​Contemporary South African Art

Born: 1886 Pretoria / Died: 1957 Pretoria



A painter of landscapes and the occasional still life or figure; also painted homesteads, city views and mines.  Worked in oil, casein, tempera and watercolour.  A number of drawings, etchings, woodcuts (seldom after 1933) and linocuts. 



Studies: 1900 night classes in drawing under an architect at Hilversum.  The Netherlands; 1901 Rotterdam Academy; 1905-08 under Frans Oerder

in Pretoria; 1908 etching and wood engraving under George S Smithard; 1911 the art of woodcut under Erich Mayer.

Profile: Influenced by the writings of Willem van Konijnenburg, particularly “De Aesthetische Idee” written in 1926.  His work became increasingly geometric and his landscapes became structural with a strong use of line and simplified flat planes

of colour, each painting being carefully composed.  1910-12 a member of The Individualists; 1917 a member of the SA Society of Artists.  1932-33

a founder member of the National Academy of Fine Arts (SA).  Illustrations for a number of periodicals and books including Die Brandwag in 1917 and The Independent in 1919.  A designer of tapestries as well as book and magazine covers.  A number of reproductions were published by E. Schweikerdt, Pretoria.  1912-20 a librarian at the Pretoria State Library; 1920-23 a lecturer in art at the Pretoria and Heidelberg Normal Colleges; 1950 a lecturer at the University of Natal.  1886-1900 lived in Pretoria; in 1900 his family were deported to The Netherlands, via the East African coast; in 1901 he visited Rome; 1902 returned to SA; 1923-24 lived in SWA/Namibia; 1925-26 in Europe, returning via the East African coast; 1933-35 lived in London, thereafter in SA.

  In 1972 a film on Pierneef’s linocuts was made

by Gordon Vorster.



Exhibitions: Participated in group exhibitions from 1911 in SA, once in Italy and once in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe); 1913 Pretoria, first of numerous solo exhibitions held in SA and The Netherlands; 1929 Johannesburg, joint exhibitions with Fanie Eloff; 1948 Tate Gallery, London, SA Art Exhibition; 1950 Pieter Wenning Gallery, Johannesburg, Retrospective Exhibition; 1953 Potchefstroom University for CHE, Retrospective Exhibition; 1964 Adler Fielding Gallery, Johannesburg, Pierneef Festival; 1965 Pretoria Art Museum, exhibition of the Dirk Lion-Cachet Collection; 1965 Johannesburg Art Gallery, exhibition of watercolours and drawings; 1970 Durban Art Gallery, “The Complete Woodcuts of Pierneef” exhibition; 1972 Johannesburg Art Gallery, exhibition of watercolours; 1973 Pretoria

Art Museum, exhibition of the Johannesburg Station panels; 1974-75 University of Stellenbosch, Rand Afrikaans University and Potchefstroom University

for CHE, exhibition of the Marita J Pierneef Collection; 1980/81 Pretoria Art Museum, Johannesburg Art Gallery, Durban Art Gallery, William Humphreys Art Gallery, Kimberley, King George VI Art Gallery, Port Elizabeth and SA National Gallery, Cape Town, Pierneef and Van Wouw Retrospective Exhibition; 1982 Pretoria Art Museum, “The Pierneef Collection” Exhibition; 1984 Pretoria Art Museum, Commemorative Exhibition; 1987 Johannesburg Art Gallery, exhibition of the Johannesburg Station panels.



Awards: 1935 first Medal of Honour for Painting, SA Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns; 1951 Honorary Doctorate, University of Natal; 1957 Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy, University of Pretoria; 1957 Honorary Membership of the SA Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns.  

Represented: Africana Museum, Johannesburg;

Ann Bryant Gallery, East London; Arts Association SWA/Namibia Collection; Durban Art Gallery; Engelenberg House Art Collection, Pretoria; Johannesburg Art Gallery; King George VI Art Gallery, Port Elizabeth; National Cultural History

and Open Air Museum, Pretoria; National Museum, Bloemfontein; Pierneef Museum, Pretoria; Pietersburg Collection; Potchefstroom Museum; Pretoria Art Museum; Rand Afrikaans University; Sandton Municipal Collection; SA National Gallery, Cape Town; SWA/Namibia Administration Collection, Windhoek; University of Cape Town; University of Natal; University of the Orange Free State; University of Pretoria; University of South Africa; University of Stellenbosch; University of the Witwatersrand; William Humphreys Art Gallery, Kimberley.



Public Commissions: 1924 mural, Ficksburg High School, Orange Free State; 1929-32 Johannesburg Railway Station panels; 1933-35 murals, SA House, London; 1937 mural, SS Pretoria Castle; 1940 two large pictures, Johannesburg Magistrates Courts; 1955 painting, Broadcast House, Johannesburg.

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References: J F W Grosskopf, Pierneef – The Man and His Work, 1945, J L van Schaik, Pretoria; F E G Nilant, Die Hout – en Linosnee van J H Pierneef, 1974, A A Balkema, Cape Town; A Bibliography by Sonia Smit, 1957, School of Librarianship, Cape Town; Skone Kunste; Collectors’ Guide; PSA; Our Art 1; Art SA; SAA; 20C Art; SADNB; AMC4; DSAB; SAP&S; Oxford Companion to Art (under SA); SAP&D; SESA; SSAP; BSAK1&2; Enc S’n; Art SWA; SA Art; 3cs;AASA; LSAA; SA Art Collector October 1946; South Africana February & December 1957;SA Panorama April 1958, May 1961, August 1963, February 1964, June 1982, September 1983 & January 1987; De Arte October 1968, September 1973 & April 1974’ Artlook June 1973; De Kat August 1986 & December/January 1987; Commemorative Exhibition Catalogues, 1980 and 1984, Pretoria Art Museum.