Francois Krige *** Rare*** circle of irma Stern

Francois Krige

a rare sketch

600 x 400mm approx

Artist, traveller and recluse, Francois Krige remained something of an enigma in the South African art world during a long career spanning much of the twentieth century.Early in his career, Krige was awarded the medal of honour for painting and graphic art by the South African Academy for Science and Arts in 1949. Despite this recognition he shied away from the art community, but few who have encountered Krige´s beautiful and evocative paintings celebrating the fauna, flora and people of southern Africa will disagree that he deserves wider recognition. Little is known and even less written about this retiring artist. Son of Japie Uys, the legendary rugby centre, and Sannie, the novelist, and brother to the poet Uys Krige, Francois distanced himself from both the limelight and his famous and perhaps over­powering family to pursue his art in relative isolation.After studying at the Michaelis School of Fine Art, Francois travelled with his brother Uys and studied art in Spain and the Low Countries in the thirties. Upon returning to South Africa, he became a member of the New Group along with artists such as Gregoire Boonzaier and Walter Battiss.Other fascinating periods in his career included sketching Allied operations in the Western Desert and Italy during the Second World War; hiking alone in the Himalayas; and journeying to the Kalahari to live with the !Kung Bushmen and record their lifestyle in elegant drawings which were later used as inspiration for Gauguin-like paintings. Although Krige´s drawings are known and admired, his paintings were not exposed to the public other than to a small circle of art lovers..I do not have provenance on this specific work other than it comes from a large collection with provenance.These Paintings and antiques come from collectors who have been collecting SA and Irish Art for over 25years.This large collection of top artists includes many items purchased at both local and international auctions.Some of the works are being sold on behalf of other people, and the sale price that you pay will include any commissions fees charges or other sundry costs that they may apply.....so what you bid is what you pay !!! Many of the works include items that have provenances from Sothebys ,Bonhams, Major and Minor estate sales, and letters and receipts from many previous owners. ,so you are bidding on that basis, as not all have this. You are welcome to enquire regarding individual pieces if you like, and you must do this prior to your bid being placed, because once you bid, you are accepting this as a condition of the sale, should you be the successful bidder. All of the Art that I am advertising has either been personally purchased by myself, either at auctions land or on line, or acquired at sales or taken on consignment .All work is entered in the opinion of the owner, as being from the artist listed as signed on the piece ,but may also be deemed in the style of that artist, attributed to that artist or in the manner of the artist. It is being sold as purchased, acquired, consigned, inherited and you are accepting it as this , and that it is sold to you As IS.