Notes

Irma Stern’s Cape watercolours offer a quieter, more intimate perspective within her body of work. From the 1920s through to the 1950s, Stern worked from her Cape Town studio in Rosebank and regularly painted the Cape Winelands, Malay Quarters, Cape Flats and Newlands areas. This particular view was painted from the corner of Main Street and Palmboom Road in Newlands, the street still looks the same to this day. This work is a good example of how Stern reflects sensitivity to her South African environment, capturing its light, colour, and cultural richness. Through the greens and blues used in this work, it shows the lighter palette and looser form compared to her oils. The Cape watercolours stand as poignant reflections of Stern’s deep engagement with place, identity, and the everyday beauty of the Cape.