Literature

Karin Skawran and Michael Macnamara (1985) Walter Battiss, Johannesburg: A D Donker, another impression from the edition illustrated in black and white on page 53.

Provenance

The Collection of Professor Murray Schoonraad.

Notes

By the 1970s, Battiss had settled into his iconic style, incorporating elements from prehistoric art into his personal symbols. Inspired by the tonality of rock paintings, he attempted to eliminate three-dimensionality from his works, opting to use bright colours on flat surfaces to achieve this effect.¹

The present lot showcases this evolved style and personal iconography. The forms are not fully figurative but rather a morphological depiction of convex and concave shapes. Shown in bright, unexpected colours, they invite open visual interpretation.

¹Karin Skawran and Michael Macnamara (1985) Walter Battiss, Johannesburg: A D Donker, page 51 and 52.