Strauss & Co Brings South African Modernist Masterpieces and Contemporary Art Into Focus
South Africa’s rich artistic heritage comes to light this November as Strauss & Co prepares to present a significant collection of modern and contemporary works across three auctions in Johannesburg. Bringing together pieces from distinguished private and corporate collections, the upcoming sales offer an opportunity to explore the artists, movements, and cultural perspectives that have helped shape the country’s visual identity, while opening the conversation to a wider Pan-African art landscape.
Taking place on 17 and 18 November 2026 at Strauss & Co’s Houghton showroom, the flagship auction programme includes a highly anticipated Evening Sale, followed by selected works from the Cotton Tree Collection. Together, the sales bring an impressive selection of paintings, sculpture, photography, and works on paper into the spotlight.
Among the most notable works is Irma Stern’s Still Life with Strelitzias, a Songe Mask, and a Songe Nkisi Figure painted in 1946. Delivered from the collection of renowned novelist Wilbur Smith and his wife, the painting leads the evening sale with an estimate of R5.5 – 7.5 million. Its connection to Stern’s travels in the Congo during the 1940s adds another layer of interest to a work that reflects the artist’s engagement with African subject matter.
The painting will be discussed at Strauss & Co’s Houghton gallery on 14 November by Emeritus Professor Michael Godby, a leading authority on Stern whose research and curatorial work have contributed significantly to the understanding of her practice.
South African modernism remains a defining theme throughout the Evening Sale, with important works by Alexis Preller, J.H. Pierneef, Maggie Laubser, Wolf Kibel and Erik Laubscher. Their presence is complemented by selections from the Sanlam Art Collection, the Valterra Platinum Collection and the late Advocate Ruth Kuper SC, each offering a different view on collecting and legacy.
From the Sanlam Art Collection, nine works will be displayed, including Stern’s 1947 Nude, alongside works by Wolf Kibel, Maggie Laubser, Alexis Preller and Penny Siopis. Meanwhile, landscape takes priority in the Valterra Platinum selection, with highlights including Laubscher’s Summer Keurfontein, Judith Mason’s Paper Darts, and Keith Alexander’s Kolmanskop.
The collection of Advocate Ruth Kuper SC, one of South Africa’s first women advocates and a discerning collector of modernist art, offers another compelling setting. Gerard Sekoto’s Yard in Sophiatown leads the selection, accompanied by a still life by Stern and four studies connected to Pierneef’s celebrated Johannesburg Station panels.
The programme also looks beyond the country's modernist principle, bringing together contemporary works that trace significant shifts in South African art from the 1980s to the present. Highlights include John Meyer’s expansive Odysseus, William Kentridge’s 1989 etching Casspirs Full of Love, and Gerhard Marx’s bronze sculpture Scion (Child). Kentridge is also represented by four bronzes, including works from his Three Russian Figures series.
Extending the conversation across the continent, the Cotton Tree Collection introduces a diverse group of modern and contemporary African artists. Featuring works by Léonce Raphaël Agbodjélou, Soly Cissé, Andile Dyalvane, Aboubakar Fofana, Wycliffe Mundopa, Serge Alain Nitegeka and Dominique Zinkpè, the collection brings together different artistic practices, generations, and cultural contexts.
More than an auction calendar, Strauss & Co’s November programme offers a moment to reconsider the significance of collecting art, influence in the industry, and cultural preservation. By bringing together established voices from across Africa, it creates an engaging dialogue between the past and present.
Works from all three sales will be on view at Strauss & Co’s gallery at 89 Central Street, Houghton, with a curated exhibition walkabout taking place on Sunday, 15 November at 11am.
Images: Supplied