Irma Stern tops auction sales

Elite group of South African artists attract enthusiastic bids here and internationally.

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An elite group of South African artists, among them auction bellwethers William Kentridge, Esther Mahlangu, Zanele Muholi, George Pemba, JH Pierneef, Irma Stern, Vladimir Tretchikoff and Anton van Wouw, attracted enthusiastic bids at Strauss & Co's vibrant summer auction programme in Johannesburg.

Composed of four distinct auctions, the important Evening Sale earned R32.1 million/$1.8 million from 48 lots sold. Irma Stern's Watussi Chief's Wife in Yellow, a gorgeous 1946 portrait showing an elite Rwandan woman, was the night's top earner, achieving R4.6 million/$252 099.