(English follows)
Toe ons kinders was het ons altyd die kat buite die dorpsbiblioteek gegroet. Ek wonder hoeveel mense ken vandag nog die storie van die winkelkat?
Wat ek nooit geweet het nie is dat die brons katbeeldjie die werk van 'n plaaslike kunstenaar was, Nerina Constantia Desmond (geb. 1908). Alhoewel sy nooit so bekend geword het soos haar tydgenoot Gregoire Boonzaare nie, word Desmond se werk steeds vandag op internasionale veilings (soos Strauss & Co en Mutual Art) tentoongestel (In 2010 het een van haar skilderye 'n prys van R70 000 behaal). Nerine Desmond se pastorale werke (d.w.s. landskap of landelike temas) is sterk deur Suid-Afrikaanse kultuur beinvloed, en alhoewel haar werk vandag redelik konserwatief voorkom, was sy 'n lid van die progressiewe New Group (saammet o.a Boonzaaier, Lipshitz, Higgs en McCaw - sien wiki artikel hier).
Die katjie moes rondom 1960 gemaak gewees het, want daar verskyn in die munisipale blad van 1960 'n agendapunt oor die beeldjie se toekomstige ligging:
In dieselfde notule verwelkom die burgemeester die nuwe assistent-stadstesourier, A. L. Basson, Anna Basson se man! Ongelooflik hoe die dorp se geskiedenis soos 'n tapesserie ontvou!
Die kat staan vandag buite die dorpsbiblioteek in Pleinstraat (sien foto) , waar menigte kinders en toeriste haar al bewonder het (ek wonder wat die katjie gedink het toe die groot luiperde van die kunstenaar Dylan Lewis oral op die dorp verskyn). Oor die geskiedenis van die dorp se openbare biblioteek en die ligging daarvan sal ek volgende week iets skryf. Wat die storie agter die winkelkat betref - weet iemand dalk wat van die bronsplaatjie aagterop die winkelkat se pilaar geword het? Ek is amper seker daar was altyd 'n plaatjie daar.
Onder is nog 'n paar van Nerine Desmond so werke. Sy was tot 'n groot mate 'n self-opgeleide kunstenaar, maar het wel vir 'n tyd lank by die Central London School of arts and crafts studeer. Haar werk sluit etse, skilderye, illustrasies, muurskilderye en 'n paar beeldhouwerke in. Vir nog voorbeelde van haar werk, click hier:
-----------lééf Stellenbosch---------
Foto en Artikel: Y Coetsee 2017
Bronne: Stellenbosch Drie Eeue (bl 404- 405) (1979)
http://www.straussart.co.za/artists/view/nerine-constantia-desmond/live
US argief- notule van 1960 vergadering (online)
Art in South Africa, painting, sculpture and graphic work since 1900 (gepubliseer 1962) FL Alexander
When we were children we always used to say hallo to the little bronze cat on our way to the public library. I wonder how many people still know the story of the 'winkelkat'?
One thing I never realised was that the bronze cat sculpture was the work of a local artist, Nerine Constantia Desmond (b.1908). Although Desmond was never as well-known as her contemporary Gregoire Boonzaier, her work still fetches high prices at international auction houses (such as Strauss & Co. and Mutual Art). (In 2010 one of her paintings reached a bid for R70 000). Nerine Desmond's pastoral works (i.e. landscapes or rural themes) are strongly influenced by South African culture, and although her work seems rather conservative today, she was part of the progressive New Group with among others Boonzaaier, Lipshitz, Higgs and McCaw - see short wiki article for more info).
The cat sculpture must have been made around 1960, because in the municipal meeting of 1960 the cat and its artist is mentioned:
In the same meeting the mayor welcomes the new assistant-treasurer A. L. Basson, Anna Basson's husband! Incredible how the town's history unfolds like a tapisserie!
Today the cat sits outside the public library (see picture) in Plein Street, where many children and tourists have admired her throughout the years (I wonder what the little cat thought when the big leopard sculptures by the artist Dylan Lewis started appearing all over town).
In next week's blog I will explore the history of the municipal library and its location in a bit more detail. With regards to the story of the cat - perhaps you should take your kids to go read the little story next to the cat sculpture.
Below is a few more of Nerine Desmond's works. She was a self-taught artist to a large degree, but did study at the Central London School of arts and crafts for a period of time. Her work includes etches, paintings, illustrations, murals and a few sculptures. For more examples of here work, click here.
-----------live Stellenbosch---------
Photos and Article: Y Coetsee 2017
Sources: Stellenbosch Drie Eeue (bl 404- 405) (1979)
http://www.straussart.co.za/artists/view/nerine-constantia-desmond/live
Art in South Africa, painting, sculpture and graphic work since 1900 (gepubliseer 1962) FL Alexander
SU archive - notule van 1960 vergadering (online)
http://www.art-archives-southafrica.ch/DESMOND.htm