Strauss & co - 11 November 2019, Johannesburg

104 SOUTH AFRICAN ARTISTS AND PARIS 95 Andrew Verster SOUTH AFRICAN 1937– Ruth in Paris signed and dated 85 charcoal on paper 67 by 50 cm R10 000 – 15 000 ITEM NOTES The artist stayed at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris. 96 Alison Roux SOUTH AFRICAN/ITALIAN 1934– Santa Cecilia signed; inscribed with the artist’s name, the title and ‘From her first exhibition which J. F. opened’on a label adhered to the reverse oil on canvas 60,5 by 40 cm R12 000 – 16 000 Verster painted and drew the people close to him. They were conveniently available sitters, but the artworks are also a record of his affections and capacity for enduring friendships. His Aunt Ruth was a favourite subject. As a young artist studying in London, he painted Ruth, rather melancholy paintings of a solitary figure against a flat ground. When Andrew was at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, Ruth came to visit from London and Andrew made numerous drawings of her in pencil crayon and charcoal. Verster maintained a lifelong correspondence with his aunt, usually writing every day, banging away on an Olivetti typewriter before he had a computer. Clive van den Berg Born in Johannesburg, Alison Roux obtained her BA Fine Arts degree at the University of the Witwatersrand cum laude and received a post graduate scholarship to continue her studies at the École des Beaux Arts in Paris. She travelled extensively in Europe and later studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome. In 1962 she returned to South Africa and held her first solo exhibition, on which the present lot was displayed, at the Adler Fielding Galleries in Johannesburg. The exhibition was opened by Professor John Fassler. In 1970, the artist held her second exhibition, this time at the Lidchi Gallery in Johannesburg. She now lives in Siena, Italy. © AndrewVerster | DALRO