Notes

Hugo Naudé is regarded as the quintessential South African impressionist. He received his professional art education at the Slade School of Fine Art in London (1889–1890) and the Kunst Akademie in Munich (1890–1894) and spent a year amongst the Barbizon painters in Fontainebleau near Paris. He returned to South Africa in 1896 to the Boland town of Worcester, his place of birth.

Naudé’s work reflects his intimate affinity for nature and the soul of the African landscape. He captures the light and atmosphere with strong contrasts, an open-air freshness of his work, confident brushstrokes and the use of a brilliant range of colours.
The present lot Eikebos op Laborie et Picardie not only encapsulates Naude’s proficiency as an artist but has a very personal story. From 1897 the current owner’s grandfather Henri Louw – who went on to became a well-known architect – and his family regularly visited Onrus River and after a chance encounter with Naudé the family struck up a close friendship with the artist.

Naudé was frequently invited to the family farm Laborie et Picardie in the Paarl valley where the then young Louw would accompany the artist as he explored the farm. He vividly recalled Naudé remarking that it was the most beautiful valley he had ever seen. At the age of 16 in 1908 Louw witnessed the artist capturing this beautiful autumnal scene from the vantage point of the oak-lined stream with a view across the farmstead framed by majestic blue mountains beyond. Many years later in 1931 Louw received this work as a wedding gift from the painter.

Provenance

Given by the artist to Henri Louw, who grew up on the farm, as a wedding present in 1931, and thence by descent.

Literature

Henri Louw (1988) Die Pêrel van die Paarl, Paarl, illustrated in black and white on page 67.