The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-11-19
The Hunt Collection.
A Sketch of the Exhibition at the Boston
Art Museum.

The friends and admirers of the late Will
liam NJ. Hunt have with unwearying effort
collected together the most Characteristic OF
his works, and have placed them on exhibition
at the Art Museum in Boston. All true lovers
of art most find their thoughts, if not their
steps, turning thitherward with Irresistible
longing, as this is probably the last opportunity
we shall have of seeing these pictures together
When you enter the room where the paint
ings are, you are astonshed at the great vari-
ETY. of subject and style of treatment. Copy
ing no one Hunt has keenly observed the
methods of the best artists in Europe, and has
indiyidualized them into manner peculiarly
his own. His neglect of finish il, his later
works is intentional, and a glance at his
academic pictures will show that he under
stood fully what some critics call ''conscien-
tious work.
His portrait of himself, painted in February,
is very broad in treatment, with palpable
marks of the brush and a free use of the
palette 1t is as rich in color as Reubens.
BY its side is portrait of Mrs. Ward, deli
cate and beautifully finished showing that the
artist fingered lovingly over every touch
No 14i is a fiery sunset that recalls Turner.
155 is cool gray landscape, indefinite enough
for Corot In 125 through the dim evening
light you see the Shepherd leading his flock
over the moors, while the pale moon is slowly
lifting herself above the horizon. In y the
sun is setting, the autumn maples flash in
friendly rivalry, and the tired COW with head
bent down, is slowly vending her way over
the russell fields to the bars No. 8 is wlerd
picture called Silence, quite in the vein OF
Vedder. 1t is young girls face with floating
black hair and mysterious heavy-lidded eyes.
The early italian School is represented by
quaint child with yellow hair and calmly
folded hands.
The chief interest, however, seems to cenetr
in the Marguerites; similar IT. design, they
vary much in execution. The one on the left
was painted while Hunt was in Couture's stu
dio in 1852, the other while with Milet in 1853.
Most artists seem to agree in thinking the fist
is the better of the two The treatment OF the
flesh is more mastery, and the details are
more finished; amateurs, ON the contrary, gen,
orally prefer the second and imagine they
discover an added delicacy and tenderness OF
expression. Between the two Marguerites
hangs a charming picture OF his own child
who with innocent, upturned face stretches up
his chubby hand to catch the eluding butterfly
On the same side is delicate bit called The
Singers. A boy and girl with an absorbed
look are chanting responses from large open
book. Here is a sensitive tenderness OF feel
ing md color
Full OF peculiar light and dream OF repose
is the Girl with her Kitten, No. 90. Now II
YOU will cross the room with me, will show
YOU another gem. An orange yellow sky fad
ing into gray, landscape of glowing brown,
peasant maiden bathed in sunset light, holding
tenderly in her arms little kid, while anoth-
er follows close behind. The brown pettcoat
of the maiden blends with the brown felds, her
white bodice is a white alive with its prismatlc
colors hardly united, the sunset light touches
lovingly the hair and little bit of the face
while two thirds of it are in warm shadow.
The most striking pictures in the room are
the Studies of Niagara the Fortune Teller, the
Prodigal Son, and the grand portrait OF Chief
Justice Shaw. can imagine nothing more full
of dignity and character than this portrait. The
artist was happy in his subject and happy IN
his treatment of 1t.
OF the Niagaras, the largest is the best. 1t
must be looked at from distance in order to
see if to advantage, and even then is unsatis-
factory to many, while to others it is most
wonderful representation Of the rush and tun-
| Bile and toss and foam of mighty waters.
Among so many pictures that interest, one
hardly knows where to stop, and we certainly
must not forget 'Nicolo with Mandolin and
! White Turban,' Nicolo with his bright, up
turned eyes, his partly open lips and his
snarkling smile. 1t would be hard to find in
Nature or on canvass more merry face.
In the first room are two studies for the Al
bany frescoes, the others are in the second
room with the charcoal drawings They are
all very interesting, and seem to show that
| had Mr.. Hunt lived, and retained his vlgor' ne
would not have been contented with portrait
painting in the future but would have given
freer scope to his imagination.
In the second room is the first landscape he
| ever painted, kept by his mother as long as
she lived and now belonging to his sister. Here
also is the last sketch he ever made at Apple
dore three days before his death.
The charcoal drawings, of which there are
about one hundred, are very interesting, es-
pecially to the student. The work is simple,
true and suggestive. In the landscapes, par
ticularly, you feel as if each one was drawn
in so short a time that the artist might catch
even the most evanescent mood OF Nature
Every touch shows knowledge. There is no
groping in the dark, but firm, quick hand
The figures are more carefully elaborated.
| There was one study of head where the CHAR
coal was used upon a surface prepared with
creamy white oil color. The effect was very
| life-like.
In this room are also an early attempt to Ee-
store the head of the Naples Psyche medal
lion head of Couture, and several canoes; and,
to give roundness and completeness to the e1-
hibition, quilt made by Mr.. Hunt when he
was four years old was shown. l could, how
ever, trace in it no ncpient germs OF his later
artistic strivings. In a cast of his head, on the
contrary, saw very interesting revelation
of character.
have spoken only Of some OF the most at
tractve of Mr.. Hunts pictures. All are ad-
mirably hung to show to great advantage.
There are of course, some that seem faulty,
especially to the careless observer; but every
one who has time to study all his works faith
fully, will certainly carry away from them the
conviction that Mr. Hunt will always be
| ..t-.l .,,.o,,r, +l,o fret artists Of his time,