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.
About this Item
signed
Notes
General Benjamin Viljoen, born in 1868, distinguished himself in key battles during the Anglo-Boer War. Notably, in the Vaal Kranz, and later at the Battle of Helvatia where he secured a significant victory,capturing the Lady Roberts naval gun. After the war, Viljoen emigrated to the United States, where he played a pivotal role in establishing a Boer colony in Mexico with the assistance of Theodore Roosevelt andserved as a military advisor during the Mexican Revolution. He passed away in 1917 in La Mesa, New Mexico.1
The present lot portrays a young girl leaning over a wooden fence and is believed to depict a relative of Frans Oerders’ wife, Gerde Pitlo (a flower painter), whom he married after relocating to Rotterdam in 1908.
1. Geni (no date) Generaal Ben Viljoen, online, https://www.geni.com/people/Generaal-Ben-Viljoen/6000000022245499624, accessed 30 May 2024.
Provenance
Acquired from the artist by General Benjamin Viljoen, Amsterdam.
Private Estate Sale in 1917, La Mesa, New Mexico.
Direct descent to a Private Collector, California.
The DinksFãStan Private Collection, United Kingdom.
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