Strauss & co - 16 May 2011, Johannesburg

106 The light paint treatment of the trees contrasts with the thickly painted walls grounding the buildings in this sylvan scene. The fencing, painted with rapid strokes that lend an elegant rhythm to the composition, accentuate Wenning’s mastery of brushwork learnt from the Japanese painters he so admired. Boonzaier’s diary entry of 27 May 1918 contains his response to Wolke Pretoria : Another oil, considerably smaller in size, represents Pretoria – or, may be, one of its suburbs, during the progress of a heavy thunderstorm. It is a charming study in greys and subdued greens. The sky covers more than half the canvas, the landscape being shown in a narrow strip at the bottom. The whole thing is conceived in Wenning’s happiest vein and I am almost inclined to prefer it to the larger picture. ... I wrote immediately to W. telling him what satisfaction the pictures – especially the first two – had given me, and in the evening took them to the Michaelis Café where they were greatly admired by Wray, Peers, Ruth Prowse, Magda Sauer and others. 4 It is small wonder that this painting elicited so many favourable responses. Wenning’s ability to capture a sense of place with what are essentially a few abstracted brushstrokes and articulated lines is very evident. His mastery in marrying Dutch Impressionsim that favoured deeper colours and subtle light with local environmental conditions to evolve a style that has sometimes been referred to as Cape Impressionism, was to have a marked influence on several artists including his friend, Nita Spilhaus and on Gregoire Boonzaier, the son of his mentor. 1 Ibid, page 31. 2 J. Du P. Scholtz, D. C. Boonzaier en Pieter Wenning: Verslag van ‘n Vriendskap , Tafelberg, 1973, page 31. 3 Ibid, page 32. 4 Ibid, page 55. 216 Pieter Willem Frederick WENNING south african 1873–1921 Clouds, Pretoria signed; inscribed with the title on the stretcher on the reverse oil on canvas 22 by 32 cm R600 000 – 900 000