Dick and Jane - Hunt Slonem

An original Hunt Slonem rabbit painted in thick, gestural strokes of black on a textured white ground. Presented in a dark oval frame with a gilded inner edge and carved floral ornaments. 

Hunt Slonem’s rabbits are among the most recognisable images in contemporary art. He has painted them thousands of times, and each one is unique: a rapid, rhythmic outline captured in a few confident movements of the brush.

Oval shows that gesture at its most graphic. Heavy black paint outlines the rabbit’s tall ears, eyes and face against a white ground, with fine lines scratched through the wet paint to form the whiskers. The surface is thickly worked, so the brushmarks stand up from the canvas and catch the light.

The frame is as much a part of the piece as the painting. Slonem is known for pairing his rabbits with antique and vintage-style frames, and here a dark, tortoiseshell-toned oval with a beaded outer edge, a gilded inner lip and four carved floral appliqués gives the work a Victorian, cameo-like presence. The monochrome palette means it sits easily in both classic and contemporary interiors.

About the artist
Hunt Slonem (b. 1951) is an American painter best known for his exuberant depictions of rabbits, butterflies and tropical birds. His work is held in major museum collections, including the Guggenheim, the Whitney and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and is sought after by collectors worldwide.

Specifications

• Artist: Hunt Slonem
• Title: Dick and Jane 
• Medium: Oil on canvas / panel 
• Size: 30cm x 25cm 
• Framing: Golf frame with gilded inner edge