This charming mid-19th-century watercolour by British artist William Henry Hunt (1790-1864) depicts an older gentleman resting in a cottage doorway.The son of a tinplate maker, Hunt was hindered in helping his father’s business by a physical disability to his legs. The father agreed, therefore, for his son to pursue the artistic zeal he had always shown and acquired him an apprenticeship under watercolourist John Varley (1778-1842). During his time with Varley, the young man would make sketches of the surrounding landscapes, often with his friend and fellow pupil John Linnell (1792-1882). It was perhaps these younger years with Varley that infused Hunt with a love for nature. Varley would often say ''go to nature for everything.''It was through Varley that Hunt was introduced to Doctor Thomas Munro (1759-1833). Monro was a patron to young watercolourists and took many notable aspiring artists under his wing, including J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851) and Peter de Wint (1784-1849). He ...