HENNIE POTGIETER

1916 - 1992

Sculptures


Hennie Potgieter 1960s

Hendrik Christoffel Potgieter in the 1960s


 

Brief C.V.

Born 1st November, 1916 on the farm “Morgenzon”, Paul Roux (Senekal District), OFS, South Africa. Was awarded a scholarship to study at Witwatersrand Technical College (School of Arts & Crafts) Johannesburg from 1936 to 1941 (under James Gardner and Eric Byrd). Married to Bettie, had two daughters, Kitt and Olga. Died on 28th July, 1992, in Schoemansville, of heart failure.

 

Hennie Potgieter at his studio in Schoemansville 1965, with wife Bettie and visiting artist Elizabeth Benson Macadam

Hennie Potgieter at his studio in Schoemansville 1965, with wife Bettie and visiting artist Elizabeth Benson Macadam - click on image for better view!

 

In December 1947 Hennie Potgieter, accompanied by his wife Bettie, and Laurika Postma travelled to Italy to supervise the quarrying of marble for the Voortrekker Monument commission in Pretoria.

In 1987 Hennie Potgieter received a Medal  from “Die Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns“ (kultuurhistoriese beeldhoukuns).

Full details on Hennie Potgieter can be seen on an illustrated 1984 MA dissertation of 218 pp by PJ van der Westhuysen (click on this link for PDF)!

 

 

Solo Exhibitions

Gallery 101, Johannesburg - 3rd June, 1963 - opened by Mr Gideon Roos

Exhibited also in Johannesburg 1945, in Pretoria 1955, at Phalaborwa 1956, in Heidelberg 1964.

 

 

Selected Group Exhibitions

1952 Van Riebeeck Festival Exhibition

1953 Rhodes Centenary Exhibition, Bulawayo

1966 Republic Festival Art Exhibition (SA Association of Arts, Pretoria) (May)

1967 Adler Fielding Galleries, Johannesburg (“Sculpture · SA 1900 – 1967”) (12th September, 1967)

1980 University of Pretoria, Pretoria (Beeldhou 80 UP) (6th to 27th June)

 

 

Selected works illustrated, sold on auction

 Stephan Welz, Johannesburg – 20th/21st April, 2009 – Lot 146 - "Mabalel" bronze 5/10

Hennie POTGIETER "Mabalel" bronze 5/10 - 91 cm H incl. base

"Mabalel" bronze 5/10 91cm incl. base

 

Bonhams Knightsbridge – SA sale 17157 - 17th February, 2009 – Lot 17 - "Nude stretching arm", 1977 bronze 2/2

Hennie POTGIETER "Nude stretching arm", 1977 - bronze 2/2

"Nude stretching arm", 1977 - bronze 2/2

 

Bernardi Auctioneers, Pretoria - 15th February, 2010 - Lot 501 - "Chameleon", 1957 - carved green verdite - 9cm long

Hennie POTGIETER "Chameleon", 1957 - carved green verdite - 9cm long

"Chameleon", 1957 - carved green verdite - 9cm long

 

Bernardi Auctioneers, Pretoria - 20th July, 2009 - Lot 755 - "Female torso", 1981 - wood - 23.5 cm high

Hennie POTGIETER "Female torso", 1981 - wood 23.5 cm H

 "Female torso", 1981 - wood - 23.5 cm high

 

 

Other works sold on auction

Welz / Sotheby's, Johannesburg - 15th November, 2004 - Lot 621

Welz / Sotheby's, Johannesburg - 19th April, 2005 - Lot 241

Bernardi Auctioneers, Pretoria - 4th February, 2008 - Lot 504

Bernardi Auctioneers, Pretoria - 9th February, 2009 - Lot 425

Bernardi Auctioneers, Pretoria - 25th October, 2010 - Lot 606

Bernardi Auctioneers, Pretoria - 19th September, 2011 - Lot 627

Hennie POTGIETER "Ndebele woman", 1967 - bronze - 24.5cm H excluding stinkwood base - Bernardi Auctioneers 19th September, 2011 - Lot 627

