Hunts Art
Classic in close up – William Holman Hunt (1827 – 1910)
William Holman Hunt was one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. Born in London, the son of a warehouse manager, Hunt worked as a clerk before entering the Royal Academy School in 1844. There, he met Millais, and together with Rossetti, they formed the core of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. They sought to revitalise art by emphasising the detailed observation of the natural world in a spirit of quasi-religious devotion to truth. This religious approach was influenced by the spiritual qualities of medieval art, in opposition to the alleged rationalism of the Renaissance embodied by Raphael. He had many pupils including Robert Braithwaite Martineau.
Hunt’s works were not initially successful, and were widely attacked in the art press for their alleged clumsiness and ugliness. He achieved some early note for his intensely naturalistic scenes of modern rural and urban life, such as “The Hireling Shepherd” and “The Awakening Conscience”. However, it was with his religious paintings that he became famous.
Hunt’s particular attention to detail and his fondness for symbolism accorded well with the aims of the group, but his deeply felt religious convictions led him away from the British art scene. In January 1854, he embarked on a two year expedition to Egypt and the Holy Land, believing that this was the only way to produce realistic images of biblical themes.
The critcal response to this enterprise was mixed. “The Scapegoat” was greeted with puzzlement, but “The Finding of the Savior in the Temple” was received far more enthusiastically, securing Hunt’s reputation as a religious painter.
Further trips to the East followed, although they were not always happy ones. In 1866, his wife, Fanny, died in Florence, shortly after giving birth to their son. Hunt later married her sister Edith. At this time it was illegal in Britain to marry one’s deceased wife’s sister, so Hunt was forced to travel abroad to marry her. This led to a serious breach with other family members, notably his former Pre-Raphaelite colleague Thomas Woolner, who had once been in love with Fanny and had married Alice, the third sister of Fanny and Edith.
Out of all the members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood Hunt remained most true to their ideals throughout his career. He eventually had to give up painting because failing eyesight meant that he could not get the level of quality that he wanted. His last major work, “The Lady of Shalott”, was completed with the help of an assistant.
In 1905, he wrote his memoirs, which have become a primary source document for the Pre-Raphaelite movement. Many of his late writings are attempts to control the interpretation of his work. That year, he was appointed to the Order of Merit by King Edward VII.
About the Author
Chris Sabian is an artist with http://www.kutefineart.com and co-owner of http://www.paragonprints.co.uk
Jeremy Hunt’s arts keynote speech
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