Walter Klinkhoff Gallery, Montreal
Mayberry Fine Art, Toronto
Private Collection, Toronto
While studying in Paris at the Academie Julian, Hewton befriended A.Y. Jackson and was influenced by him and their fellow students. With impressionistic colour palettes and handling of the medium, Hewton developed a keen sense of colour and detail in his works. While studying in Canada, the artist trained with William Brymner at the Art Association of Montreal.
Under the tutelage of Brymner, the influence of the artist's handling of the medium to create rich supple flesh tones can also be seen in Hewton's portrait of one Thomas Archer Esq. Likely a commissioned work, the traditional practice of portraiture is respected with the dignified but relaxed pose of the sitter in comfortable surroundings. Non-traditional colours of greens and blues meld into the visage of the man, a token of his exposure to impressionist painting theories in Europe and fellow Beaver Hall compatriots. Attention to detail is also integral to this work. From the completed artwork hanging in the background of the composition, the cigarette cradled comfortably between the index and middle finger of the sitter's relaxed hand, and the meticulous monogramed pocket square in the breast pocket of the sitter, Hewton is able to present a portrait of a modern man in a modern rendering. Paying homage to the time-honoured tradition of portraiture, Hewton evolves the practice to incorporate modern artistic styles indicative of the changing landscape in Canadian art history during the early twentieth century.
