Lot 18: FREIDA LOCK (SOUTH AFRICAN, 1902-1962) ‘Dhows in Harbour’ signed and dated ‘Freida Lock ‘47’ (lower

FREIDA LOCK (SOUTH AFRICAN, 1902-1962) ‘Dhows in Harbour’ signed and dated ‘Freida Lock ‘47’ (lower right); inscribed with title (verso) oil on canvas 51 x 61cm (20 1/16 x 24in).

Following in the footsteps of fellow artist Irma Stern, Freida Lock travelled to Zanzibar in 1947 looking for fresh inspiration. She resided there for eighteen months, immersing herself in the culture of the Arab community. The ‘exotic’ nature of the island excited Lock’s artistic passions, so different from her experiences in South Africa and London. This was a highly prolific period for the artist; visits to the bustling markets and the dhow harbours fuelled her creative fire. The blues and greens of the Indian Ocean and tropical vegetation offered her the perfect opportunity to experiment with a vibrant palette. Dated 1947, Dhows in Harbour was painted within the first few months of her arrival. The billowing sails of the dhows are depicted in broad, energetic brushstrokes. The liberal application of white paint is characteristic of Lock; as Esme Berman observes, “She seemed to enjoy particularly the chalky tone and texture obtained from zinc-white applied in thick impasto”. The clouds are rendered in a similarly textured fashion. Lock’s interest in the weather is partially a result of her training at the Heatherley School of Art in London. It was here that she and fellow South Africans, Terence McCaw and Gregoire Boonzaier, were exposed to European Impressionist artists. Inspired by the works of Cezanne, Utrillo and Braque, Lock returned to South Africa determined to paint directly from life, capturing the fleeting moment on canvas. The raw brushstrokes and dynamic composition of Dhows in Harbour reveals her reputation as a ‘Cape Impressionist’ to be well-deserved.
Bibliography: S. Shoolman, (ed.), The Modern Palimpsest: Envisioning South African Modernity, Graham’s Fine Art Gallery exhibition catalogue (Johannesburg, 2008), pp. 78-85. E. Berman, Art & Artists of South Africa, (Cape Town, 1983) p. 268.