One of the most influential and respected artists in Boston during the late 19th century, William Morris Hunt became a great proponent of the French Barbizon school of painting, the precursor of Impressionism that remains popular to this day. On exhibit in the museum’s entry hall until mid-May will be William Morris Hunt’s “Roman Girl”, depicting a young Italian peasant girl, one of the artist’s finest examples of figurative painting.

Also on view in the entry hall will be Clyde du Vernet Hunt’s “Girl at Bedside”, a rare example of his work as a painter. Nephew of William Morris Hunt, Clyde received his earliest artistic training in America from his uncles, William and Richard Morris Hunt, a renowned architect. Like others in his family, he then traveled to France where he studied painting and sculpture. His most famous work is a figurative sculpture of Abraham Lincoln, exhibited at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York, which is now in the museum’s courtyard.

“Intimate Works” by William Morris Hunt will be on display until Mar. 25. The works in this show represent the intimate side of Hunt’s artistic practice, quite distinct from his society portraits and large scale salon paintings. Drawing played an important role in Hunt’s artistic practice, and he felt drawing to be an artist’s foundation, helping to capture the first impressions of a subject. Hunt’s drawings provide insight into his working method and exquisite draftsmanship. The small scale paintings illustrate Hunt’s skill at translating the subtlety and nuance of his drawings into the oil medium. This exhibit will include drawings, prints, small scale oils, and pieces not shown in the museum’s 2005 show devoted to the Hunt family. The majority of these works are from the museum’s collection.