CLEMENTINE HUNTER WAS A SELF-TAUGHT BLACK FOLK
ARTIST WHO LIVED AND WORKED ON MELROSE PLANTATION IN LOUISIANA. SHE GREW UP ON THE PLANTATION AS AN AGRICULTURAL LABORER, PICKING COTTON AND PECANS, NEVER LEARNING HOW TO READ OR WRITE. IN HER THIRTIES, HUNTER BEGAN WORKING AT THE MAIN HOUSE AS A COOK AND HOUSEKEEPER FOR CAMMIE HENRY, THE OWNER OF THE PLANTATION. CAMMIE, AN AVID PATRON OF THE ARTS AND LITERATURE, TURNED THE PLANTATION INTO AN ARTIST COLONY AND A HUB FOR ARTISTIC EXPRESSION, INVITING A VARIETY OF WRITERS AND PAINTERS TO VACATION AND WORK THERE FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. CLEMENTINE OBSERVED THE VISITORS AND DEVELOPED A HOBBY OF PAINTING IN HER SPARE TIME WITH DISCARDED PAINT TUBES AND CARDBOARD LEFT OVER FROM THE ARTISTS. A MEMORY PAINTER, SHE PAINTED SCENES FROM EVERYDAY PLANTATION LIFE AND DOCUMENTED THE BLACK CANE RIVER VALLEY EXPERIENCE. HER WORK COLORFULLY DEPICTS IMPORTANT EVENTS LIKE FUNERALS, BAPTISMS, WEDDINGS AND SCENES OF PLANTATION LABOR.
APPLE PICKING, C. 1950S
OIL ON CANVAS
18 × 14 INCHES
MONOGRAMMED LOWER RIGHT
PROVENANCE:
PRIVATE COLLECTION, BREVARD, NORTH CAROLINA. ACCOMPANIED BY A PHOTO OF THE ARTIST HOLDING THE WORK
MELROSE PLANTATION, C. 1950S
OIL ON BOARD
16 × 24 INCHES
MONOGRAMMED LOWER RIGHT
NOTE:
THIS PAINTING HAS BEEN AUTHENTICATED BY RENOWNED CLEMENTINE HUNTER EXPERT TOM WHITEHEAD
COTTON PICKING, C. 1950S OIL ON CANVAS
18 × 24 INCHES
MONOGRAMMED LOWER RIGHT
NOTE: THIS WORK HAS BEEN AUTHENTICATED BY RENOWNED HUNTER EXPERT TOM WHITEHEAD
APPLE PICKING, C. 1950S
OIL ON CANVAS
18 × 14 INCHES
MONOGRAMMED LOWER RIGHT
PROVENANCE:
PRIVATE COLLECTION, BREVARD, NORTH CAROLINA. ACCOMPANIED BY A PHOTO OF THE ARTIST HOLDING THE WORK
PECAN PICKING, C. 1950S
OIL ON BOARD
12 × 16 INCHES
18 × 21 3⁄4 INCHES FRAMED
MONOGRAMMED LOWER RIGHT
NOTE:
THIS PAINTING HAS BEEN AUTHENTICATED BY RENOWNED HUNTER EXPERT TOM WHITEHEAD
COTTON PICKERS OIL ON BOARD 16 × 24 INCHES MONOGRAMMED LOWER RIGHT PROVENANCE: DR. AND MRS. JOSEPH E. DUGAS, JR NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA; ACQUIRED FROM THE ARTIST NATCHITOCHES
COTTON WAGON OIL ON BOARD
8 × 10 INCHES
INITIALED LOWER RIGHT
PROVENANCE:
RICHARD GASPERI, NEW ORLEANS
FOLK ART GALLERY;
PROPERTY FROM A SOUTHERN COLLECTION
COTTON WAGON AND COTTON PICKERS OIL ON CANVASBOARD
16 × 20 INCHES
MONOGRAMMED LOWER RIGHT
PROVENANCE:
SHELBY GILLEY, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
PURCHASED IN 1997
PROPERTY FROM A SOUTHERN COLLECTION
BAPTISM AT THE CHURCH, C 1970S
OIL ON CANVAS PANEL
24 × 20 INCHES
INITIALED LOWER LEFT
PROVENANCE:
THE GARY DAVENPORT COLLECTION
AUTHENTICATED BY TOM WHITEHEAD
WEDDING
OIL ON BOARD
14 × 18 INCHES
MONOGRAMMED LOWER RIGHT
NOTE: THIS WORK HAS BEEN AUTHENTICATED BY RENOWNED CLEMENTINE HUNTER EXPERT TOM WHITEHEAD
SATURDAY NIGHT, C. 1950S
OIL ON CANVAS BOARD
12 × 16 INCHES
18 × 22 INCHES FRAMED
MONOGRAMMED CENTER RIGHT; TITLED VERSO
PROVENANCE:
PRIVATE COLLECTION, CA
WASH DAY, C. 1950S
OIL ON CANVAS BOARD
16 × 24 INCHES
21 3/4 × 29 1/2 INCHES FRAMED
INITIALED LOWER RIGHT
PROVENANCE:
PRIVATE COLLECTION, CHICAGO, IL
FLOWER GARDEN, C. 1950S
OIL ON CANVAS
22 × 28 INCHES
28 × 34 1/2 INCHES FRAMED
MONOGRAMMED LOWER RIGHT
PROVENANCE:
PRIVATE COLLECTION, NEW ORLEANS
NOTE: THIS WORK HAS BEEN AUTHENTICATED BY RENOWNED CLEMENTINE HUNTER EXPERT TOM WHITEHEAD
WASH DAY, C. 1950S
OIL ON CANVAS BOARD
16 × 24 INCHES
21 3/4 × 29 1/2 INCHES FRAMED
INITIALED LOWER RIGHT
PROVENANCE:
PRIVATE COLLECTION, CHICAGO, IL
