Art Rooted in Nature: Evening Sale
Live Virtual Auction, 25 June 2024
Evening Sale
About the SessionSouth 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.
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About this Item
signed with the artist's monogram
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.