"Both Pierneef artworks were given to the owner's grandparents as a wedding gift in 1934. The owner's grandmother, Tibbie Liebenberg, one of South Africa's first female attorneys was the granddaughter of President Martinus Steyn. The water colour by Pierneef was a gift to the President's granddaughter on her marriage to Willie Liebenberg, so the historical anecdotes of these works are important."
Gillian Scott-Berning, fine art and decorative art consultant said: "Pierneef is very sought after on the art market, particularly because of his distinctive, unique artistic style which seems to capture the essence of South Africa's landscape. The interest in these two particular works is that
that they are early historical works. One is a charming garden sketch showing an example of his mixed media and the other is a water colour that depicts the birth place of President Steyn who was a really well liked character in his day. He was a bit like Smuts and a well-educated man."
Terence McCaw's Table Mountain with Cape Cottages is by another competent artist. "It's a charming picture with Table Mountain which is such an icon and there is also a very early work, an abstract charcoal done by one of Durban's best loved art figures, artist Andrew Verster," said Scott-Berning.
Gabriel de Jong's dramatic sweeping Cape coastal landscape is up for sale as is Francois Koch's spectacular painting of a Baobab tree. Errol Boyley's Fishing Village oil on canvas is a gentle scene of fishermen after a day's catch and the painting is bathed in a beautiful golden light. Walter
Battiss' two small ink drawings signed and dated 1951 are titled, Peter's son and Meeting of three.
Consolidated Auction Group presents these historical artworks for sale by auction on 18 June at the Umgeni Business Park in Durban.
