Strauss & co - 2017 Highlights

9 The Bushveld landscape was a constant source of inspiration for Pierneef. The sub-tropical woodland, found in north-western South Africa, is notable for its tall trees and clusters of shrubs. The artist takes this verdant panorama and transforms it so that the whole landscape becomes a rhythmic composition. The viewer no longer looks at the component parts of the painted landscape but is absorbed by the lyrical nature of the scene, the image becoming a paean or a hymn expressing Pierneef’s love of the cherished land. As A.C. Bouman observes in his book, Painters of South Africa (1948): ‘If it were aiming at a faithful imitation of the wild semi-tropical bosveld, it would never show such a highly developed and organised order. Pierneef thus tries to perfect nature, but it is an arduous task.’ Extensive Landscape Northern Transvaal  1949 oil on canvas 76 x 102 cm