STEPHAN WELZ & CO.
Cape Town Auction 4-5 August 2020
www.swelco.co.za
The upcoming Stephan Welz & Co. Cape Town auction will be taking place on the 4th and 5th of August, and there are a number of highlights that are sure to interest collectors. Bidding opens online from the 28th of July, and live bidding will take place from the 4th through to the 5th of August. As we wait for the lots to go under the hammer in August, the Johannesburg team is preparing for an equally exciting sale in September.
The auction industry has faced many challenges during the nation-wide lockdown, but at a time when the country has had no choice but to slow down and take a step away from the bustle of the art scene, our specialists have had the luxury of being able to explore, and truly connect, with some of the works that will be offered on the upcoming Fine Art and Design auctions in both Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Tinus de Jongh (South African 1885-1942), Winter Stream, oil on canvas, 78,5 by 97,5cm, R60 000—R 90 000
Our art specialists have been afforded the opportunity to dive into the imaginative world of Salvador Dali and we are pleased to present a wonderful collection of woodcut engravings from all three of the Divine Comedy series portfolios, namely: Inferno, Purgatory and Paradise. The eccentric, sometimes bizarre imagery seen in these works acts as a surrealistic visual translation of Dante Alighieri’s poetic concepts of the soul’s journey to through loss and suffering to ultimate redemption.
Robert Hodgins presents a more humorous form of whimsy in his work American Beauty, indicating a sheer sense of delight in the use of bold colour and stylized composition. The artist’s use of a vibrant orange, and his clear definition of space, creates the stylistic quality that has become synonymous with Hodgins’s name. While the work’s palette and subject matter are seemingly uncomplicated, the artist skillfully presents this as a deliberate action through accomplished layering of tones, and manages to distill the depth and character of his subject Stephan Welz & Co. looks forward to presenting multiple works on the September sale by Walter Battiss, another cherished South African artist known for his use of exciting colours and texture. While Frangi Pani and Boy may not make use of the brilliant and bold colours that have become synonymous with the artist, Battiss’s use of colour and tone creates an atmosphere of concentrated contemplation that ultimately allows him to tell his stories through colour. The artist’s sensitive approach to the subject matter shows his ability to insert context and life into a simple scene, and is contrasted and complimented with the naturalistic oil, Blydskap.
While Tinus de Jongh is most known for his prolific representations of South Africa’s landscapes, the artist’s upbringing and education in the Netherlands created the grounding for his style and approach to his depiction of those scenes. De Jongh was trained in the fundamentals of painting and traditional paint techniques during his time at Ambachtschool, Amsterdam. The traditions of Dutch painting are showcased in this fine, sombrely coloured landscape, Winter Stream, which was completed before the artist’s relocation to South Africa, where
he adopted a richer colour palette that captured the unique warmth that washes over the South African terrain.
The upcoming Johannesburg auction will showcase many exciting works by local and international artists of stature, including pieces by, among others, Alexis Preller, J.H. Pierneef, John Muafangejo, Cecil Skotnes and Deborah Bell.
For more information about the works discussed in this article, please contact Stephan Welz & Co. via email at info@swelco.co.za or via telephone at 011 880 3125.
Robert Griffiths Hodgins (South African 1920-2010), American Beauty, lithograph, 76 by 57cm, R15 000—R20 000
Salvador Dalí (Spanish 1904-1989), Dante Purified (Purgatory 33), wood engraving in colour on woven paper (after a watercolour), 33 by 26,5cm.