Irma Stern is one of South Africa’s most celebrated artists. An auction of some of her works was held on Wednesday and brought in some serious bank. The marathon six-hour sale drew a full house of buyers and over 750 online bidders. A whopping R36.9 million was raised at the end, surpassing the pre-sale estimate.
The landmark sale featured 140 works encompassing many of Stern’s major themes and interests. The top-selling of the lot was a 1941 portrait of a Cape Muslim clairvoyant in a pink headscarf from Stern’s golden period. It sold for R7.5 million.
Strauss & Co, the event hosts, said they were privileged to present four major oils depicting singular and powerful women.
Cape Town Art Department HOD, Kirsty Colledge, said this was a continuation of Strauss & Co’s longstanding commitment to support the activities of the Irma Stern Trust in realising the artist’s wish to promote art within and outside South Africa. “Proceeds from the sale of these works will benefit the Irma Stern Trust Collection, housed in the much-loved Irma Stern Museum in Cape Town, an enormously important cultural institution that houses and displays a collection of Irma Stern’s artworks and artefacts,” she stated.
Strauss & Co’s chairperson, Frank Kilbourn, said the outcome of this sale is a celebration of a great artist and a positive statement for the African art market. He added that the diversity of works released by the Irma Stern Trust Collection made the sale attractive to the widest possible range of buyers. “It is gratifying to note that a third of the works sold in this landmark sale went to new customers.”
“We are absolutely delighted with the outcome of this auction and the extremely active bidding underscores the timeless appeal of Irma Stern’s work. We believe that the capital raised for the Irma Stern Trust will ensure the preservation of this important collection.”
Stern held over 100 solo exhibitions and represented South Africa at the Venice Biennale throughout the 1950s. The auction group said Stern has been an auction bellwether for decades. “Since its founding in 2009, Strauss & Co has established multiple records for Stern’s highly sought-after portraits and still lifes,” they said.
Get a little closer to the artist by visiting the Irma Stern Museum in Cape Town:
- Location: 21 Cecil Rd, Rosebank, Cape Town
- Open: Wednesday to Friday, 10am to 5pm
- Website: irmasternmuseum.co.za
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Picture: irmasternmuseum.co.za