter did not execute portraits until the last two years of his life; quite the opposite in fact, he did so throughout his career, often showcasing his latest technique and focus. The problem was finding willing sitters. There is the early painting of Hunter's Mother from circa 1908 in the style of Whistler, right down to the addition of a monogram signature (Bill Smith and Jill Marriner, Hunter Revisited, the Life and Art of Leslie Hunter, Atelier Books, Edinburgh, 2012, Illustrated Plate 25, p.48). However, this portrait of Leyden is refreshingly different and modern in tone, as is Hunter's increasingly adept use of fluid brushwork and colour to build form, contours and personality. There is no denying Arthur's expression is confident, interested and engaged with his cousin the artist. In Michael Palin's interview from 2000, Arthur's daughter Peggie says of the portrait:'This is a portrait of my father that I like very much, because I feel him, it's...he's strong.... it's just him.'(Palin on the Colourists, Directed by Eleanor Yule, First aired on BBC 2, 2000; BBC DVD, 2008 BBC Worldwide Ltd).This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
