Notes

Johannes Meintjes’ works were warmly received throughout his career, likely due to their dreamy and romantic qualities. In the 1940s and 50s, he “enjoy[ed] the kind of public adulation which was later reserved for youthful idols of the pop-music world.” ¹ In May of 1958, a solo exhibition of the artist was held at the Helen de Leeuw Gallery in Pretoria. A review of the exhibition described the impact of the present lot…

"…his large Figures on a Beach dominates the end wall. It is probably the most accomplished painting on this scale he has yet shown here, bravely and simply planned - black against gold, against red, against blue - all building up into an interesting pattern of strong colour.”

1. Esmé Berman (1983) Art and Artists of South Africa. Cape Town: Southern Book Publishers. Page 285.
2. The Art Critic, The Star Newspaper, 14 May 1958.

Provenance

Mr Jack Baker, London, United Kingdom (formerly of Johannesburg).

Exhibited

Helen de Leeuw Gallery, Johannesburg, 13 to 24 May 1958, catalogue number 30.

Literature

JM catalogue number 592.