Lot 159: John Young Hunter , 1874-1955 the philosopher of ferney oil on canvas

signed and dated l.r.: J Young Hunter, 1901 oil on canvas

measurements note 38 by 76 cm., 15 by 30 in.

London, Fine Art Society, Figure Pictures in Oil, Tempera and Watercolour by J Young Hunter and Mary Y Hunter, 1903, no. 18;
London, Pyms Gallery, Edwardian Pre-Raphaelites, The Art of John and Mary Young Hunter, June 2000, no. 24

Alfred Lys Baldry, 'The Work of Mr and Mrs J Young Hunter', in The Studio, vol. 28, 1903, illustrated p. 275;
Austin Chester, 'The Art of Mr. J Young Hunter', in The Windsor Magazine, Vol. 30, October 1909, p. 504, illustrated p. 492

By descent through the artist's family

PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION
This visionary painting, recalling the fairy tales of the brothers Grimm and the illustrations of Arthur Rackham and Gustave Dore, takes its title from an event in the life of the French playwright and philosopher, Voltaire. The white stork symbolises Voltaire himself, who exiled to Ferney in Switzerland, spent his time protecting the townspeople from religious intolerance. Frederick the Great, King of Prussia called Voltaire a stork, for reasons that are not clear; Hunter's biographer suggested that it was due to the 'loud noise made by the chattering' of the bird.