Strauss & co - 26 - 28 July 2020, Online

96 267 Erik Laubscher SOUTH AFRICAN 1927–2013 Silence of Full Moon signed and dated ‘91; signed, dated and inscribed with the title in English and Afrikaans on the reverse oil on canvas 99,5 by 109,5 cm R500 000 – 700 000 The present lot is an excellent example of Erik Laubscher’s striking Koue Bokkeveld paintings. The Koue Bokkeveld is a mountainous area near the Prince Alfred Hamlet, to the north of Ceres and south east of Citrusdal. In an interview with gallerist Baylon Sandri, Laubscher recalls that, at the suggestion of one of his students, he made his way to the area while travelling to Kamieskroon and Namaqualand with friends (including fellow South African artist Stanley Pinker). However, when the group arrived in Ceres bad weather prohibited their crossing the mountain pass and sent them down another road to make their first camp. This is where, Sandri comments, Laubscher’s ‘impressive Koue bokkeveld paintings originated’. 1 This area captivated Laubscher and he often returned to camp there with friends and other artists who were likewise inspired by this stretch of land. This lot is reminiscent of other artworks Laubscher painted during the mid-80s and early 90s, as illustrated in Hans Fransen’s book Erik Laubscher, A ​Life in Art . Various examples in the book depict similar motifs such as the expansive blue sky, towering clouds, and formations of sandstone rock and mountain ranges on the horizon, notably Vollemaan, Kouebokkeveld (1985) and Klipkapel (1986). 2 1.Hans Fransen (2009) Erik Laubscher: A Life in Art , Cape Town: SMAC, page 268. 2. Ibid, pages 190 and 191.