20th Century
A self-taught artist who came to prominence late in her life, Clementine Hunter lived and worked most of her life on a cotton plantation in Natchitoches, Louisiana.
Clementine Hunter
1885–1988
A self-taught artist who came to prominence late in her life, Clementine Hunter lived and worked most of her life on a cotton plantation in Natchitoches, Louisiana.
A self-taught artist who came to prominence late in her life, Clementine Hunter lived and worked most of her life on a cotton plantation in Natchitoches, Louisiana.
Clementine Hunter
1885–1988
A self-taught artist who came to prominence late in her life, Clementine Hunter lived and worked most of her life on a cotton plantation in Natchitoches, Louisiana.
Hunter used as her subject matter commonplace items and daily occurrences that most likely happened in and around the plantation that she worked on. Her lengthy days, working in the plantation house, on the left her little time for leisurely enjoyment, so Clementine painted at night. She is especially remembered for her images that were painted found objects and non-conventional surfaces such as gourds, snuff boxes, milk jugs, wood, gourds, paper, snuff boxes, and wine bottles, etc.
Hunter recorded images such as funerals, baptisms. Hunter rudimentary style of composition abnegated formal techniques like scale and proportion. Most often, figures in her images were usually small, simplistic black shapes.
In the 1970’s her work began to attract public attention. Both the Museum of American Folk Art in New York and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art exhibited her paintings. One of Hunter’s most well-known images is located on the walls of African House on the grounds of Melrose Plantation in Louisiana. The second story of the building is one of her murals that depicts the incredible stories of life on the Cane River. Her work as a folk artist gained in popularity and her patronage steadily grew. According to Mutual Art, “Clementine Hunter's work has been offered at auction multiple times, with realized prices ranging from $200 USD to $85,400 USD, depending on the size and medium of the artwork. Since 2003 the record price for this artist at auction is $85,400 USD for 'Early Funeral,' sold at Neal Auction Company in 2021.” Despite these huge gains, however, Hunter is said to have lived in poverty most of her life.
The Artist’s Work in Other Collections (selected)
• Hunter’s work can be seen in the Smithsonian Institute, the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Museum of American Folk Art in New York, the High Museum of Atlanta, the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, and the Oprah Winfrey Collection in Chicago.
Exhibitions (Artist)
• Dallas Museum of Fine Art, the American Folk Art Museum, and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.
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The Artist’s Work In Other Collections
No items found.
Exhibitions (Artist)
No items found.
Awards, Commissions, Public Works
Affiliations (Past And Current)
Notable
Hunter is reportedly, the first African-American artist to have a solo exhibition at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Hunter is thought to have created around 5,000 to 10,000 pieces of art.
Artist Objects
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