oil on board

Artwork date: 1955
Signature details: signed and dated; inscribed with the artist's name, the date and the title on the reverse
Exhibited: SMAC Gallery, Stellenbosch, 'Erik Laubscher: A Major Retrospective', 5 December 2009 to 25 February 2010.
Literature: Fransen, H. (2009). ‘Erik Laubscher. A Life in Art’, Stellenbosch: SMAC Publishing, illustrated in colour on p.56.

(1)

68.5 x 60 cm; framed size: 83 x 73 x 3 cm

Provenance:

Private collection, Cape Town.

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

After studying at the Anglo-French Art Centre in London (1947-49) and the Académie de Montmartre in Paris (1950–51), Erik Laubscher returned to Cape Town in 1951 to pursue art full-time in his home country. Strongly influenced by the post-cubist style of the Ecole de Paris, particularly through his interactions with French painter Fernand Léger, Laubscher’s work gradually shifted towards non-figurative abstraction.

In 1955, Laubscher created a significant series of paintings that represented a breakthrough in his artistic journey. This series was inspired by his earlier charcoal studies of the indigenous euphorbia plants found in the Bushman’s River area in the Eastern Cape. Through these studies, Laubscher explored Cubist concepts by manipulating the contorted shapes of the thorny succulents, experimenting with perspective, and distorting their outlines.

Euphorbia Study II exemplifies this transformative period in Laubscher's oeuvre. Created in 1955, it showcases his mastery of bold compositions and vibrant colours, presenting the euphorbia plant in a simplified, almost geometric form – in close-up view. The influence of Léger is evident in the black outlines and rendering of the plant's tubular shapes. By further incorporating Léger's theory of Contraste de forms to achieve the strongest pictorial effect, Laubscher strategically juxtaposes colours, curved and straight lines, and solid and flat planes against textured areas to create a visually striking yet harmonious composition. Bright and visually striking, the work is powerful in its simplicity.

This painting, along with others in the series, reflects Laubscher's deep connection to the South African landscape. Inspired by the unique character of the euphorbia plant, he now moved away from the traditional Paris School subjects to embrace the unique and natural beauty of his homeland.

Marelize van Zyl

Fernand Léger,
Paysage a l’oiseau (Bird in Landscape),
1952.
Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University,
Durham, North Carolina, USA.

COLLECTIONS:

The artist is represented in numerous local collections, notably, Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town; Javett Art Centre, Pretoria; South African Constitutional Court, Johannesburg and the Rupert Museum, Stellenbosch.