6th Mar, 2024 18:00
20th Century & Contemporary Art
12
Maurice van Essche (South Africa 1906-1977)
Congolese water carriers
oil on canvas
Signature details: signed bottom right
oil on canvas
Signature details: signed bottom right
(1)
52 x 63.5 cm; framed size: 93.5 x 105.5 x 2 cm
Provenance:
Private collection, Pretoria.
ABOUT THE ARTWORK
Belgian-born Maurice van Essche’s legacy is highly regarded, not only for the distinctive paintings he produced within a local milieu, but also for his academic work and contributions to the development and promotion of art locally and abroad. Soon after arriving in Cape Town in 1940, he became a prominent figure in the arts – joining the New Group and teaching at the Wits Tech Art School. He founded the Continental School of Art in Cape Town, was a member of the International Art Club and formed part of the country’s début at the Venice Biennale in 1950. He lectured at the Michaelis School of Fine Art, University of Cape Town and in 1962 became a professor.
Van Essche came to Africa in 1939 on a scholarship from the Belgian Government to undertake a commissioned painting expedition to the Congo. This year-long sojourn was deeply inspiring and the scenes and people he encountered left a lasting impression. For many years, Van Essche continued to produce paintings centred around these Congo-inspired themes, which came to signify a large part of his creative output.
Congolese water carriers is a fine example of these studies – a poignant portrayal of everyday life, community, communal labour and tradition. The painting depicts a group of women, dressed in their traditional attire, engaged in their domestic routines and chores amidst a rural backdrop. Some carry vessels of water atop their heads while, another seeks respite under the shade of a tree. The stylised composition not only portrays the physical demands of their tasks but also embeds them within their cultural milieu.
Van Essche’s depiction of the scene is more formal than exotic. While the figures are rendered with simplicity, they exude grace and strength within the African landscape they inhabit.
The painting offers a historical window into the daily rhythms of life in the region, evoking a sense of nostalgia while celebrating the communal spirit that defined its people – a testament to a bygone era and way of life.
Marelize van Zyl
COLLECTIONS:
The artist is represented in numerous local and international collections, notably the Museum of Graphic Art, Brussels; Durban Art Gallery, Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town; Bezalel Art Gallery, Jerusalem; Johannesburg Art Gallery; Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Gallery, Gqeberha; Javett Art Centre, Pretoria; Galleries of the University of the Witwatersrand and the William Humphreys Art Gallery, Kimberley.
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Auction: 20th Century & Contemporary Art, 6th Mar, 2024
HIGHLIGHTS
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