
Helene Love-Allotey
Head of Department
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Provenance
Purchased from Atlantic Gallery, Cape Town c. 1970s;
A private collection.
Murray Schoonaard notes that a trip to Greece in 1967 inspired the palette of much of Battiss's art:
'In his oil paintings he revived his use of vivid colours, the deep blue reminiscent of the Mediterranean Sea, as well as the technique of 'drawing' in the paint. This resulted in some of the most successful works of his career.'(p.20).
A work of similar content, composition, and palette, Figures in African Landscape, was completed in 1970. Moreover, a stamp to the back of the work reading 'Brevan Art Gallery' indicates that this African Village was possibly included in the exhibition that Battiss held there in 1970. Given these consistencies, it could be concluded that the present work was completed within this time frame. At the time of this exhibition, Battiss was on the cusp of retirement from his position as the Chair of History of Art and the University of South Africa, which he was appointed to in 1964.
Bibliography
Murray Schoonraad, 'Walter Battiss', (Cape Town: C. Struik Publishers, South African Art Library, 1976)