Art Rooted in Nature: Evening Sale

Live Virtual Auction, 25 June 2024

Evening Sale
About the Session

South African artists have long drawn inspiration from the earth, capturing the beauty and complexity of flora and landscapes, with their works. The selection for sale emphasises themes of both human and non-human elements in nature, reflecting a profound connection to the environment.

This auction showcases a rich artwork medley that delves into the intricate relationship between the natural world and artistic expression. Featuring botanical depictions, landscapes, coastal scenes, floral still lifes and garden scenes in the Cape and beyond, the sale highlights the enduring relevance of nature in art, especially in the context of contemporary ecological concerns.

This auction celebrates the harmony between scientific precision and artistic creativity, making a compelling case for the ongoing relevance of depicting nature.

Running from 7 to 25 June to coincide with the Hermanus Fynarts Festival 2024, the Strauss & Co auction aims to complement the festival’s vibrant celebration of creativity in all its forms.


Sold for

ZAR 41 038
Lot 219
  • Nita Spilhaus; Poppies in a White Vase
  • Nita Spilhaus; Poppies in a White Vase
  • Nita Spilhaus; Poppies in a White Vase


Lot Estimate
ZAR 20 000 - 30 000
Selling Price
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
ZAR 41 038

About this Item

German/South African 1878-1967
Poppies in a White Vase

signed with the artist's monogram

oil on board
48 by 38cm excluding frame; 63 by 53 by 4cm including frame

Notes

The outbreak of the First World War marked the beginning of a difficult period for Nita Spilhaus, a German immigrant and fond painter of statuesque trees in luscious Cape landscapes. Due to her German heritage, Spilhaus was cast down by the society that she had made her home, and after her brother was accused of being a German conspirator, she was asked by the police not to paint outdoors. As an en plein air artist at heart, Spilhaus, now bound to her studio, took reluctantly to painting portraits and still lifes instead of her usual verdant landscapes. Flowers soon became Spilhaus’s favourite still life subject. She chose to paint small, delicate flowers over large, decorative ones. Poppies in a White Vase, illustrates the skilled craft of Spihaus’s blooms, which, as Esmé Berman asserts, possess a sparkle of clean bright colour.’1 Art critic, Magda Sauer, comments further on Spilhaus’s flower renditions that, ‘no-one has produced better their fragile grace and freshness.’2

1. Esme Berman (1974) Art and Artists of South Africa, Cape Town: A.A. Balkema, page 281 and 282.
2. Magda (1959) ‘Nita Spilhaus’ in Our Art 1, Pretoria: Lantern, page 127–131.

Peter Elliot (2015) Nita Spilhaus, Cape Town: Peter Elliot.

View all Nita Spilhaus lots for sale in this auction