At home with….Tim Hunter

20 April 2021

Tim Hunter has over 25 years of experience in the commercial art market, with wide-ranging expertise covering Old Masters, 19th Century and Modern Painting, as well as Medieval and Renaissance Sculpture and Works of Art. He advises both private clients and public institutions on buying and selling artworks and has negotiated several sales to major national institutions.

In 2014 he set up his own art consultancy firm, Venator Fine Art Ltd., after previously having worked as Director at Christie’s and Gurr Johns Ltd, where amongst others he oversaw all major valuations of Old Master and 19th Century Paintings.

From 2014 to 2018 he was appointed Vice President of Falcon Fine Art Ltd, an innovative art financing firm based in the City of London. He quickly established Falcon as the leading art financier in Europe in these years, providing loans for over $100 million worth of art. 

Tim publishes academic articles and reviews, lectures on a variety of art historical subjects, delivers talks on the art market to audiences throughout the world, and regularly appears on television news (BBC, ITN, SKY). He advises Arts Council England on the Acceptance-in-lieu scheme and frequently sits as an expert on the Reviewing Committee for the Export of Works of Art. He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and an honorary member of the Senior Common Room at Magdalen College, Oxford.

Last year brought about many changes as a result of the pandemic, were there any consequences for you as an art advisor?

Part of my work involves buying and selling Old Master Paintings for clients. I found this side of the business almost totally dried up as it was impossible to travel anywhere to see works of art, and clients were unable to travel to see paintings that were available for sale. Old Masters in particular are difficult to judge from photographs and they need to be seen in person in order to assess quality and condition. My day to day work therefore shifted more to research work, on particular artists or paintings owned by clients. I also did an increasing amount of appraisal work, particularly for collectors based in the US. I renewed my American Appraiser’s qualification (USPAP) during lockdown.

Were there any works or artists that stood out for you during that time? Or were you surprised about any art market results?

At the beginning of the year (2020) there was little on the market of much interest for me, but as the year progressed, I did find a few works at auction that might have been suitable. It was still very complicated to see the works in person (often viewing times were short and appointments had to be made in advance), and I found it difficult to engage clients with the process. The January sales of Old Masters at the main auction houses showed that high quality works by big name artists were still making high prices (Botticelli, Bosschaert, De Heem) so there still appears to be strong demand, which is currently being hindered by a lack of supply.

Many people who are new to buying art are looking for inspiration and guidance from those that have been buying art for a while, especially when it comes to buying their first work of art. Do you remember your first art purchase, and can you tell us what it was and why you acquired it?

I was trying to interest a client in early Italian Renaissance painting, but they were new to the market and the artworks that were available were very expensive. We decided to acquire some manuscript illuminations from the 14th century, which were beautiful examples of the art of the period, and only a fraction of the cost of the panel paintings. The client was very happy with these and later moved on to buying panel paintings.

Is there one stand out tip that you can give to those who are starting a new collection or considering buying their first work of art?

Decide on a style of art and period that interests you. Read up on it as it is always much more enjoyable to collect in an area where you have some background knowledge. Once you have decided on the price range that you are comfortable with always look for the best example you can find in that range. Try and avoid works in poor condition. In Old Masters don’t become over fixated on attributions (which can change over time), but rather focus on the quality of the work under consideration. Once you have bought it, enjoy it. Another tip is to rehang your pictures from time to time. When they are in the same place year in year out you can sometimes fail to notice them. When you rehang them in a different location, they can come alive again.

Is there one work that you own that stands out above all others for you?

I own an 18th century copy of a sculpture of St Peter enthroned by the great Gothic sculptor Arnolfo di Cambio (1240-1310). The original is in Saint Peter’s in Rome, and I like having a piece of Medieval Roman history sitting on my desk.

Many collectors are looking to deepen their knowledge of the arts and the market. Is there a book you can recommend?

This depends very much on which field you are interested in. If you are interested in Italian art and history, I greatly enjoyed Lloyd Grossman’s recent book, An Elephant in Rome (2020), which is a good introduction to the art of the Eternal City.

What do you feel is the role of art advisors and how do you think they can help collectors?

A good art adviser can suggest works that the collector might never have thought of, and they can also help collectors avoid some of the more obvious pitfalls of the art market. Sometimes it is worth knowing what not to buy, just as much as what to buy.

What is the one thing you look forward to in the art world in 2021?

To travel again and visit my favourite museums to see the artworks that I have been missing. I am currently researching late 14th Century art in Florence and can’t wait to see some of the altarpieces in situ in the churches for which they were originally commissioned.