Still life paintings are far more than just conglomerations of objects. On the contrary, the choice of objects reveals much about the artists lifestyles, the cultural milieu in which they operate and the values of their time. In addition, with less pressure to produce a likeness, the artist is free to explore new material and new approaches to picture-making.

Irma Stern is known to have visited Madeira on several occasions, sometimes on extended stays of a few months and at other times probably for a day or two as the Portuguese archipelago that lies about 500 kilometres west of Morocco, was a frequent port of call for ships sailing between Africa and Europe. In 1955 Stern visited Europe to exhibit in Germany once more and also travelled to Turkey. Its likely that she would have called in at Madeira en route.

The World Wildlife Fund Art Auction, presented by Strauss & Co and Everard Read, raised close on R5 million last night at the CIRCA gallery, in Johannesburg.

With the exponential growth in online transactions, virtual shopping has become increasingly prevalent in contemporary society. The inevitable development of online auctions has consequently followed suit. Not to be confused with online bidding (which simply refers to placing bids on lots during live, physical auctions via the internet), online-only auctions are virtual auction sales conducted exclusively on the internet.

A seminal work, Untitled 1985/6, by the eminent South African sculptor, Jane Alexander, will be sold by Strauss & Co in Johannesburg on 11 November 2013 and is expected to fetch over R2million.

The November 11th 2013 Strauss & Co Evening Sale of South African and International Art promises to be a landmark moment for contemporary art in the context of a South African auction.

In 1971 the University of Cape Town opened the doors of the Irma Stern Museum to the public for the first time.

A keen traveller, Irma Stern was also fortunate to have the financial means with which to do so. Her trips also provided her with an abundance of new sights from which she could draw inspiration for her insatiable artistic output.

At a recent Strauss & Company auction in Cape Town, an original drawing from the opera The Magic Flute sold for R1 591 520.

record for South African sculpture record for Jane Alexander record for contemporary art in South Africa Johannesburg: History was made at Strauss & Cos auction yesterday evening when Jane Alexanders important sculpture, Untitled, sold for an impressive R5,5 million setting a new record for a South African sculpture, a record for Jane Alexander and a record for contemporary art in South Africa.