- Two curated art sales spanning over a century of art making
- Irma Stern’s Praying Arab from 1945 is highest value work
- Museum pedigree works by Nicholas Hlobo, William Kentridge and Berni Searle
- Seven paintings owned by collector Nedra Jooste on sale
- Strong modernist catalogue of Walter Battiss, Peter Clarke and Alexis Preller
On 19 September 2023, Strauss & Co, Africa’s leading art auction house, will present Irma Stern’s highly important portrait, Praying Arab (estimate R16 – 18 million/ $840,00-950,000), from a prestigious private collection. Stern’s work is the highlight of Cape Town Auction Week (17 – 19 September 2023). This expertly curated series of sales will present fine wines and collectable modern and contemporary art by sought-after South African artists Nicholas Hlobo, William Kentridge, Maggie Laubser, J.H. Pierneef, Alexis Preller, Athi-Patra Ruga and Berni Searle.
“Praying Arab dates from Irma Stern’s second visit to the East African island of Zanzibar in 1945 and is a superb example of the stylistic attributes characteristic of her golden period,” says Bina Genovese, Managing Executive, Strauss & Co. “It is one of four high-value Stern works appearing in our marquee virtual-live sale. There are two gorgeous flower still-lifes from 1955 by Stern, one of them owned by the collector Nedra Jooste. We are also offering an endearing marine landscape with figures from 1933. Whatever the period Stern always commands attention. In March, Strauss & Co established an African record when we sold her 1939 painting Children Reading the Koran for R22.3 million/ $1.17 million.”
www.straussart.co.za
Irma Stern SOUTH AFRICAN 1894-1966 Praying Arab signed and dated 1945; signed on the reverse oil on canvas in an orginal hand-carved Zanzibar wooden frame 63 by 55cm excluding frame; 80,5 by 67 by 6,5cm including frame ZAR 16 000 000 – 18 000 000
Irma Stern SOUTH AFRICAN 1894-1966 Red Dahlias signed and dated 1955; inscribed with the artist’s name, date, the title and medium on Dennis Hotz Gallery and Pretoria Art Museum labels adhered to the reverse oil on canvas 78,5 by 77,5cm excluding frame; 97 by 95,5 by 6,5cm including frame R 4 000 000 – 6 000 000
Irma Stern SOUTH AFRICAN 1894-1966 Portrait of a Woman signed and dated 1927 charcoal on paper 46,5 by 34cm excluding frame; 70 by 57 by 2cm including frame R 80 000 – 100 000
Jacob Hendrik Pierneef SOUTH AFRICAN 1886-1957 Baie Storms Weerstaan (Many Storms Withstood) signed, inscribed with the title on a metal plaque and the artist’s name and medium on a Dennis Hotz Gallery label adhered to the reverse oil on canvas laid down on board 29 by 29cm excluding frame; 64,5 by 64,5 by 4,5cm including frame R 400 000 – 600 000
William Kentridge and Gerhard Marx World on its Hind Legs 2010 signed, numbered 1/6, inscribed with the title and medium on an artist’s certificate of authenticity painted stainless steel on a moveable steel base height: 58,5cm excluding base, 62cm including base; width: 45cm; depth: 87cm; moveable steel base: 159 by 70 by 85cm (2) R 1 500 000 – 2 000 000
Zander Blom SOUTH AFRICAN 1982- Untitled 1.57 signed and dated 2011 on the reverse oil on linen 198 by 150 by 3cm, unframed R 300 000 – 500 000