Irma Stern portrait Cape Girl with Fruit headlines SA art auction

For generations of progressive South African collectors, the names Dumile Feni, Maggie Laubser, Esther Mahlangu, George Pemba, J.H. Pierneef, Alexis Preller, Gerard Sekoto, Lucas Sithole, Irma Stern, Anton van Wouw and Edoardo Villa have represented a rock-solid canon.

All these collectable modernist artists, many now receiving overdue worldwide recognition, are represented within the catalogues for Strauss & Co’s two-part Day and Night public sale of contemporary and modern artwork in Johannesburg on Tuesday, 28 Could 2024.

Main the 85-lot catalogue for the premier Night Sale, which commences at 19:00, is Irma Stern’s paradisiacal 1930 portrait of a seated younger lady, Cape Lady with Fruit (estimate on request).

Made throughout a interval of frequent journey throughout Southern Africa and common exhibiting in Europe, this vital, large-scale work information the early beginnings of Stern’s celebrated and sensual mature fashion.

Paradise additionally looms massive as theme in Alexis Preller’s sun-drenched seashore scene, Fisherman Mending Nets, Beau Vallon (estimate R3-4 million / $162 780 – 217 040), from his vital go to to the Seychelles in 1949.

Preller, who’s presently the topic of a profession retrospective at Norval Basis in Cape City, has two works within the night session.

Irma Stern has 5 work on public sale

Stern has 5, together with Nonetheless Life with Amaryllis (estimate R5 – 7 million / $271 455 – $380 040), which was painted throughout a pause in her epic run representing South Africa at 4 editions of the Venice Biennale (in 1950, 52, 54 and 58).

“Greater than a decade in the past, The New York Instances wrote that South African avant-garde portray of the twentieth century had not loomed massive within the worldwide public creativeness, which was maybe true of affairs on the flip of this century however positively doesn’t apply immediately,” says Dr Alastair Meredith, Head of Division of Positive Artwork, Strauss & Co.

“South African modernists have in the previous couple of years acquired rising recognition in worldwide exhibitions and publications. The 2024 Venice Biennale, which options practically a dozen of the nation’s greatest modernists, together with George Pemba, Gerard Sekoto and Irma Stern, marks an additional step within the worldwide rehabilitation of our historic artists.”

The Night Sale affords a consultant survey of South African artwork, from its early beginnings with painters like Frans Oerder and Pieter Wenning, by way of the emergence of the black modernist canon with figures like Pemba and Sekoto, as much as the colourful current day.

There are two high-value William Kentridge drawings: Making ready the Flute (estimate on request), associated to his celebrated 2005 manufacturing of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, and a WW1 battle scene (estimate on request) from his 2002 stop-animation movie Zeno Writing.

As at all times, portray options strongly in each the net Day Sale and the live-virtual Night Sale, with notable works by Walter Battiss, Peter Clarke, Robert Hodgins, Maggie Laubser, Nelson Makamo and John Meyer.

The estimate for Vladimir Tretchikoff’s putting Chrysanthemums in a Vase (estimate R1.2 – R1.6 million / $65 090 – $86 785) displays his evergreen standing at public sale.

George Pemba and Gerard Sekoto, who’re presently having fun with premier billing on the Venice Biennale, have three and 5 works apiece within the Night Sale.

Pemba’s 1989 portrait, Creator and Artist (estimate R200 000 – R300 000 / $10 865 – $16 300), depicts writer Alan Paton.

Sekoto’s works are dated 1960 to 1975, and embody Mom and Youngster (estimate R400 000 – R600 000 / $21 730 – $32 595) from 1971.

Sculpture just isn’t neglected.

The night session consists of an vital Nisini foundry casting of Anton van Wouw’s bronze Slegte Nuus (estimate R3 – R4 million / $162 780 – $217 040).

Modern sculptor Dylan Lewis has three works within the Night Sale.

The web-only Day Sale is particularly sturdy on sculpture and consists of bronzes by Deborah Bell, Andries Botha, Man du Toit and Herman van Nazareth.

Goat Ladies (estimate R150 000 – R200 000 / $8 150 – $10 865) is a collaborative work by Diane Victor and Ruhan Janse van Vuuren from their Scapegoat Sequence.

{The catalogue} additionally consists of painted wooden items by Norman Catherine and an early work by Gerhard Marx.