Notes

The present lot hails from a recently deaccessioned private corporate collection - the world’s second-largest collection of Bowler’s work, only surpassed by the William Fehr collection at Iziko.

After arriving in Cape Town in 1834, Thomas Bowler spent his career documenting the Cape Colony. He painted both its landscapes and the lives of its inhabitants. His work also captures the early development of Port Elizabeth and scenes from his travels during a period of conflict between the Dutch and the British as they expanded into territories defended by the indigenous population.

“With the assistance of Dr. Mathys Bokhorst from the National Gallery and Bradlow, the company secured additional works by Bowler. Bradlow then took on the role of curator for the collection in 1967. Through his efforts, it became the country’s second-largest holding of Bowler’s art, surpassed only by the William Fehr collection at the Iziko Museums, encompassing paintings and other objects from the 17th to 19th centuries,” says Kayleen Wrigley, Strauss & Co Valuation Specialist.

Literature

C Pama (1977) Bowler’s Cape Town: Life at the Cape in Early Victorian Times 1834-1868, Cape Town: Tafelberg, illustrated on page 10.