
Helene Love-Allotey
Head of Department
Sold for £22,950 inc. premium
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Provenance
A private collection, South Africa.
Literature
Scholtz, J.du P., D.C. Boonzaier En Pieter Wenning, Verslag van 'n vreiendskap, (Cape Town: Tafelberg, 1973), p. 106. (illustrated)
Born and raised in the Netherlands in 1873, Wenning had all the attributes of a Western painter and his distinctive style was distinguished by his still life's and 'plein air' scene paintings of both urban life and natural landscapes. After immigrating to Pretoria in 1905 with the aim to find better work; selling books, stationery and art supplies to support his family, Wenning became involved with The Individualist's art group around 1911. On travelling for work in 1913 to the Cape Province, Pieter Wenning formed a strong relationship and worked closely with Daniël Cornelis Boonzaier. Boonzaier would influence and support Wenning, ensuring he was able to pursue his natural artistic talent with the help of the Cape Town artistic community. This support in both moral and financially would ultimately lead to Wenning's return to Cape Town in 1916 where he executed many Impressionist style paintings of the Malay Quarter, considered to be the slum area by the white community.
Popular in the Malay Quarter area of Cape Town, Wenning often painted street scenes such as the present lot. He became widely known by the locals as Ou Baas. This term, granted to men who generally had beards like Wenning, and was considered to be a term of endearment in the community. This acknowledgement may contribute to the idea of Wenning's affection for the area and community, both aesthetically and personally.
Bibliography
Marco Wenning, My Father, (Cape Town: Howard Timmins, 1976), pp, 62-64.