Notes

Poinsettias is undoubtedly one of the finest still-life paintings by Irma Stern ever to come to market. It clearly demonstrates why Stern is South Africa’s most sought-after Modernist. In her authoritative monograph on the artist, Marion Arnold maintains:

Her still life paintings comprise some of her most sumptuous and sensual images. Here – in her depictions of objects – she fuses form and content, Modernist preoccupations with visual language, and social commentary on nature and material culture.ⁱ

As one’s eye traverses the lively surface, Stern’s skill in engaging opposites to achieve a perfect balance, becomes apparent. Her sophisticated understanding of the properties of paint and sensitive use of colour are elucidated in Arnold’s detailed comments on the painting.ⁱⁱ Notice how Stern contrasts saturated and modulated reds and greens – the former in their intensity add a boldness of character while the latter, which are richly textured with tints and shades, contribute subtlety.

The bright, flame-red flowers lend a festive atmosphere while the star-shaped leaf patterns are traced with elegant, fluid lines. The chromatic greys, where white is mixed with red and green to echo the saturated colours in the bracts and leaves, illuminate the painting with a freshness that sparkles. By contrast, the tertiary ochres and burnt sienna in the foreground anchor the work, providing a reassuring stability.

This remarkable painting clearly demonstrates the artist’s consummate skill in manipulating the formal media of her craft to achieve the most satisfying results. But more than that, one senses Stern’s delight in the dramatic beauty of these flowers, the sensuous appeal of the fruit and her immeasurable joy in being able to capture those so eloquently with her brushes and paints.

ⁱ Marion Arnold, Irma Stern: A Feast for the Eye, Rembrandt van Rijn Art Foundation and Fernwood Press, Cape Town, 1995, page 125.

ⁱⁱ Ibid, page 34.

Literature

Marion Arnold, Irma Stern: A Feast for the Eye, Fernwood Press, 1995, page 33, illustrated.