BUSINESS ART Fine Art Auction highlights

Business art OLDJW ART AUCTION

www.oldjwauctioneers.com

Johannes Meintjes, Karoo Lovers

Old Johannesburg Warehouse Auctioneers

has grown into a flourishing business with three branches, located respectively in Johannesburg, Pretoria and the Winelands. Auctioneers of antiques, art, jewellery, collectables, carpets, classic vehicles, coins, collectables and more host a lineup of online auctions throughout the year spread out between the branches. The owner, former 1995 Springbok rugby player, Christiaan Scholtz started off 27 years ago, dealing in Antiques, collectables and art. The Melville shop, Ossewa Antiques, which he owned and operated from for over 20 years has now become the latest location for auctions through the company. The newly refurbished OJW Clubhouse Melville venue will be host to select smaller auctions with highly sought after pieces – one such, taking place on Saturday 10 September, is worth diarizing.

A magnitude of magnificent art and antiques is included in this auction line up. The art collection of late Dr Piet Roux forms a main part of this. Dr Roux befriended the artist Johannes Meintjes on the Meintjes family farm Grootzeekoegat. The Meintjes family acquired the homestead, built in 1824 as home as well as fortress against the Xhosa nation during frontier wars, in 1859. Here three preceding generations farmed with sheep and this is where his father died when Meintjes was only five years of age. The family had little choice but to move away to Riversdal. For more than twenty years Meintjes had been dreaming about his return to Grootzeekoegat, to claim his inheritance and to reunite with his past. Two years after his return to South Africa from Europe, he withdraws to the isolated family farm Grootzeekoegat, inexplicably bound to his family heritage. Here he would give expression to himself as a painter, write all his important manuscripts and build up his highly prestigious library.

No visitor to Grootzeekoegat could escape the haunting atmosphere and sense of mystery that hung over the legendary Storm- and Bamboesberge, and the aura of things unknown and unseen that pervaded the silent veld stretching out beyond the farmhouse. It is almost impossible to pinpoint it, but something of the primeval spirit of that place, of its timelessness, its loneliness and the

Above: Johannes Meintjes, Landscape With Rock And Birds Opposite page: Johannes Meintjes, Wagtende Kitaarspeler

Piet van Heerden, Farm Cottages, Cape

deepest, most enduring and indestructible part of man is reflected in the canvasses painted by Meintjes. Together with his wife Ronell, Meintjes became part of the people of Molteno, the town closest to Grootzeekoegat. He was a prolific artist and at the time of his death in 1980, he had painted more than 1 336 paintings, hundreds of sketches and dozens of sculptures.

Dr Roux who hailed from Molteno, could also not escape the atmosphere of the place and the person and became a great enthusiast of the artist’s work, acquiring many pieces for his private collection. Thirteen of his Meintjes art works are in included but of special mention KAROO LOVERS, a hauntingly beautiful largescale oil is the piece that started their bond. The painting, done as a commission, was executed in 1976.

Many beautiful Piet van Heerdens, Gregoire Boonzaiers and Alice Goldin oils are also included from his collection. Also, of special mention out of this auction a spectacular Neil Rodgers, YOUNG WOMAN SEATED IN A CRISP WHITE SHIRT and a rare portfolio of Salvador Dali lithographs from the opera Carmen. More wonderful lots still to be added as intake is still in progress.

The auction catalogue will be online by the end of August. Viewing for the public will be open on Friday 9 September from 9:00 until 15:30 at 1 8th Avenue, Melville. For more information, please contact the Jhb office on 011 836 1650 or email info@oldjwauctioneers.com

Consignments for future auctions take place year-round – please get in touch with your nearest branch (Johannesburg/Pretoria/ Wellington) to get included in an auction. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more updates. www.oldjwauctioneers.com

Above and right: Salvador Dali, lithographs from CARMEN portfolio

Piet van Heerden, Grondpad, Victoriastraat, Villiersdorp

Business Art STRAUSS & CO.

Paying homage to Die Kunskamer, the gallery that changed the course of SA art

www.straussart.co.za

Strauss & Co is pleased to announce its participation in the 2022 instalment of August Art Month, an annual celebration of arts and culture hosted by collectors Frank and Lizelle Kilbourn in the historic Cape Town manor house of Welgemeend. Established in 2014 and hosted in collaboration with the Friends of Welgemeend and Strauss & Co, August Art Month always presents a themed art exhibition featuring rare and important artworks from private collections. This year’s exhibition is titled Homage: Erken/Verken (531 August) and celebrates the achievements of art market pioneers Louis and Charlotte Schachat, founders in 1971 of the legendary Cape Town art gallery Die Kunskamer.

