Strauss & co - 15 March 2010, Cape Town

194 431 South African School 20 TH C ENTURY The Icon Project A collection of eighteen icons by various artists including Iris Ampenberger, Jan Buys, Frans Claerhout, May Hillhouse, Basil Humphreys, Alfred Krenz, Alexander Podlashuc, Marianne Podlashuc, John Rodger, Gerard Sekoto, Frank Spears, Walter Westbrook, four by Gordon Vorster and two by J Wavelberg, all signed except Claerhout, Marianne Podlashuc and Spears, all inscribed on the reverse with the artists’ names and variously dated between 1966-1971 oil on board, some with gold leaf highlights each 30 by 25cm (18) R200 000 – 300 000 PROVENANCE Basil Humphreys and thence by descent Basil Humphreys, son of William Humphreys, principal benefactor and after whom the William Humphreys Art Gallery in Kimberley is named, had an abiding interest in Greek and Russian icons which he collected avidly. As they became harder to acquire, particularly in the mid 1960s, he came up with the novel idea of inviting prominent South African artists to paint an ‘icon’for his collection. Accordingly he wrote to a number of artists making precisely the same offer – he would provide a uniform piece of hardboard, and offer payment of R50 per painting. The artists who responded positively are represented in this lot. Regrettably, not everyone was taken with the idea and there were some apologies from, amongst others, Walter Battiss, Gregoire Boonzaier, Bettie Cilliers-Barnard, Claude Bouscharain, Eleanor Esmonde-White, Jack Heath, Judy Mason, Ephraim Ngatane, Alexis Preller, Maud Sumner, Maurice van Essche and MatthewWhippman. Ruth Prowse responded that she was unable to participate due to failing eyesight. A folder enclosing two further examples on paper by Gordon Vorster and the relative correspondence with the above artists is included with this lot. The Icon Project