"Ndebele woman", 1967 - bronze - 24.5cm H excluding stinkwood base - Bernardi Auctioneers 19th September, 2011 - Lot 627

 

Strauss & Co., Johannesburg - 7th November, 2011 - Lot 220, 221

Bernardi Auctioneers, Pretoria - 27th February, 2012 - Lot 589

Strauss & Co., Johannesburg - 11th June, 2012 - Lot 290

Hennie Potgieter "Female torso", 1963 bronze - ed. unknown - 44cm H excluding marble base - auctioned Strauss & Co. 11th June, 2012 - Lot 290

"Female torso", 1963 - bronze (ed. unknown) - 44cm H excluding marble base - auctioned Strauss & Co. 11th June, 2012 - Lot 290

 

Bernardi Auctioneers, Pretoria - 3rd June, 2013 - Lot 450

Hennie POTGIETER "Nude dancer", 1969 - bronze - ed. 2/6 - 36cm H excluding marble plinth - auctioned Bernardi Auctioneers, Pretoria - 3rd June, 2013 - Lot 450

"Nude dancer", 1969 - bronze - ed. 2/6 - 36cm H excluding marble plinth - auctioned by Bernardi Auctioneers, Pretoria - 3rd June, 2013 - Lot 450

 

Bernardi Auctioneers, Pretoria - 13th July, 2013 - Lot 299

Hennie POTGIETER "Reclining Nude", 1971 - bronze - ed. 2/6 - 43cm L - auctioned by Bernardi Auctioneers, Pretoria - 13th July, 2013 - Lot 299

"Reclining Nude", 1971 - bronze - ed. 2/6 - 43cm L - auctioned by Bernardi Auctioneers, Pretoria - 13th July, 2013 - Lot 299

 

Bernardi Auctioneers, Pretoria - 13th July, 2013 - Lot 300

Strauss & Co., Johannesburg - 11th November, 2013 - Lot 65

Hennie Potgieter "Mabalel", 1973 - bronze with verdigris patina - 165cm H

"Mabalel", 1973 - bronze with verdigris patina - 165cm H

 

Bernardi Auctioneers, Pretoria - 28th July, 2014 - Lot 752

Bernardi Auctioneers, Pretoria - 26th October, 2015 - Lots 99, 100

Bernardi Auctioneers, Pretoria - 16th March, 2016 - Lot 164

Hennie POTGIETER "Op die pad van Suid-Afrika 1838-1938" - bronze and lead-cast relief plaque - Bernardi Pretoria 16th March 2016 Lot 164

"Op die pad van Suid-Afrika 1838-1938" - bronze and lead-cast relief plaque - - click on image for better view!

 

Old Johannesburg Warehouse Auctioneers, Johannesburg - 25th June, 2016 - Lot A041

Hennie POTGIETER "Paul Kruger", 1936 - carved and incised green marble from Querceta / Forte dei Marmi - 20cm H - signed

"Paul Kruger", 1936 - carved and incised green marble from Querceta / Forte dei Marmi - 20cm H - signed

 

Old Johannesburg Warehouse Auctioneers, Johannesburg - 27th August, 2016 - Lot A032

Hennie POTGIETER "Bust of a nude woman", 1971 - bronze ed. 6/10 - 20cm H - Lot A032

"Bust of a nude woman", 1971 - bronze ed. 6/10 - 20cm H - Lot A032

 

 

Other selected works

Hennie POTGIETER "Andromeda" in stone pre-1967

"Andromeda" in stone pre-1967, life-size - click on image for better view!

 

Hennie POTGIETER "Klipspringer" bronze, life-size - Coll. Pretoria Zoo (Img Dotman Pretorius)

"Klipspringer" in bronze, life-size - Coll. Pretoria Zoo - click on image for better view!

