Nerine Constantia DESMOND

1908-1993

paintings, graphics, sculptures

 

Nerine DESMOND in her studio 1968 (img. Dept of Information Services, Pretoria)

Nerine Desmond used to live at 7, Hamerkop Street, Stellenbosch


 

Selected solo-shows

1962 Retrospective Exhibition held at Gallery 101, Rand Central, Johannesburg - opened on 12th November, 1962, covering the period 1947-1962, closed 24th November, 1962

1970 SA Association of Arts Gallery, Pretoria – exhibition of Spanish and South African Paintings, opened on 26th October, 1970.

In December, 1985, Nerine Desmond was asked if she was interested in having a retrospective exhibition with Gallery 21 in Johannesburg, but nothing came of this. The letter was in connection with Lucas Sithole who through Gallery 21 thanked Nerine Desmond for having sent him a cable stating “best wishes for a very successful exhibition of your unique sculpture”, which exhibition had opened at Gallery 21, Johannesburg, on 22nd October, 1985.

 


Selected works on the web:

Nerine DESMOND "Monsoon, Zanzibar” oil on canvas board - meas. n/a (SANLAM Collection)

“Monsoon, Zanzibar” oil on canvas board – SANLAM Art Collection, Cape Town

 

"Xhosa Girl with goats" mid-1950s - oil on board - 46x59 cm

 


 

Short biography from 1962

see invitation card on this link

 

Additional Museum Collections

The Hester Rupert Art Museum, Graaff-Reinet (img. 93+94)


Nerine Desmond "Flowering Quince", 1944 - oil/board - 18x22 cm (Priv. Coll.)

Nerine Desmond "Flowering Quince", 1944 - oil/board - 18x22 cm


Selected references of works auctioned

Ashbey’s Cape Town - 23rd February, 2012 Lot 198, 10th November, 2011 Lot 267+268, 295+296; 25th February, 2010 Lot 241; 2nd December, 2009 Lot 337+375; 9th April, 2009 Lot 273; 21st February, 2008 Lot 231, 236, 274; also on 26th July, 2007

Bernardi Auctions Pretoria - 10th February, 2014 Lot 307 + 308; 27th August, 2012 Lot 540, 541, 542; 13th June, 2011 Lot 654; 14th February, 2011 Lot 432; 30th August, 2010 Lot 370; 8th September, 2008 Lot 350;  August 2006 Lot 425; 7th February 2005 Lot 30 + 31; 10th June 2002 Lot 33, 34, 35

Nerine DESMOND "The three wives, Transkei", 1959 - oil/wood panel 62x76 cm

Bonham's Knightsbridge London - Sale 17356 - 13th October, 2009 - Lot 90

Bonham’s New Bond Street London - Sale 15681 - Lot 139

Cheffins Auctions, Cambridge UK - 9th June, 2011 - Sale F080611 - Lot 621

Russell Kaplan Auctions, Johannesburg - 29th October, 2011 - Lot P24, P36, P103

Sotheby’s/Welz Cape Town - 22nd March, 2005 - Lot 281; 20th / 21st October, 2009 - Lots 382, 428; 1st / 2nd June, 2010 - Lots 337, 841; 5th October, 2010 - Lots 175, 374, 439; 22nd February, 2011 - Lot 610

Sotheby’s Johannesburg – 8th November, 1999 – Lot 551 (previously sold by Sotheby’s  Cape Town on 22nd October, 1987, Lot 351)

Stephan Welz & Co., Cape Town - 29th May, 2012 - Lot 130, 131; 21st February, 2012 - Lot 443, 481; 31st May, 2011 - Lot 372, 398; 18th October, 2011 - Lot 278, 284

Stephan Welz & Co. Johannesburg - 19th April, 2011 - Lot 367; 16th August, 2011 - Lot 368

