12th Mar, 2025 19:00
Modern & Contemporary Art
53
Joseph Ntensibe (Uganda 1953-)
Forest scene
oil on canvas
Artwork date: 2020
Signature details: signed and dated bottom right
Sold for R924,200
Estimated at R350,000 - R450,000
Condition Report
The overall condition is very good.
Network of drying cracks visible predominately on the top right quadrant of the canvas, likely due to uneven drying of the paint layers.
Please note, we are not qualified conservators and these reports give our opinion as to the general condition of the works. We advise that bidders view the lots in person to satisfy themselves with the condition of prospective purchases.
oil on canvas
Artwork date: 2020
Signature details: signed and dated bottom right
(1)
149.5 x 197.5 x 2 cm
Provenance:
Private collection, Minnesota, U.S.A.
Acquired directly from the artist.
ABOUT THE ARTWORK
Born in the lush forests of Uganda, Joseph Ntensibe’s lifelong connection to nature is evident in his landscape compositions that possess an almost dreamlike quality. His work has been compared to masters such as Cézanne and Klimt for its luminosity, but his vision is distinctly his own; rooted in personal memory and a deep concern for the environment.
Drawing from the forests of his youth, Ntensibe recalls a time when nature was in full bloom, with plants competing for space beneath a thick canopy of greenery. Using a meticulous but intuitive process, the artist works in layers, applying colour spontaneously with a palette knife before refining the composition. He deliberately leaves traces of the underpainting visible, allowing colour to break through the surface and create a sense of depth and energy.
Forest scene, painted in 2020, is a wonderful large-scale canvas, typical of the artist’s rich forest scenes but here he also introduces small pockets of blue sky. This marks a noticeable shift in the artist’s works – once defined by dense plant compositions, more recent landscapes open up – revealing glimpses of space beyond the treetops. While visually striking, this shift is also a quiet commentary on environmental change. Rampant deforestation caused by mining, war, drought and urbanization means that the Uganda of the artist’s childhood has changed dramatically. The country has, in fact, lost over 1 million hectares of virgin forest cover – almost 30% of the country’s total land in the past 20 years
Ntensibe, immersed in this complex history, captures the vibrancy of nature but also an underlying tension. Aware of the vulnerability of these once-impenetrable natural spaces his glowing, immersive scenes depict a world that is gradually fading.
Mtha Poni
COLLECTORS NOTE
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Repatriated from the USA, this entry marks the artist’s South African auction debut.
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In 2020, Aspire Art in collaboration with PIASA, presented the large-scale Tropical Garden 4 (2019) at auction in Paris. The painting sold for more than double its high estimate at an impressive €67,600, the second-highest price achieved at auction for Ntensibe’s work at the time.
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The current auction record for Ntensibe at auction is $172,372 for Tropical Garden 2, sold in Paris in 2019.
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IMPORTANT NOTICE:
Logistics
While we endeavour to assist our Clients as much as possible, we require artwork(s) to be delivered and/or collected from our premises by the Client. In instances where a Client is unable to deliver or collect artwork(s), Aspire staff is available to assist in this process by outsourcing the services to one of our preferred Service Providers. The cost for this will be for the Client’s account, with an additional Handling Fee of 15% charged on top of the Service Provider’s invoice.
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Small (≤60x90x10 cm): R480
Medium (≤90x120x15 cm): R960
Large (≤120x150x20 cm): R1,440
Over-size: Special quote
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Collection/delivery ≤20km: R400
Collection/delivery 20km>R800≤50km
Collection/delivery >50km: Special quote
Packaging
A flat fee of R100 will be added to the invoice for packaging of unframed works on paper.
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For buyers from outside South Africa, we will keep the artworks you have purchased in storage during the year and then ship all the works you have acquired during the year together, so the shipping costs are reduced. At the end of the annual period, we will source various quotes to get you the best price, and ship all your artworks to your desired address at once.
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Handling Fee
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