 

Hennie POTGIETER "Pelicans" bronze group - Northern Johannesburg

"Pelicans" - bronze group - Johannesburg

 

 

Listed in / works illustrated in

"Art in South Africa since 1900” (F.L. Alexander) (Balkema), 1962, p. 167

“South African Artists 1900-1962” (Harold Jeppe) (Afrikaanse Pers-Boekhandel), 1963, p.134

"South African Panorama", Pretoria (March 1966), ill.

1966 Republic Festival Art Exhibition (SA Association of Arts, Pretoria) (May), cat. 220+221

“Sculpture · SA 1900 - 1967” (Adler Fielding Galleries, Johannesburg), 1967, cat. 81 (ill.), 82, 83 - "Tokoloshe" (wonder stone), "Nude" (marble), "Fountain" (bronze)

Hennie Potgieter "Tokoloshe" pre-1967 - wonderstone

“South African Art” (James Ambrose Brown) (MacDonald Heritage), 1978, pp. 16, 17 (ill.), 36, 42

“Beeldhou 80 UP” University of Pretoria, Pretoria (6th to 27th June 1980), cat. 20

 “Art & Artists of South Africa” (Berman) (Balkema), 1983, pp. 408 ill., 514, 515, 516, 526

“Looking at South African Art” (Harmsen) (van Schaik), 1985, p. 131

„The Dictionary of South African Painters and Sculptors including Namibia“ (Ogilvie / Graff) (Everard Read), 1988 – ISBN 0 620 12663 9 – listed on p. 530

„Images of Wood“ (Rankin) (Johannesburg Art Gallery), 1989, pp. 25, 29, 59

 

 

Sculptural work includes

Bellville – Bronze of “Karl Bremer”

Brits - “Andromeda”

Cape Town - Loretta Convent, Sea Point - “Madonna” (7’ high)

Lichtenburg - Bronze of “Gen. de la Rey”

Pretoria - Voortrekker Monument, Pretoria – the historic panels on the eastern wall of the monument and the Buffalo Head at the entrance to the Monument

Pretoria - Provincial Administration Building - “Getemde Vryheid” / “Liberty curbed” (3m high bronze)

Hennie Potgieter “Getemde Vryheid” / “Liberty curbed” (3m high bronze) - Provincial Administration Building, Pretoria

Pretoria - Pretoria Normal College (“Lente”)

Pretoria – Census Building (panel in red granite)

Pretoria – Dutch Reformed Church Hall (panel)

Upington - “Donkey”

Vanderbijlpark – a twice life size bronze

Windhoek – Bronze of “Kurt von François”

 

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Hennie Potgieter had his larger bronzes cast at the Hendrik Joubert Foundry in Schoemansville

 

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In the late 1960s, Hennie Potgieter generously made his studio facilities available to Lucas Sithole!

Lucas Sithole was commissioned in the late 60s by Union Corporation Ltd., Johannesburg,  through Mrs Anderson, the wife of the then Chairman, based on a maquette Lucas had made for Lady Ina Oppenheimer's farm of Brahmans at Hekpoort, to make the huge bronze sculpture which is linked on LS7101. As Lucas did not have the necessary studio facilities at Springs, Hennie Potgieter generously made his fully equipped studio facilities at Schoemansville over a period of many months available, at no cost. Lucas completed the full-sized plaster of Paris there. Hennie Potgieter showed Lucas Sithole how to first build a wire structure, and then to apply Plaster of Paris. It had then to be transported to the foundry of Hendrik Joubert where one unique bronze cast was made.

Hennie Potgieter discussing a work by Lucas SITHOLE at Gallery 101, Johannesburg, on 5th October, 1970, with Bertie du Plooy, gallery custodian

Hennie Potgieter discussing a work by Lucas SITHOLE at Gallery 101, Johannesburg, on 5th October, 1970, with Bertie du Plooy, gallery custodian - see Youtube upload link for more details of the opening.

 


Updated 30th August, 2016

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