Notes

What sets Alexis Preller’s Christ Head apart is its notably large white canvas, upon which this fragmented depiction of Christ is painted. Its ragged and layered edges evoke the appearance of an exposed fresco, or a reproduction affixed to a surface that has been torn away.

In terms of scale, this painting differs significantly from what is considered Preller’s final work, The Sweet Bird of Youth, completed in 1975, likely after the opening of his last exhibition at Goodman Gallery in Hyde Park, Johannesburg. Both of these final pieces exhibit a subdued tonality, suggestive of contemplation and darkness. In the present lot, the russet tones of the skin and the deep brown of the hair accentuate the whiteness of the large almond-shaped eyes, reminiscent of those seen in his seminal 1948 painting, Head (Adapting itself to the Unendurable) (fig 3).

Vertical cracks on the face and neck reference the surfaces of Greek and Russian icons owned by Preller, while also symbolising metaphorical injury, a recurring theme in earlier works like Wounded Sculpture (fig 4) from 1947. The vibrant turquoise collar of Christ’s robe serves as a striking accent, contrasting with the dark recessive background. The head appears to be perforated by an illusionistic ‘flaked loss of surface’ above the eye.

The fragmentary aesthetic suggests a relic and evokes a sense of pensiveness associated with Christ as he contemplates death and transcendence. Shortly after completing this work in 1975, Preller passed away due to complications after surgery. Following his death and the subsequent passing of his partner Guna Massyn a few days later, his estate and studio contents were swiftly auctioned off and dispersed. However, his remarkable artistic legacy was later revived through the efforts of art historians Esmé Berman and Karel Nel in subsequent publications and retrospectives.