European Exploration & Influence
"Hunt obviously knew the canon of modern Western European art. His study of its major movements—Surrealism, Cubism, and Abstract Expressionism—is evident."
- LeRonn P. Brooks, Richard Hunt, 2022
European Exploration
In the midst of his final year at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), at the age of 21, Hunt made a notable mark in the art world when the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) acquired his striking welded steel sculpture, Arachne (1956) in 1957. This pivotal year not only showcased his talent but also brought him the prestigious James Nelson Raymond Fellowship for another of his remarkable creations, Untitled (1957). This piece stood out as Hunt's most ambitious undertaking to date, inspired significantly by Pablo Picasso’s iron sculpture, Woman in the Garden (1929-1930), created in collaboration with Julio González. This work was ultimately a tribute to the renowned French surrealist poet, Guillaume Apollinaire.
Richard Hunt
European Influence
Winning the fellowship opened exciting new horizons for Hunt. The funding enabled him to travel extensively through England, France, Spain, and Italy, enriching his artistic vision and expanding his appreciation for the vast realms of European art. His time in Italy was particularly transformative, as he immersed himself at the distinguished Fonderia Artistica Ferdinando Marinelli in Florence, where he honed his skills in bronze casting and created his very first bronze sculptures.
Hunt's fiancé Bettye Scott, an African American painter who was a classmate of his at the Art Institute, joined him in Italy. They were married in a civil service at Rome’s Piazza del Campidoglio, chosen by Hunt because it was designed by Michelangelo. In 1962, they had a daughter, Cecilia Elizabeth, named for the patron saint of music.
Moreover, his visit to the studio of Constantin Brâncuși in Paris, a unique blend of living and artistic space, significantly influenced his own decision to later establish his combined living and workspace at West Lill Avenue, Chicago.
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Richard Hunt, Untitled (1957), welded steel, 84 3/4 x 43 x 72 in. Photo © ARS, NY and DACS, London © On White Wall
Greek and Roman Mythology
These travels profoundly deepened Hunt's understanding and appreciation of Greek and Roman mythology, a fascination that had first blossomed in his youth through his readings of Ovid's Metamorphoses. This rich mythological backdrop would come to play a vital role in many of his early works, including Icarus (1956), Opposed Linear Forms (1961), Linear Peregrination (1962), and Linear Sequence (1962), as he sought to intertwine classical themes with modernist expression.
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Richard Hunt, Opposed Linear Forms (1961), welded chromed steel, 53 x 84 x 54 in. Photo © ARS, NY and DACS, London © On White Wall