Modern, Post War and Contemporary Art

Live Auction, 11 November 2019

Session One

Sold for

ZAR 31 864
Lot 177
  • Laurence Anthony Chait; Man on a Horse
  • Laurence Anthony Chait; Man on a Horse
  • Laurence Anthony Chait; Man on a Horse


Lot Estimate
ZAR 20 000 - 30 000
Selling Price
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
ZAR 31 864

About this Item

South African 1943-
Man on a Horse
bronze with green patina on a granite base
34cm including base

Notes

Man on a Horse by Laurence Chait is a deliberate abstraction and simplification of a subject well-represented in colonial, military, and political art. While the subject is still recognisable – the limbs of the rider and horse are tapered to stumps, and the neck, flanks, and rear of the horse are neatly filled out – the rider is grotesquely rotund. In a personal communication, Chait described the figure as a rotund clown, harking to the current state of humanity. The human animal relationship is a complex one, with humans often in power, but in some cases, animals lend status to the observable influence of an individual. A rider and a horse are in most cases depicted as a form of power – the horse lending height, speed, and a military-esque sense of leadership and command. In Chait’s rendition of this pairing, both human and animal appear abnormal – with some reading this as humorous, as hinted at by Chait, and some reading this as grotesque. This horse has no direction, the rider has no ability to steer, and ultimately, no potential for any sort of thinking.

Literature

Laurence Chait (2017) The Sculpture of Laurence Anthony Chait: An Autobiographical Journey, Johannesburg: Laurence Chait. Illustrated in colour on page 131.

View all Laurence Anthony Chait lots for sale in this auction


Other lots that might interest you
Lucas Sithole; Wounded Buffalo, LS7101
Lucas Sithole
Wounded Buffalo, LS7101
ZAR 1 500 000 - 2 000 000
Peter Haden; Batman
Peter Haden
Batman
ZAR 40 000 - 60 000
Gerard de Leeuw; Sheep Shearer
Gerard de Leeuw
Sheep Shearer
ZAR 140 000 - 180 000
Julius Mfethe; Ox Wagon
Julius Mfethe
Ox Wagon
ZAR 50 000 - 70 000
Peter Schütz; Figures, four
Peter Schütz
Figures, four
ZAR 40 000 - 60 000
Angus Taylor; Journey
Angus Taylor
Journey
ZAR 60 000 - 80 000