Charlotte Schachat will play an active role in the commemorative exhibition Homage: Erken/ Verken. She has agreed to lend key artworks as well as provide valuable information and archival material about Die Kunskamer and the artists it represented over half a century. Works by leading artists such as Kenneth Bakker, J. H. Pierneef, Alexis Preller, Deborah Poynton and Irma Stern will be on display.

“Louis Schachat had a big influence on me and opened my eyes to many artists,” says Strauss & Co chairperson Frank Kilbourn, who was a longstanding client of Die Kunskamer. “I have many works that Oom Louis handled, including Irma Stern’s Two Arabs. He taught me the importance of buying what you love, not what you think is a good investment. He also introduced me to exciting contemporary artists. The exhibition Homage: Erken/ Verken commemorates the role a gallery plays in influencing collecting habits. It also acknowledges the immense support Die Kunskamer provided the local art market, not only by promoting established artists but in taking brave positions on little known artists.”

Deborah Poynton, Safe House, Die Kunskamer / Schachat Collection

Above: Esther Mahlangu, Abstract, Die Kunskamer / Schachat Collection Opposite: Alexis Preller, Abstract, The Kilbourn Collection

Norman Catherine, Who Zoo, The Kilbourn Collection

Stanley Pinker,, Fete Champetre,, Private Collection

Louis Schachat was born into a farming family in Robertson, in the Western Cape, in 1926. His father was a Lithuanian Jew and his mother English. He attended an Afrikaans school and grew up speaking Afrikaans and Yiddish. He studied law at the University of Cape Town and practiced as a lawyer for several years before, in 1971, opening Die Kunskamer with his wife, Charlotte, in Cape Town. By this time the Schachats were already seasoned collectors.

Through Die Kunskamer, the Schachats established a reputation as pacesetting dealers with a committed focus on South African art. Their asking price of R5 000 for a Stern caused a stir early on. The Schachats established further benchmarks. They were the first buyers to pay more than R1 million for a work by Irma Stern, and in 2010 paid well over R10 million for a Stern still life. When Louis Schachat died in 2013, at age 87, the Sunday Times ran a fulsome obituary: “More than anyone, he was responsible for the rise in the monetary value, recognition and status of South African art.” The story of Die Kunskamer is about focussed commitment, but it is also about broad-minded tastes and the pleasure offered by new art. “It wasn’t just about the big names for Oom Louis,” says Frank Kilbourn. “He supported artists like David Brown, Norman Catherine, William Kentridge, Malcolm Payne, Michael Pettit, Stanley Pinker and many others. This represented the curious and exploratory side of Die Kunskamer, the verkenning aspect of what it offered. I always experienced a real sense of adventure when I visited Die Kunskamer. It was like a journey of discovery. I got the most joy out of the unusual works on show. Oom Louis didn’t give up on the artists he loved.”

The programme for 2022 August Art Month includes a series of walkabouts, public lectures and related social events. A full schedule of events is available at www.welgemeendart.co.za and www.straussart.co.za

For more information about Welgemeend Art Month 2022, please contact: 063 910 0154

Business Art STEPHAN WELZ & CO.

www.swelco.co.za

2022 has been an exciting year for the Stephan Welz & Co. art department. The Cape Town Premium Sale kicked off our auction calendar with an impressive sell-through rate, setting a precedent for the sales to follow, with the department continuing this trend throughout the year. Our specialists are enthusiastic about the current trajectory of the South African art market, and have discussed a few of their personal highlights below:

Amy Carrington – Art Specialist, CT

“It has been particularly exciting to see a steadily increasing interest in contemporary South African art within the auction world. I think this indicates diversification within the auction market, and ultimately allows us to present a more accurate and inclusive representation of the scope of South African art. We have also seen an increase in our buyers thinking beyond the walls of their homes, investing in art that is not only aesthetically pleasing, but contributes to investment portfolios. A personal highlight this year was handling William Kentridge’s Dutch Iris II. Spending time examining Kentridge’s mark-making and considered layering cemented his virtuosity in printmaking and his impressive approach to treating intaglio prints much like his expressive drawings. Kentridge’s technique of layering and revising provisional lines, a recurring process of “thinking out loud” throughout the artist’s oeuvre, was excellently illustrated in this work, resulting in a wonderfully complex piece”.

Adam Heald – Junior Art Specialist, CT

“The past Cape Town Premium auction was an amalgamation of beauty and history. A standout piece for me was Michael Amery’s Settlers. Amery’s work stands to be the intersection between the old South African modernists and the new era of contemporary art. The beauty and wonder of the South African landscape has long since been a source of inspiration for artists, documenting its everchanging colours with each passing season. Settlers is a scene inspired by the Western Cape’s Swartberg mountain range. Amery uses the late afternoon sunlight, as it casts shadows of deep blues and purples on the surface of each rock formation.

