Artists

From Albert Adams to Portia Zvavahera, Strauss & Co maintains a detailed database of every artist sold at auction since 2009. Whether it is painting, sculpture, works on paper, photography, ceramics or new media, this searchable database lists by artist every lot offered and provides aggregated data useful to collectors. Famous South African artists like William Kentridge, JH Pierneef, Alexis Preller and Irma Stern are introduced with helpful biographies along with the best contemporary artists.



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Pranas Domsaitis

Lithuanian/South African 1880-1965 


Pranas Domsaitis was born Franz Domscheit in Kropinas, on the border of East Prussia and Lithuania. He spent the first twenty-seven years of his life as a farmer, but always had an interest in art. He studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Art in Köningsberg and under Lovis Corinth in Berlin. He furthered his studies in Paris, Florence London and Amsterdam. The artist’s early influences of Lithuanian peasant and religious folk art remained the artist’s primary influence, and to this was added the more simplified and darkly outlined forms that he learned from the German Expressionists. He was also influenced by French artist Georges Rouault and the Norwegian Edvard Munch. In 1920 he changed his name to Pranas Domsaitis. In 1949, at the age of 69, he moved to South Africa where he resided until his death in 1965. Domsaitis was a member of the New Group and the South African Society of Arts. He won the Artists of Fame and Promise competition in 1964 at the age of 84. Working in oil, watercolour and numerous graphic media, Domsaitis painted his surroundings. He painted the landscape, the people and their animals, and particularly flowers. He used mostly sombre colours to paint simple figures, adding heavy outlines to create his melancholic and religious images. While living in South Africa the artist focused on two themes, still-life studies, and religious and sacred subjects, including the life of Christ. Many of Domsaitis’ South African landscapes were painted in the Karoo, where he captured the vast open spaces and endless emptiness, the long twilight and isolated homesteads. He focused on capturing the spirituality and atmosphere of the region. Domsaitis exhibited in numerus group and solo shows throughout Europe and South Africa, including the 1960 and 1964 Quadrennial exhibitions, and his works are represented in several art museum collections throughout Europe and in most of the public collections in South Africa.


174 lots offered      77.01% sold      ZAR 7 467 508
 

Including Premium and VAT Results include Buyer's Premium and VAT
Pranas Domsaitis; Three Figures
14 Aug 2023
Starting at ZAR 80 000
 
Pranas Domsaitis; Still Life
16 May 2023
Sold for ZAR 50 000
Pranas Domsaitis; Anemones in a Vase
16 May 2023
Sold for ZAR 74 750
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
Pranas Domsaitis; Houses in a Landscape
15 May 2023
Sold for ZAR 57 500
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
Pranas Domsaitis; Karoo Landscape 2
8 May 2023
Sold for ZAR 74 750
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
Pranas Domsaitis; Still Life with Vase and Flowers
28 Mar 2023
Sold for ZAR 80 500
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
Pranas Domsaitis; Three Figures in the Karoo
28 Mar 2023
Sold for ZAR 105 525
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
Pranas Domsaitis; City Impressions VIII
28 Mar 2023
Sold for ZAR 111 388
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
Pranas Domsaitis; Two Figures, Recto; Three Figures, Verso
13 Mar 2023
Sold for ZAR 56 280
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
Pranas Domsaitis; Still Life with Coffee Pot and Bowl of Fruit
13 Mar 2023
Sold for ZAR 82 075
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
Pranas Domsaitis; Still Life with Jug, Fruit and Book
13 Mar 2023
Sold for ZAR 57 500
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
Pranas Domsaitis; Landscape with Fields
13 Mar 2023
Sold for ZAR 69 000
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT

VAT is charged on both hammer and premium for daggered lots.

Results in green indicate post sales.