Strauss & co - 10 October 2016, Cape Town

436 437 437 May (Mary Ellen) HILLHOUSE SOUTH AFRICAN 1 908-1989 Rhythm signed oil on canvas 54,5 by 42cm R40 000–60 000 “… Spring Orchard is built on stronger contrasts, as between the deep pink of the trees in blossom and the green-yellow of the man’s shirt. The earth, still red-brown after the winter, like the roof of the cottage, forms a massive, solid base, and the bleak sky with some streaks of parting clouds is the only background. The rather wild lines of the trees and the action of the human figure in contrast with the spring colours seem to speak of toil, of an endeavour to start life afresh. This definitely is a human emotion, the emotion of the artist on a certain day, full of promise, but still wind-swept…” EXHIBITED Pretoria Art Museum, Pretoria, Prestige Retrospective Exhibition , 1979, catalogue number 37 South African National Gallery, Cape Town, Prestige Retrospective Exhibition , 1979, catalogue number 37 LITERATURE Esmé Berman. (1969) Art & Artists of South Africa , Johannesburg: Southern Book Publishers. Illustrated on page 216. 169