Cecil Higgs (South African 1898 - 1986) Dried Proteas, Shells, Things Iii, oil on canvas, 59,5cm by 75cm; R25 000 – R40 000

Michael Amery (South African 1984 - ), Settlers, signed and dated ‘21, oil on canvas, 76,5 by 100cm, Estimate: R15 000 – R20 000,

Sold: R44 118

A single Eucalyptus tree draws our attention to the foreground of the painting, as its linear shape reaches over the mountain tops, surgically dividing the painting into two parts. The Eucalyptus tree is commonly found throughout the South Africa landscape; however, it is an alien plant, introduced to the native flora and ecosystems by the British in the late 18th century. The Eucalyptus tree presented in this context becomes an incredibly significant Symbol. Amery uses similar symbols and motifs throughout his work, subtly exploring the parallels between our colonial history as well as the socio-economic divides commonly found within South Africa today”.

Alexia Ferreira – Art Specialist, Johannesburg

“As an art specialist we are afforded the opportunity to deal with a broad range of collections, both corporate and private. One of the most exciting collections that I have dealt with this year is that of the Legacy Museum at the Orient Boutique Hotel.

Alexander Rose-Innes (South African 1915 - 1996), Study Of A Man, signed, oil on canvas, 65,5 by 40,5cm; 87 by 61,5 by 3cm including frame, R25 000 – R35 000

The museum and Restaurant Mosaic was managed and curated by renowned chef, Chantel Dartnall. Artworks were meticulously integrated into the restaurant and hotel, creating an environment where guests were greeted with beauty and a multi-sensory experience from the moment they entered the property. The Museum showcased works of art that celebrated South African art and the legacy left behind by some of the country’s most respected and celebrated artists. The collection spans multiple periods, techniques and movements in South Africa’s recent art history and offers a personal glimpse into the works of some of the canons of South African art, including the works of the Cape Impressionists – Alexander Rose-Innes, William Timlin, Hugo Naudé, Terrance McCaw, Gwelo Goodman, Gregoire Boonzaier, Cecil Higgs and Nita Spilhaus, as well as older masters such as WH Coetzer, Frans Oerder, and Tinus de Jongh – not forgetting more contemporary artists such as Hennie Niemann, Conrad Theys and Lynn-Marie Eatwell. Much of the collection was purchased directly from the artists and

Conrad Nagel Doman Theys (South African 1940 - ) Still Life With Blue Teapot, signed and dated 1992, pastel on paper, 24,5 by 31cm; R10 000 – R15 000

Alexander Rose-Innes (South African 1915 - 1996), Study Of A Man, signed, oil on canvas, 65,5 by 40,5cm; R25 000 – R35 000

Michael Amery (South African 1984 - ), Settlers, signed and dated ‘21, oil on canvas, 76,5 by 100cm,

Estimate: R15 000 – R20 000, Sold: R44 118

was a collaboration between the artists and the family, such as the likes of Tienie Pritchard and Adriaan Boshoff, producing a carefully curated and unparalleled collection that has been added to since the early 1970s to date”.

Robyn Woolley – Junior Art Specialist, Johannesburg

“As someone who has worked in the Primary market it is constantly surprising to see the inevitable differences as well as the strong intertwined nature of both the primary and secondary art markets. It is, of course, tantalizing to work with rare and desirable collectables however, to be able to learn from a rapidly evolving and fickle market is one of my favorite aspects of being an art specialist. The first auction house was established in 1674 in Sweden, and I find the nature of the business with its every changing yet somehow constant zeitgeist, rather remarkable. It is an age-old industry that has an impact on our cultural perspectives and that is always an impressive sentiment. As specialists we are exposed to an array of collections, and it is always interesting to not only witness people’s propensity to collect but also their reasoning and perception of what they deem as ‘valuable’ art. It varies from collectors who buy art based off their personal taste to collectors who meticulously follow industry trends, and seeing these collections perform on auction always satisfies a professional sense of curiosity”.

The art department is looking forward to the rest of the sales for 2022, with premium auctions coming up in October and November. We are actively consigning for these sales, so whether you have a work by an old master, a portfolio of contemporary works, would like expert advice on procuring or selling investment pieces, or if you are simply curious about the value of your items, contact us via support@swelco. co.za. For up-to-date information regarding our upcoming sale dates and valuation days, follow our social media pages.