Artwork
Portrait of hunter Molly Hick
Portrait of hunter Molly Hick is an oil painting by the Realist artist William Luker. It dates from 1860 and is held in the collection of the National Library of Wales.
About this work
Overview
Portrait of hunter Molly Hick is an 1860 oil painting by William Luker, featuring a prominent equine subject set against a landscape backdrop, housed in the National Library of Wales.
Subject & Meaning
Contrary to its title, the painting primarily depicts a brown horse with a long tail and short mane, standing on a grassy hill facing right, with the titular hunter, Molly Hick, notably absent from the scene.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil paint, the work employs a technique where the horse is sharply defined as the main focus, while the background elements—a body of water, distant hills, and mountains under a cloudy sky—gradually recede into softer detail.
History & Provenance
Created in 1860 by William Luker, the painting is part of the collection at the National Library of Wales, with no detailed exhibition history or ownership changes highlighted in available records.
Context
While the artist's intent behind the discrepancy between title and depicted subject is unclear, the work reflects 19th-century landscape and animal painting traditions, with possible influences from techniques like chiaroscuro, though this is not overtly evident.
Legacy
The painting's impact or influence on subsequent art movements is not prominently documented, existing primarily as a representative piece of its time within the National Library of Wales's holdings.
Artist & collection
