R400,000 - R600,000
Jacobus Hendrik Pierneef (South African 1886 - 1957) LANDSCAPE - EASTERN FREE STATE
signed and dated 46; label adhered to reverse bears artwork information
casein on paper
21,5 by 28cm; 37,5 by 44,5 by 2cm including framing
Landscape - Eastern Free State (Lot 506) shows that unlike Pierneef’s monumental, grand oil paintings, the artist’s casein works are often modestly scaled and less structured in their formal qualities. These casein works exhibit the artist’s ability to temper his style with impressionism and are widely regarded as his more lyrical and expressive works.
Casein is a milk-based binding agent and can be used in painting by grinding pigment in a solution of the substance. It has been used as a binder and adhesive for over 800 years, but the medium’s popularity dwindled with the advent of artificial polymers. Despite this long history, it hasn’t been a popular choice amongst artists due to its fast drying rate, making it extremely difficult to handle. This paint demands a certainty and assuredness from the artist, as once dried, the medium sets like fine cement and becomes completely water resistant. For this reason, Pierneef has been regularly applauded for his successful use of this notoriously difficult paint. The medium may also speak to how prolific Pierneef was as an artist. Since it has a shelf life of only a few days, it would only be used by artists who are creating everyday.
Casein has many of the desired qualities of oil, including its lustrous surface and completely opaque, vibrant colour. The medium also allows for the layering of impasto-like strokes, which can be built on once dried. Casein’s near indestructibility if painted onto surfaces with little pliability also means that many works are wonderfully preserved and show very little ageing.
- A.C
De Villiers, K.L. 1997. The JH Pierneef collection of the City Council of Pretoria housed in the Pretoria Art Museum, MA dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria. p. 208.
Krieger, B. Sa. The Case for Casein, The Artist’s Network [O]:
https://www.artistsnetwork.com/art-mediums/oil-painting/krieger-casein/
Accessed 7 May 2022
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