15th Apr, 2025 10:00
Modern and Contemporary Art
260
George Leslie Hunter (1877-1931)
'Largo Harbour'
signed 'L. Hunter' l.r., oil on canvas board
30 x 41cm
George Leslie Hunter's 'Largo Harbour' captures the serene beauty of the Fife coast, an area the artist visited regularly following the First World War. Favoured locations like Lower Largo, nearby Drumeldrie, and villages along the East Neuk coast, including Ceres, provided an abundance of inspiration for his landscapes. The light, the shifting hues of the sea, and the unique colours of the limewashed houses with their red pantile roofs were likely key attractions, offering a rich palette for his work. These coastal and rural scenes continued to be a popular subject for Hunter, and indeed, for generations of artists, drawn to the region's charm and varied landscape.
While Hunter's Fife paintings enjoyed commercial success, his 1922 and 1923 visits to Italy marked a shift in his approach to light and colour. His time in Italy significantly influenced his palette, and in a letter to fellow artist Matthew Justice in 1923, he noted his disappointment in finding that the light in Fife no longer suited his artistic vision as it once had. Nevertheless, Hunter continued to return to Fife for its rustic beauty, producing coastal and rural scenes until at least 1926.
In this work, one can observe the influence of his Italian travels, with the vibrant blues in the depiction of the water reminiscent of the bright Mediterranean hues of his Italian works. The fusion of Scottish coastal inspiration with the refined colour palette honed in Italy reveals a pivotal moment in Hunter's artistic evolution, where his work bridges the Scottish landscape with the warmer tones he encountered abroad.
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Sold for £28,000
Condition Report
Framed: 42 x 52cm
Presents well overall. A little rubbing to the extreme edges. There is a thin vertical line of abrasion 6cm in length to the left edge, lower centre. The texture of the canvas is visible in areas where the paint has been thinly applied and this is believed to be the artist's intention rather than a later issue with condition. Not examined under UV light, for a full report please contact the department.
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Auction: Modern and Contemporary Art, 15th Apr, 2025
Viewing
London Viewing | Highlights
A selection of lots will be on view Friday 14 March - Monday 7 April (weekdays only) at our London Gallery, 15 Cecil Court, London WC2N 4EZ, as follows:
Monday-Friday, 11am - 6pm
For more information, please contact 0203 971 2500 | london@sworder.co.uk
Stansted Viewing | Auction
Viewing will be held at our Stansted Auction Rooms, Cambridge Road, Stansted Mountfitchet CM24 8GE, as follows:
Friday 11 April, 10am - 4pm
Sunday 13 April, 10am - 1pm
Monday 14 April, 10am - 4pm
All lots are, however, extensively illustrated and carry detailed condition reports - see 'Condition report' at the foot of each lot description.
The auction will take place at our Stansted Auction Rooms, Cambridge Road, Stansted Mountfitchet CM24 8GE.
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