18th Jun, 2026 19:00
Modern & Contemporary Art - Evening Sale
9
Walter Battiss (South Africa 1906-1982)
Spirit of Africa, diptych
Artwork date: c. 1960
Signature details: signed bottom right
Exchange Rates*: USD 41 995 – 59 992
GBP 31 480 – 44 971
EURO 36 170 – 51 671
R700,000 - R1,000,000
Buyers Premium
Artwork date: c. 1960
Signature details: signed bottom right
Exchange Rates*: USD 41 995 – 59 992
GBP 31 480 – 44 971
EURO 36 170 – 51 671
(2)
top: 134 x 146.5 cm; framed size: 142 x 154.5 x 4 cm; bottom: 227 x 146.5 cm; framed size: 234 x 154.5 x 4 cm; total framed size: 376 x 154.5 x 4 cm
Provenance:
Private collection, Johannesburg.
Commissioned from the artist in the early 1960s, Private Collection, Kimberley.
ABOUT THE ARTWORK
Spirit of Africa (c.1960), is an extraordinary and exceptionally rare large-scale work by Walter Battiss. Measuring just more than 3.5 meters in height, this monumental composition ranks among the largest paintings ever produced by the artist.
Created during a defining period in Battiss’ oeuvre, Spirit of Africa belongs to the late 1950s and early 1960s, an ambitious phase in which the artist increasingly turned toward monumental compositions and immersive visual environments. This period gave rise to some of his most important projects, including The Sanctuary mural (1958–59), commissioned for the former Transvaal Administration Building in Pretoria, and the celebrated African Paradise painting of the early 1960s. Within this context, Spirit of Africa, originally a privately commissioned work for a modernist residence, occupies a particularly special position: translating the scale and ambition of Battiss’ public commissions into a singular painting intended for private enjoyment.
The work captures Battiss at the height of his powers, merging abstraction and figuration into a richly layered visual language that is unmistakably his own. Stylised figures, symbolic forms and rhythmic patterning emerge and dissolve across the surface, inviting prolonged looking and discovery. Battiss’ enduring fascination with ancient visual cultures and the spirit of the African continent is palpable, yet the composition remains resolutely modern in its structure and energy.
Its palette of earthy ochres, warm browns, deep reds and dusty blues evokes the atmosphere of the African landscape – its sun-baked terrain, vast skies and elemental presence. Rather than depicting a literal scene, Spirit of Africa channels an emotional and symbolic response to place, creating an expansive, almost immersive meditation on the vitality of the land and its people.
Monumental paintings by Battiss of this calibre and scale seldom come to market, making Spirit of Africa not only an exceptional collector’s opportunity, but also a significant work within the artist’s broader legacy.
COLLECTIONS:
The artist is represented in numerous local and international collections, notably, Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town; Johannesburg Art Gallery, Johannesburg; Javett Art Centre, Pretoria; Durban Art Gallery, Durban; William Humphreys Gallery, Kimberley; University of the Witwatersrand Art Museum, Johannesburg; and the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum, Gqeberha.
The overall condition is good.
Minor fly specks in areas.
Minor abrasions visible in areas.
A few areas of visible paint loss in areas.
Please note, we are not qualified conservators and these reports give our opinion as to the general condition of the works. We advise that bidders view the lots in person to satisfy themselves with the condition of prospective purchases.
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Auction: Modern & Contemporary Art - Evening Sale, 18th Jun, 2026
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