Artists

Jo Roos was a South African painter and sculptor born in 1926. He was an arts teacher at the primary and high school levels, before returning to lecture at his alma mater, the Pretoria Teacher’s Training College. Roos sculpted several statues of South African political leaders, including the first bronze bust of Nelson Mandela, which Mandela himself unveiled in 1994. In addition to figures, he is also known for his wildlife artwork. Roos was notably commissioned to create a large bronze panel depicting scenes from World War I for the South African National Memorial in Delville Wood, France.