The Hunter 1933

Yannoulis Chalepas, the artist, made “The Hunter” from plaster, sometime around the early 20th century. The whole thing is worked in white, and I'm imagining him building up the form, bit by bit. I like to imagine Chalepas in his studio, wrestling with the clay, pushing and pulling, trying to capture the essence of the hunt. You know, there's the figure of a man with a hat, a dog by his side, maybe he's coming home after a day out, or maybe he's just setting off, ready for the chase. The surface of the plaster looks rough, which gives this piece a real tactile quality. There’s a gesture where the hunter holds some sort of rod or weapon over his shoulder; the curve of the arm echoes the curve of the dog’s back, a lovely, subtle detail. The statue has this kind of timeless quality, almost like a classical Greek sculpture. And yet, there's something very personal and raw about it. We're all hunters in some way, right? Searching for something, whether it's food, love, or meaning.