Marigolds, surely the most precocious member of the Daisy family, were a favourite subject of George Leslie Hunter. T. J. Honeyman, Hunter’s biographer and at the time a partner in the firm of Reid & Lefevre, recalled a visit to the Gallery by Clive Bell who completed a tour of inspection and pointed to a still life of marigolds in the corner: ‘That is the finest picture in the exhibition, and I don’t know who painted it.’ From this Honeyman determined to write his book Introducing Leslie Hunter, published by Faber in 1937. Hunter had his first show with Alexander Reid in Glasgow in 1916, a show well received and supported. He was living on his uncle’s farm near Larkhall, trying to get himself fit for the dreaded call-up. His still lifes from this time are fresh, direct paintings which have something of the expressionist joy of Matisse rather than the analysis of Cubism. His palette is white based, his impasto rich and application confident as he emerges from his Dutch or Spanish influenced work to a place where his work chimes with Peploe and Cadell as one of the four Scottish Colourists.