30th Nov, 2022 18:00
20th Century & Contemporary Art
60
Cecil Skotnes (South Africa 1926 - 2009) and Stephens Tapestry Studio
One-eyed Cat
mohair and polycotton warp tapestry
Artwork date: 1960, woven in 2020/2021
Signature details: inscribed with the artist name, the date, the title, the studio details, numbered 3/5, further inscribed 'Weaver Buhle Mamba; Rodhs Sori and Mumsy Mulavdzi' and 'Proofed by Christina Weavind' and endorsed and signed by Pippa Skotnes, Cecil Skotnes’s daughter on the reverse
Edition: number 1/3
Sold for R318,640
Estimated at R300,000 - R400,000
mohair and polycotton warp tapestry
Artwork date: 1960, woven in 2020/2021
Signature details: inscribed with the artist name, the date, the title, the studio details, numbered 3/5, further inscribed 'Weaver Buhle Mamba; Rodhs Sori and Mumsy Mulavdzi' and 'Proofed by Christina Weavind' and endorsed and signed by Pippa Skotnes, Cecil Skotnes’s daughter on the reverse
Edition: number 1/3
(1)
198 x 296 cm
Provenance:
Private collection, Johannesburg.
Stephens Tapestry Studio, Johannesburg.
Notes:
Woven in 2020/2021, this tapestry depicts the famed image of Cecil Skotnes’ Cat, a limited edition woodcut made and printed in 1960. Skotnes gifted the print to his daughter Pippa, who fondly recalls: “The image I remember most clearly from my early childhood (he made this for me for my third Christmas) was a large cat, roughly cut in wood and printed by hand with the back of a spoon on fine rice paper, which hung on my bedroom wall. It was apparently a portrait of a friend’s one-eyed cat, which hunted for its dinner and gave its name to my own, more gentle pet, Kotchka”. [1]
Here, on an enlarged scale, the strong and bold marks and shapes of Skotnes’ original woodcut translate beautifully in woven tapestry form.
Skotnes also gave this print as a Christmas gift to William Kentridge’s family when he was six years old. This particular cat image stayed with Kentridge – both because it seemed to him to be a self-portrait of Skotnes, with his moustache whiskers and his bright, cat-like eyes; and also because it changed the way that Kentridge saw cats. Ever since, cats have become a recurring motif in Kentridge’s work – all of them in one way or another indebted to this first Skotnes cat. [2]
[1] Skotnes, P. (1996). At the Cutting Edge: Cecil Skotnes as Printmaker. In Harmsen, F. (ed.). Cecil Skotnes. Cape Town: South African Breweries. p 84.
[2] Flint, J. William Kentridge: Scribble Cat. https://davidkrutprojects.com/artworks/8908/scribble-cat [Accessed on 2 November 2022]
Collections:
The artist is represented in numerous local and international collections, notably, Norval Foundation, Cape Town; Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town; Royal Belgian Library, Brussels; Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Copenhagen and Schlesinger Organisation, London.
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Auction: 20th Century & Contemporary Art, 30th Nov, 2022
The focused sale brings to market 84 highly collectable lots, with the diverse collection showcasing highlights by modern masters including magnificent still-life compositions and a Zanzibari boat scene by Irma Stern, an Alexis Preller abstract and an early JH Pierneef landscape. Also included is a significant collection of celebrated contemporary artists: Mustafa Maluka, David Koloane, Walter Oltmann, Norman Catherine, Willem Boshoff, a rare self-portrait oil by Robert Hodgins as well as a large bronze sculpture by Zanele Muholi, the first of this new body of work to be offered on auction.
The sale features a special selection of artworks by William Kentridge. One of the most celebrated and influential living artists today, his major retrospective exhibition is currently on show at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. This is one of the most unique and high-quality Kentridge collections to come to market. Spanning his career and showcasing the many mediums in which he works, the sale features signature charcoal drawings alongside collages, tapestry, prints and sculptures.
Currency conversions are based on the exchange rate at the auction's start time and date. Bidders should verify the current exchange rate on the day of the sale. All invoices and payments must be made in South African Rands.
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