William Holman Hunt - A Syrian Wife unveiled

A study for the head of the Virgin in The Triumph of the Innocents (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), begun in Jerusalem during Hunt's third visit to the Holy land in 1875 but not completed until 1887.

According to the Athenaeum an autotype of the present work was produced 'from a fine and large head of a native woman of Bethlehem. lately drawn in Syria by Mr. Holman Hunt.'

We are grateful to Dr. Judith Bronkhurst for her help preparing this entry.

signed with monogram, inscribed and dated Jerusalem July 2 '76/Immjerries and inscribed by Edith Holman Hunt at a later date 'Study of a Syrian Woman's Head/made at Jerusalem/By W. Holman Hunt/Draycott Lodge/Fulham London' on the stretcher
coloured chalks laid down on linen
21 x 14in. (50.8 x 35.5cm.)