Gerard T. Bhengu is the definitive modern study of one of South Africa's most significant yet historically underappreciated artists. Published in 2022, this substantial 462-page illustrated paperback brings together leading scholars, curators and art historians to explore the life, artistic development and enduring legacy of Gerard Tshelenkosi Bhengu (19101990), whose work documented the people, traditions and landscapes of KwaZulu-Natal with remarkable sensitivity and technical skill.
Edited by Juliette Leeb-du Toit, this richly illustrated volume expands upon the landmark 1995 Tatham Art Gallery exhibition catalogue while incorporating decades of new research. Essays examine Bhengu's portraiture, landscapes, murals, cultural identity, artistic influences, patronage, historical context and collecting history, making Gerard T. Bhengu the most comprehensive publication yet produced on the artist. Contributors include respected South African academics and researchers whose work provides fresh perspectives on Bhengu's contribution to South African art history.
Lavishly illustrated in full colour throughout, the book reproduces many of Bhengu's finest paintings, drawings and illustrations, making it an invaluable visual reference for collectors, museums, historians, students and anyone interested in African art. Beyond being an exhibition catalogue, Gerard T. Bhengu serves as an important scholarly resource documenting the cultural, political and artistic environment in which Bhengu worked.
This first paperback edition was published in 2022 and remains one of the most important recent publications devoted to South African fine art. An essential addition to libraries specialising in African art, KwaZulu-Natal history, museum studies, cultural heritage and twentieth-century South African artists.
Condition - New
2022 paperback with fold-in covers. 462 pages. Unread and in new condition.
