Irma’s Travels in Africa…
Irma was more than just an artist. She collected unique and eclectic items from all over Africa and many of these were inspirations to some of her later works.

In the 1920’s she traveled to Swaziland and Natal (now Kwazulu-Natal) and this was the inspiration for her works Umgababa and The Hunt.

                                    
Umgababa                                                                                                                                        The Hun

As previously mentioned, the family “infected” her with the travel bug and as a result Irma traveled a lot. In the period 1933 – 1945, she visited various African countries, mainly as a choice not to exhibit in Germany during this time. She made trips to Zanzibar, Congo and Senegal, and all these places profoundly affected her work and her creativity. She published two illustrated accounts of her travels, one on entitled Congo in 1943 and the other Zanzibar in 1948.

Irma Stern. The Artist

Irma Stern held almost 100 art exhibitions in her lifetime both in Europe and South Africa, though she was not well received here in South Africa at first, receiving some scathing reviews, and only from about the 1940’s did she begin to really make a name for herself here. She worked in a range of media and styles, from oils, charcoal, water-colours, and gouache (a form of water-colour painting mixed with a kind of gum or resin) to ceramics and sculptures.

Still Life with Gladioli

Irma Stern was one of South Africa’s leading impressionist artists and as recently as last month, May 2010, her painting “Still Life with Gladioli” was sold by Strauss and Co at auction in Johannesburg for the staggering price of R7,57 million. Over the years, other of her works has fetched equally record amounts for their time. A firm and big fan, Stephan Welz, the auctioneer was a family friend, and on many occasions had the privilege to bring down the hammer on the sale of her work.

She often would convey her emotional intensity using a palette knife and thick paint to give expression in her still life or portrait works.

She was also a collector of various artifacts from her travels in Africa most of which inspired some of her later paintings. When she died in 1966, shortly before her birthday at age 71, there were plans to hold a major exhibition in London at the Grosvenor Gallery.

More Artwork from Irma Stern…

 
Anemones 1938 sold for R1.1million

Ballerina’s 1943

Arab Priest 1945

Indian Woman 1936

Indian Woman 1936