South African Art Sold R1billion in 9 Years in London

This Irma Stern painting, ‘Arab In Black’ was found in a London kitchen being used as a notice board was sold at R17.9m.

South Africa Art has made a total sale of R1 billion in nine years at the Bonhams London art sale Giles Peppiatt, Director of African Art at Bonhams has said.

With the stunning R17.9m price achieved for its latest Irma Stern painting offered in London – ‘Arab in Black’ picture that helped to save Nelson Mandela’s life – Bonhams London may have taken a top position in selling South African art.

It was earlier reported that this Irma Stern painting was found in a London kitchen being used as a notice board. The painting was donated by Betty Suzman, family of Helen Suzman, to a charity auction in the late 1950s to raise funds for the trial of, among others, Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and Oliver Tambo, who were on trial for high treason.

Currently, Bonhams holds the record for eight out of the top ten South African pictures sold at auction – all of them by Irma Stern who stands head and shoulders above other South African artists of her generation. The other two pictures in the top ten prices achieved are also by her.

With the last sale of South African art at Bonhams, London is now the city to maximize prices for South African artists, said Hannah O’Leary, Head of Bonhams South African Art Department.

“Once again our top prices command all others,” she said after the sale. “The flow of art in and out of London makes this the only place to sell if you want to achieve the best prices, record prices. No one else is able to sell R150m in one afternoon sale as Giles Peppiatt, Director of African Art at Bonhams, has done. In the past nine years Bonhams has sold in excess of R1billion worth of South African art.”

The latest win for Bonhams, the ‘Arab in Black’ picture by Irma Stern has a fascinating history. The painting was donated by Betty Suzman, the sister-in-law of anti-apartheid activist Helen Suzman, to a charity auction in the late 1950s to raise funds for Mandela and other ANC activists during the Treason Trial. This picture now becomes one of the top ten South African art paintings sold at auction.

The international fine art auction house headquartered in London has over the past nine years increasingly dominated the trade in South African art sold at auction, delivering world record prices for artists like Stern, Pierneef and Sekoto whose work has achieved previously unheard of prices. Selling in Sterling adds huge interest for South African clients.

Below is a list of the most expensive South African paintings in SA Rand: