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Michael
Michael
@mdstamper.bsky.social
9 months ago
This oil painting by South African artist Alfred Neville Lewis was purchased by the Aberdeen Art Gallery in 1938, but its date of creation is unknown. The woman depicted is presumably from the Pondo region, or amaPondo region on the South East coast of South Africa whose people speak Xhosa. A beautiful young, dark-skinned woman with a serious expression, adorned with turquoise bead necklaces and a dark head wrap that covers most of her black hair, is portrayed in a close-up oil painting set against a backdrop of lush green foliage. Her skin tones are rich and varied, ranging from deep browns to warmer reddish-browns, highlighting the contours of her face. We don’t know much on this unidentified woman and her life’s story. We also don’t know about the context in which this portrait was undertaken. Did Lewis pay for her time sitting for this portrait in a studio? Did he sketch her to later return to paint? We simply don’t know. We do know a portrait by Lewis was destroyed during a demonstration as part of the 2015 "Rhodes Must Fall" movement in South Africa, originally directed against a statue at the University of Cape Town (UCT) of former South African prime minister Cecil Rhodes. The campaign captured national headlines and led to a wider movement to "decolonize" education across South Africa which inspired allied student movements at other universities, both within South Africa and elsewhere in the world. Lewis divided his life between South Africa and England. He studied at the Slade School of Fine Art and then served during World War I. He was a prolific exhibitor, being a member of the New English Art Club, National Society of Painters, and the Royal Society of Portrait Painters. He had his first solo show at Carfax Gallery in 1920. During World War II, he was an Official War Artist with the South African forces. His work, notable for portraits and figure studies, is held in several public collections including the Tate Gallery in London.

This oil painting by South African artist Alfred Neville Lewis was purchased by the Aberdeen Art Gallery in 1938, but its date of creation is unknown. The woman depicted is presumably from the Pondo region, or amaPondo region on the South East coast of South Africa whose people speak Xhosa. A beautiful young, dark-skinned woman with a serious expression, adorned with turquoise bead necklaces and a dark head wrap that covers most of her black hair, is portrayed in a close-up oil painting set against a backdrop of lush green foliage. Her skin tones are rich and varied, ranging from deep browns to warmer reddish-browns, highlighting the contours of her face. We don’t know much on this unidentified woman and her life’s story. We also don’t know about the context in which this portrait was undertaken. Did Lewis pay for her time sitting for this portrait in a studio? Did he sketch her to later return to paint? We simply don’t know. We do know a portrait by Lewis was destroyed during a demonstration as part of the 2015 "Rhodes Must Fall" movement in South Africa, originally directed against a statue at the University of Cape Town (UCT) of former South African prime minister Cecil Rhodes. The campaign captured national headlines and led to a wider movement to "decolonize" education across South Africa which inspired allied student movements at other universities, both within South Africa and elsewhere in the world. Lewis divided his life between South Africa and England. He studied at the Slade School of Fine Art and then served during World War I. He was a prolific exhibitor, being a member of the New English Art Club, National Society of Painters, and the Royal Society of Portrait Painters. He had his first solo show at Carfax Gallery in 1920. During World War II, he was an Official War Artist with the South African forces. His work, notable for portraits and figure studies, is held in several public collections including the Tate Gallery in London.

"Pondo Woman" by Neville Lewis (South African) - Oil on board / Unknown date (before 1938) - Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums (South Africa) #WomenInArt #art #PortraitofaWoman #SouthAfricanArtist #SouthAfricanArt #AlfredNevilleLewis #NevilleLewis #WomensArt #OilPainting #AAGM #AberdeenArtGallery

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