For your consideration is an original watercolor on paper by well listed artist Esther Anna Hunt ( 1875 - 1951; Santa Ana/West Orange, CA). Possibly signed at bottom and covered by mat.  Not confirmed.

Please see Artist’s partial bio at bottom.

***See my other listings by Hunt.***

Subject is what Hunt is famous for—Her wonderful, small portraits of Asian children in traditional clothing in San Francisco’s Chinatown at the turn of the century.

The model wears a pale pink or lavender silk shirt with a long-sleeved saffron underneath. The child wears saffron pants. Their hair is styled into one or two long braids, and at least one braid has a pink silk ribbon woven into it. The child carries a golden-colored paper parasol.  The background color on this piece is stunning--it's a dark teal color and really helps this artwork stand out.

The visible portion of the artwork is 7 x 10".  I have not removed this piece from the frame to inspect it.  The frame appears original, and it is nailed shut.  There is a tag with notes on the back, which includes the following information: It is from 1905; original q Esther Hunt; signature at bottom; and a list price of $999.00.

• The artwork is housed in an off-white mat and a beautiful wooden oval frame that is painted gold.  Under glass.  The frame is old and may be original to the painting.  The frame is in overall great shape, but there are a few dings, scratches, and the odd very small area of chipped paint--Exactly what you would expect from a frame that is more than 115 years old.  None of the minor wear takes away from the artwork at all.    

This artwork is truly a joy to look at.  The painting and frame are paired perfectly and convey classic beauty and timeless wonder.  What makes this piece truly spectacular, is its respectful representation of Chinese youth at the turn of the century, and the role this artwork plays in documenting California history.       

A NOTE ON GLASS: Glass breaks far too easily in transport. Many sellers remove glass prior to shipping so they do not disappoint the owner when the piece arrives broken. I do not want all of my buyers to have to run out and purchase glass for their new piece; however, please know that glass is not a part of this transaction. GLASS IN ARTWORK IS DONATED. Buyer does not purchase glass as part of the purchase price of this work. If you would like me to remove the glass prior to shipping, please let me know. Otherwise, I tape all glass so that in the event of breakage, it does not break into small pieces that can damage the artwork. Thank you for your understanding.

SHIPPING PLEASE NOTE: Due to the unique nature of each work of art, I am unable to ship next day.  I take great care when shipping artwork.  I find custom-sized boxes or I create my own.  I use a lot of bubble wrap, insulated paper, padded paper, and the like.  A bunch of paper and plastic are unfortunately necessary, so I use recycled materials whenever possible.  All of this takes time.  These are one-of-a-kind works of art.  They cannot be replaced.  Please give me the time they deserve to pack them properly.  Many thanks!

Int’l buyers will incur an additional shipping charge.

ARTIST’s PARTIAL BIO FROM ASKART:

Born in Grand Island, Nebraska, Esther Hunt became a painter focused on Oriental themes, especially portraits and figures she did from models that she found in Chinatown in San Francisco.

She spent some of her early childhood in Columbus, Nebraska. Her father, Stephen Barton, died when she was four years old in 1879, and two years later her mother remarried, and the family went to California.

Her stepfather was Captain John A. Frazier, and he took his wife and her children to San Diego County where he acquired 700 acres of land and established the town of Carlsbad. In 1893, the family moved to Los Angeles, and from 1896 to 1900, Esther Hunt was listed in the City Directory as an artist.