Notes

Wolfgang Biederlack was born in Windhoek in December 1933. Despite his farmer parents having emigrated from Germany amid the uncertainty of the Great Depression and the growing influence of National Socialism, his father was interned in South Africa during WWII. After serving an apprenticeship at Standard Bank in Windhoek, Wolfgang was transferred first to Gobabis and then to Lüderitz where, in 1964, he married Erika. As newlyweds, he and his wife travelled to Europe, returning to Windhoek with a selection of collected porcelain and antiques. Energised by his own research, Wolfgang subsequently developed a lifelong passion for Namibian art. By seeking out fine examples – whether privately or through local dealers – he built a beautiful and balanced survey collection of Namibian pictures that spanned nearly a century, and included works by the likes of Axel Eriksson, Heinz Pulon, Otto Schröder, Fritz Krampe, Otto Klar, Johannes and Arnfried Blatt, Keith Alexander, Nico Roos and, of course, Adolph Jentsch. While six highlights from the Biederlack collection follow here (Lots 20 to 25), the remaining works will appear in a dedicated session of Strauss & Co’s Saturday Live Sale in Johannesburg on 19 October 2019.

Provenance

The Estate of Wolfgang Biederlack, Windhoek.