​Contemporary South African Art

Article credits to  WIKIPEDIA



Gabriel Cornelis de Jongh (6 April 1913 Amsterdam - 11 March 2004), was the only son of landscape artist, Tinus de Jongh. After a very close relationship with his father, Gabriel decided to pursue the same career, his father being both tutor and critic. Working in oil, watercolour, ink and pencil, he painted landscapes, still lifes, seascapes, wildlife, and depicted religious themes. [1]
Tinus de Jongh travelled to South Africa in 1921, his wife following with the family six months later, and settled in a cottage in Fish Hoek. Gabriel accompanied his father on rambles through the Cape Peninsula, searching for painterly subjects. Later he studied at the Michaelis School of Fine Art and the Slade School of Art in London. He did a course in woodcarving under H V Meyerowitz in Cape Town, and a course in photo-lithography at the Cape Times.
Tinus bought a car in 1923, travelling ever further afield, and always accompanied by his family. In 1924 the family moved to Rondebosch, Gabriel attending Rondebosch and Wynberg Boy’s schools, and matriculating in 1930. Before starting his training at The Cape Times, Gabriel was tutored for a year in watercolour techniques by his father. Gabriel spent all his free time producing small watercolours of the Malay Quarter, Cape Town Docks and Table Mountain. Over weekends he pursued various sports and was a keen golfer. His tennis was of sufficiently high standard to represent The Cape Times in tournaments. He became a member of the S A Turf Club and owned a champion racehorse, "Glorious".
Completing his apprenticeship he became interested in colour reproduction of fine art, coming under the guidance of Charles Hardy. During this period he started experimenting with etchings. [2]
Tinus exhibited in Hermanus in 1937 and suggested that Gabriel display some of his works. Gabriel's twenty watercolours sold on the first day. When some of his works were displayed in Port Elizabeth and well-received, the news delighted his father. Thereafter his work was regularly exhibited at various art societies in the Eastern Cape, Orange Free State and Johannesburg...
 

(article truncated)