Eastern Cape Echoes

Timed Online Auction, 2 - 15 July 2025

Eastern Cape Echoes: Selected Works from Tsitsikamma to Lusikisiki
About the Session

Eastern Cape Echoes: Selected Works from Tsitsikamma to Lusikisiki brings together a selection of artworks by artists who either originate from, live in, or draw inspiration from the Eastern Cape – a region where storytelling takes root in fertile ground. Included in the sale is a diverse offering of paintings, drawings, sculptures, and prints, inspired by the dramatic coastline, lush forests, and rich biodiversity that define the Eastern Cape. The sale features five remarkable carvings by Julius Mfethe, depicting country scenes with human figures and animals. Born in Port St Johns, Mfethe sourced his own wood and developed his tools to produce these meticulously crafted sculptures. Coming from a long line of talented craftsmen and women – his father and two brothers were specialist grass weavers – Mfethe imbued his works with rich storytelling and craftsmanship. Other highlights include Market on a Waterway by Walter Battiss, a colourful oil painting inspired by his travels to Central Africa,  and Figures above a Waterfall, a work that places emphasis on space and proportion, reflecting Battiss’ engagement with graphic design language and elements. Another key highlight is George Pemba’s rendering of the Arthur Wellington Church in New Brighton. Executed in an acrylic medium, the work exemplifies Pemba’s masterful use of colour. A large contingent of colourful works by Brian Bradshaw, Jennifer Crooks, Michael Hallier, Walter Meyer, Penny Siopis, Simon Stone and Obie Oberholzer bring further vibrancy to this  annual offering. The sale concludes with quirky ceramic works by Calitzdorp artist-potter, Hylton Nel, who studied at Rhodes University and later taught ceramics, ceramic history, and drawing at Port Elizabeth Technikon.


Sold for

ZAR 152 425
Lot 39
  • Walter Battiss; Market on a Waterway
  • Walter Battiss; Market on a Waterway
  • Walter Battiss; Market on a Waterway
  • Walter Battiss; Market on a Waterway


Lot Estimate
ZAR 150 000 - 200 000
Selling Price
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
ZAR 152 425

About this Item

South African 1906-1982
Market on a Waterway

signed

oil on canvas
39 by 49,5cm excluding frame; 69 by 78,5 by 3,5cm including frame

Notes

The present lot, a vibrant and colourful oil painting, bears witness to Walter Battiss' love of travel, his constant engagement with different techniques, and his deep-rooted curiosity about different cultures and places. As an intrepid traveller, he took several trips from Central Africa to the Middle East and further afield to destinations such as Greece and the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia.

In the early 1960s Battiss engaged with the technique known as sgraffito in multiple works, using a palette knife to delineate forms. In the present lot he confidently coaxes the figures out of layers and swathes of bright aquamarine, sundrenched orange and yellow, set against a dark brown background. To the right of the canvas, he ingeniously and rather quirkily incorporates a still-life composition with a bowl of fruit, a carafe and a jug on a table.

View all Walter Battiss lots for sale in this auction