Pictorial Africana: A survey of old South African paintings, drawings, and prints to the end of the nineteenth century, with a biographical dictionary of one thousand artists by Gordon-Brown, Alfred

Pictorial Africana: A survey of old South African paintings, drawings, and prints to the end of the nineteenth century, with a biographical dictionary of one thousand artists by Gordon-Brown, Alfred

Hardcover, ISBN 9780869610701
Publisher: Balkema, 1975
Fold out in mint condition. Jacket has very minor chips and edge wear. Dark blue hard cover in very good+ condition. Book, spine, binding and pages are tight and clean.

Alfred Gordon-Brown authored a number of books during the course of his lifetime. His most enduring works were the SOUTH AND EAST AFRICAN YEARBOOK AND GUIDE series he edited from 1940 onward. The YEARBOOK was initially edited by his father for the Union Steamship Company, and later the Union-Castle Steamship Company. This annual overview of these lands served as an in-depth guide to the ports and travel routes of the various steamships, but then expanded to cover all aspects that a traveler might wish to know.

To oversee the publishing of these Annuals, Gordon-Brown would travel once a year, courtesy of Union-Castle, to London. It was here that he became acquainted with various book, map and art dealers and became interested in their offerings relating to southern Africa. It was also during these years that he became very friendly with the great Cape art collector and philanthropist Dr William Fehr. Gordon-Brown began to act on his behalf, purchasing items in London and elsewhere overseas to add to what later became the famous Fehr Collection, now owned by the South African state.

In addition to the YEARBOOK he authored PICTORIAL ART IN SOUTH AFRICA …TO 1875 in 1952. This was published by the London book dealer Chas Sawyer who specialised in books and art on southern Africa. Some years later he completed a book on the Cape artist Christopher Webb Smith and edited the Van Riebeeck Society publication in 1966 on PRIVATE BUCK ADAMS. In 1972 he wrote AN ARTIST’S JOURNEY which contained sketches found in the Library of Parliament in Cape Town by an unnamed visitor. Gordon-Brown gives some pointers as to whom the artist might be and followed his route with explanations of the sketches. This was published by another friend of Gordon-Brown, A.A. Balkema.

At the same time as he was writing books, Gordon-Brown was also writing introductions to books on southern Africa. He fulfilled this task with regard to the   published by Balkema, the two volume set of Burchell’s TRAVELS published by Struik and JAMES EWART’S JOURNAL.

This brief overview of Gordon-Brown serves to set the scene for his most important work published by Balkema in 1975 PICTORIAL AFRICANA, a survey of old South African paintings, drawings and prints to the end of the nineteenth century, with a biographical dictionary of 1000 artists. This was an extension of his PICTORIAL ART published two decades previously, but much expanded.

At this stage of his life it would have been true to say that Gordon-Brown was undoubtedly the person most suited to expound upon art produced before the 20th century relating to southern Africa. His knowledge and experience shine through. No artist escaped his attention however limited their output was and it would be true to say that this work is about as complete as it could be.

Frank Bradlow (probably the only person who could be said to match Gordon-Brown’s knowledge) in reviewing this publication for the Cape Times (21/5/75) called it a “landmark” and the “definitive work on the subject”. Forty-five years on and one can only agree with that statement. No other publication has supplanted it and it still remains required reading for any collector or individual interested in this area. A.A. Balkema shrewdly also published at this stage Esme Berman’s ART AND ARTISTS OF SOUTH AFRICA, an illustrated biographical dictionary and historical survey of painters…artists since 1875. This publication neatly complimented Gordon-Brown’s work and meant researchers and collectors of Africana and art of southern Africa were easily able to learn and expand their knowledge of the subject. Thus was the local art market informed, expanded and encouraged to grow and prosper.