Notes

It was undoubtedly the influence of Pierneef's early teachers, Oerder and Van Wouw, that brought about a romantic element in his work. At times, the interpretation of the subject was dramatic. Threatening masses of clouds, a thunderstorm building up or passing, tremendous turbulence in the elements, dynamic and filled with tensions, are all aspects associated with the romantic view of nature. The use of blue [such as in the present lot] the colour which creates and evokes romantic moods, contributes to this mood. Sometimes the work seems to be inspired by lines from Die Vlakte, the famous poem by Jan FE Cilliers:

My expanse widens until it reaches the pale blue bands ofthe far, far-off ridges But then there are also the quieter landscapes which are less dramatic and more static. They are more subdued in colour, softened for the sake of a higher unity.

Gré van der Waal-Braaksma