Notes

One can imagine the impact that Dakar, with its heady mix of African and French cultures, would have had on Irma Stern during her first sojourn there in 1938. With its charming waterfront and corniche offering views of the harbour, the beach and the islands, it lively markets and vibrant populace dressed in their colourful robes, Dakar must have appeared as the very epitome of that exotic destination for which the artist had yearned as inspiration for her paintings. On the eve of the 1940s, widely recognised as her best period, and approaching her mid-forties, Stern was reaching the peak of her confidence, both as an artist and as a woman.

In this powerful Dakar woman, one senses that Stern may have met her match. Artist and sitter were of similar age, each a woman of substance, confident in the sense of their own self-worth. It’s as if this portrait exudes an air of mutual recognition between these two women. We feel the impressive physical presence of a real woman who is portrayed with a strong character rather than as a type. Her presence is made all the more palpable through the materiality of the paint which is so generously applied. The patterned headdress and clothing rendered in vivid complementary colours of chartreuse and mulberry, create a dynamic visual frame around the still central focus of the composition – her warm, glowing skin, thoughtful eyes and sensuous mouth.

Literature

Arnold, Marion. (1995) Irma Stern: A Feast for the Eye, Vlaeberg: Fernwood Press. Illustrated in colour on page 62.

Stern’s skill as a colourist and a portrait artist unite in her robust and sensual interpretation of a Dakar woman. The colour scheme is controlled by the sharp yellow/green headdress. To give resonance to this pure colour, a range of purple-browns and mauves dominates the blouse and the flesh tones.