Archived

Strauss continues to set new South African art records

26 Sep 2011

Strauss & Co, Cape Town: An Irma Stern of Two Arabs last night set a new record for a work of art in South Africa when it sold in Cape Town for R21 166 000. The sale which totalled over R50 million set several new South African art auction records.

This new record for a Stern painting exceeded South Africa’s previous record of R13 368 000 by more than 50%, a record set by Strauss & Co a year ago.

Two Arabs was painted by Irma Stern on her first visit to Zanzibar in 1939 and is an icon of South African art.

The sale, attended by several hundred people, well exceeded expectations with several new records achieved.