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Lot Essay
The collector and patron of Hunter's pictures, Ion R. Harrison, comments on the painting technique of Hunter and his fellow 'Scottish Colourist' F.C.B. Cadell, 'Hunter and Cadell both painted quickly and easily. The contrast in their palettes was indicative of their different personalities. Hunter's palette was invariably caked with huge lumps of paint of diverse colours, on the top of which he spilled turpentine which splashed liberally over his suit, his feet and the floor. One wondered how he ever obtained any distinct colour out of such a conglomerate mess. His palette always reminded me of the Bass Rock or Ailsa Craig. On the other hand, Cadell was most meticulous in the keeping of his palette. At the end of his day's work he scraped every piece of paint off with his knife. He would then wash it thoroughly, and having dried it would burnish it and hang it up so that one could almost see one's face in a mirror.
The contrast in their palettes applied equally to their clothes. Hunter was generally untidy and even unkempt in appearance. He often forgot when it was time to have his hair cut, and I think sometimes forgot that he had not shaved.
Hunter made no bones about his own capabilities, for he asserted one day to my astonishment and even to my indignation that there was no artist living at that time who was painting as well as he was. Hunter always maintained that he was not painting for today but for fifty years hence, and that although his pictures might look garish today in fifty years they would have mellowed and become beautiful in tone. Having lived twenty-five years with several of them I find that Hunter's prophecy is coming true' (see T.J. Honeyman, Three Scottish Colourists, London, 1950, pp. 124, 126).
The contrast in their palettes applied equally to their clothes. Hunter was generally untidy and even unkempt in appearance. He often forgot when it was time to have his hair cut, and I think sometimes forgot that he had not shaved.
Hunter made no bones about his own capabilities, for he asserted one day to my astonishment and even to my indignation that there was no artist living at that time who was painting as well as he was. Hunter always maintained that he was not painting for today but for fifty years hence, and that although his pictures might look garish today in fifty years they would have mellowed and become beautiful in tone. Having lived twenty-five years with several of them I find that Hunter's prophecy is coming true' (see T.J. Honeyman, Three Scottish Colourists, London, 1950, pp. 124, 126).