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Alfred Lunt, 1892-1977
Husband and wife Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne formed a dynamic actor-and-producer team that dominated early twentieth-century American theater. Together, the couple's effortless comedies delighted Broadway audiences. In 1928 "the fabulous Lunts" solidified their star power when they stipulated contractually that they must always perform as a pair. Critics praised their "infinite subtlety, resource and drollery" and declared, "Miss Fontanne and Mr. Lunt are a matchless pair of volatile comedians."
Lunt's dashing appeal is captured in this portrait by the couple's friend, theater designer Claggett Wilson. The Lunts commissioned him to adorn the walls of their Wisconsin estate, Ten Chimneys, with painted murals. The original frame of this portrait matches woodwork used at the house. Lunt's beret may reference a 1928 trip that he, Fontanne, and Wilson took to the Basque country in Spain.
Claggett Wilson, c. 1935 |