Strauss Fine Arts, Cape Town - 10th October, 2016 - Lot 429; 15th March, 2010 - Lot 195; 7th March, 2011 - Lot 178; 18th September, 2011 - Lot 178, 180

Strauss Fine Arts, Johannesburg - 11th June, 2012 - Lot 192, 194, 223, 268; 16th May, 2011 - Lot 128; 24th May, 2010 - Lot 259; 1st November, 2010 - Lot 50; 16th May, 2011 - Lot 128

Westgate Walding Auctioneers, Johannesburg – 3rd + 4th March, 2009 – Lot 167 + 168

5th Avenue Auctioneers, Johannesburg – October 2007 – Lot 53

 

Publications:

“Art in South Africa since 1900” (Alexander) (Balkema, ill. p. 75

“South African Artists 1900-1962” (Jeppe) (Afrikaanse Pers, 1963),

ARTLOOK 47, Johannesburg – October 1970, pp. 42-43, ill.

“South African Art” (James Ambrose Brown) (MacDonald Heritage), 1978

Republic Arts Festival Arts Exhibition 4.5.81-2.6.81, cat., ill.

ART & ARTISTS OF SOUTH AFRICA (Berman) (Balkema, 1983), text + ill on pp. 113/114 etc

“Nuwe Groep – New Group 1938-1954” - SA NATIONAL GALLERY cat., 1988, ill.

„The Dictionary of South African Painters and Sculptors including Namibia“ (Ogilvie / Graff) (Everard Read), 1988 – ISBN 0 620 12663 9 – listed on p. 170/171

"PRINTMAKING in a transforming South Africa" (Hobbs/Rankin) (David Philip, 1997), listed

„The Advancement of Art“: The South African Society of Artists and its exhibitors 1902-1950 (Hayden Proud) (Iziko), 2002, , text + ill. p. 21 – ISBN 1-874817-31-6

 

Press references:

Die Vaderland – 14th November, 1962

Die Vaderland – 20th November, 1962 – one work ill.

SA Stem – 18th November, 1962 (Kunsrubriek deur Zandberg Jansen)

The Star, Johannesburg – 9th November, 1962

The Star, Johannesburg – 17th November, 1962 (owners who acquired the work reproduced in Die Vaderland on 20th November, 1962)

The Star, Johannesburg – 21st November, 1962 – image of artist

Rand Daily Mail, Johannesburg – 6th November, 1962

Rand Daily Mail, Johannesburg – 13th November, 1962

 


Online references in 2009

http://sahistory.org.za/people/fial-nerine-constantia-desmond

 

Online auctions in 2009

www.bidorbuy.co.za – search for "Nerine Desmond" or Item 9631962

 

Work on offer as at March, 2009:

Strydom Gallery, George - http://www.artaffair.co.za/main/special-gallery.php?insertIDnumber=14

 


Book illustrations include:

du Plessis, I.D. (recorded and retold by): “Tales from the Malay Quarter” (Maskew Miller, Cape Town, 1945) English version by Bernard and Elize D. Lewis, Book Design and Decoration by Nerine Desmond,  201 pp.  

 


Downloaded from http://www.rodwellhouse.co.za/newsletter/november/index.htm

Nerine DESMOND "Farmhouse in Helderberg, Stellenbosch" (img www.rodwellhouse.co.za)

Although Nerine Constantia Desmond studied in London, she was largely self-taught, working mostly in the medium of watercolour and oil. She was also sought after as a book illustrator. Desmond was influenced by a number of artists working at the time including Gregoire Boonzaaier and Freida Lock, and became particularly well known for paintings of farm and rural subjects. Her work is held in many public collections in South Africa including that of the SA National Gallery in Cape Town.

 


Forthcoming Publication on Nerine Desmond

If you own any works by this artist, please send images with details and any other information you have to Amanda Jephson – “ajephson@omail.co.za” with copy to "info@pelmama.org" - thank you in advance!

 


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Last updated 5th October, 2016


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