18th Mar, 2026 19:00
Modern & Contemporary Art
11
Gerard Sekoto (South Africa 1913-1993)
The Second Conference of Black Writers and Artists by The Society of African Culture poster
colour lithograph
Signature details: printed with the artist's signature and date in the plate
Literature: Manganyi, N.C. (1996). 'A Black Man Called Sekoto', Johannesburg: Witwatersrand University Press, pp.90-91.
Exchange Rates*: USD 5 671 – 8 821
GBP 4 189 – 6 517
EURO 4 802 – 7 470
R90,000 - R140,000
Buyers Premium
colour lithograph
Signature details: printed with the artist's signature and date in the plate
Literature: Manganyi, N.C. (1996). 'A Black Man Called Sekoto', Johannesburg: Witwatersrand University Press, pp.90-91.
Exchange Rates*: USD 5 671 – 8 821
GBP 4 189 – 6 517
EURO 4 802 – 7 470
(1)
image size: 61.5 x 42 cm; framed size: 75.5 x 57.5 x 3.5 cm
Provenance:
Private collection, Pretoria.
ABOUT THE ARTWORK
The Congress of Black Writers and Artists was one of the most significant historical gatherings of Black intellectuals in the 20th Century. Leading Black thought leaders who attended these assemblies include Léopold Sédar Senghor, Frantz Fanon and Aimé Césaire.
Two assemblies were held, both organised by Présence Africaine – the Pan-African quarterly cultural, political, and literary review. The First Congress took place in September 1956 at the prestigious Sorbonne University in Paris. Three years later, the Second Congress took place at the Italian Institute for Africa, in Rome, from March to April 1959. It is for this second congress that Gerard Sekoto designed this striking portrait of two figures embracing each other with the African continent as the background.[1]
April 2, 1959: Olumbe Bassir, Nigerian Representative, Stands Before a Poster Showcasing the Black Artists and Writers International Congress in Rome.
(Photo by Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)
[1] Harcourt, B. E. (2021). Remicard Sereme: Background on the Congresses of Black Writers and Artists (1956 and 1959). [online]. Available at: https://blogs.law.columbia.edu/revolution1313/remicard-sereme-background-on-the-congresses-of-black-writers-and-artists-1956-and-1959/.
COLLECTIONS:
The artist is represented in numerous local and international collections, notably, the Municipal Collection of the City of Paris; Gallery Guildhall, Chicago; La Ville de Paris; The Nedbank Art Collection South Africa; The MTN Art Collection, South Africa; The South African Reserve Bank Collection, Johannesburg; The Sanlam Art Collection, Johannesburg; Standard Bank Collection, Johannesburg; Johannesburg Art Gallery; Javett Art Centre, Pretoria; Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town and the William Humphreys Art Gallery, Kimberley.
The overall condition is good.
Creasing in areas.
Minor cockling mid-bottom area.
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Auction: Modern & Contemporary Art, 18th Mar, 2026
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