Maria Magdalena (Maggie) Laubser
(1886 – 1973)
Maria Magdalena (Maggie) Laubser was born in the Malmesbury district, Cape Town, in 1886. She attended Bloemhof Seminary in Stellenbosch until the age of 15. She later attended singing lessons in Cape Town, where she became involved with a circle of artists and musicians. She shortly changed from singing to painting classes and became a member of the SA Society of Artists in 1907. She had her own studio in Cape Town until 1912 but, unable to directly earn a living through painting, she returned to the farm of her childhood in the Transvaal and took a position as governess on a farm near Ermelo.
She then met JHA Blawé, a successful businessman, who became her patron and convinced her parents to permit her to study in Europe. Laubser arrived in Laren, Holland in 1913, a village which was a magnet for artists from The US, The Hague School, England and France. This exposure to a wide variety of artistsinspired and awakened Laubser to new artistic possibilities, especially the exciting modern movements in the art world.
At the outbreak of the First World War Laubser moved to London and attended classes at the Slade School of Art from 1914 to 1919. The classes were too unadventurous for Laubser’s taste, who then started only attending the drawing classes. Laubser traveled around the Lake District in England and Scotland during this period, on her own painting trips.
In 1919 Laubser moved to Belgiumwhere she was exposed to Van Gogh’s work. She persisted with her outdoor painting, focusing on the scenic wheat fields in the area. Laubser remained in Europe for some time, living in Northern Italy where she painted prolifically for nearly a year. She then moved to Berlin from 1922 to 1924 where she had contact with Irma Stern and other German Expressionists. Laubser intensified the forms and brightened the colours in her work, giving her work an expressive symbolic character. She then painted a series of portraits of an authentic Expressionistic style.
Laubser returned permanently to South Africa in 1924 and had her first solo exhibition at the Argus Gallery in Cape Town, which was an economic and significant catastrophe. The conservative attitude of the Cape did not receive her bold, confrontational forms and unusual expressionistic use of colour warmly. Laubser, however, persisted with her exceptional expressionist approach to art and life itself. Though Laubser traveled seldom thereafter, she took painting trips round South Africa, producing portraits and landscapes. Laubser painted until her death at her home in 1973.
Laubser’s paintings have often been criticized for being naïve and childlike, but her history is an indication of her honesty and ambitiousness as an artist. Through her persistence in her personal vision and beliefs, she triumphed over the hardship of years of rejection as an internationally renowned South African master that is still celebrated today.
1886
Born 14 April on the farmBloublommetjieskloof,in the Malmesbury District
1893
Attended farm school, Rocklands – had private piano tuition
1897
Attended Bloemhof Seminary, Stellenbosch – was taught art by conventional methods
1901
Education interrupted to give her brothers the opportunity to study
Took singing lessons while living on the farm
Introduced to Professor Edward Roworth – had painting lessons for two months with Professor Roworth (painted from postcards)
1907
Elected member of the South African Society of Artists
1912
Visited family in Pretoria
Employed as governess in the Ermelo district – taught art and needlework
While on vacation in Durban met Jan Hendrik Arnold Balwe who offered to finance overseas study for her and her sister
1913
Travelled with Hannag to the Netherlands to study art and music
Lived in Laren – met artists, poets and writers
1915
Returned to South Africa briefly and visited her parents on the farmOortmanspost
Returned to London to resume her studies at the Slade School of Art
Influenced by friendship with painter Arnold Balwe (son of J. H. A. Balwe)
1919
Left England for Antwerp
Post-World War I travelled with the Balwes to Italy – en route saw work by the German Expressionists
1920
Lived and painted near Lake Garda and San Vigilio, Italy
Paid short visit to South Africa
1921
Travels to Bad Kissingen with Arnold Balwe and the ailing J. H. A. Balwe
Death of J. H. A. Balwe (April/May)
Travels to Venice, Milan and through the continent to England
Returned to South Africa (September)
1922
Returns to Europe and stays in Berlin
Visits Ahrenshoop on the Baltic Sea in the company of Irma Stern
Is introduced to Professor Jachels, a celebrated portrait-painter and teacher
Stimulated and influence by work of the Expressionists
1924
Attends concerts and exhibitions in Berlin
Becomes acquainted with expressionist painters living in Berlin
Returns to South Africa and takes up residence on the farmOortmanspost
1925
Work received with skepticism and poor critiques
Met D. C. Boonzaier and Moses Kottler
1926 – 1928
Visits and paints in various places along the coast of the Western Cape
1929
Introduced by Mieke Siegers to Prof. and Mrs Serton who encouraged her to hold and exhibition in September
Official recognition from the Union Government who purchased work for their overseas embassies
1931
First exhibition in the Transvaal
Took painting trips throughout South Africa
1933
Elected as member of the South African Academy of Arts and Science
1935
Travels throughout South Africa with an extended stay in the Free State
1936
Her father dies on 3 May
Her mother dies on 20 November
1942
Moves to Rusoord, Strand, Cape
1944
Publication of the bookMaggie Laubserby Johannes Meintjes
1946
Visits the Free State, Natal and Transvaal
1947
Settles at ‘Altyd Lig’, Strand, Cape
1953
Visits Natal
1957
Experimented with abstract forms
1973
Died at her home in Strand, Cape, on May 1
1914
Studied at Slade School of Art, London
Refused to paint while studying in order to preserve individuality, modeled with clay
1915
Returned to the Slade School of Art, London
1922
Painted and studied under Professor Jachels, Germany
1909
Group exhibition,Second Annual Exhibition of the Fine Art Association,Cape Town
1922
Group exhibition,Twenty-First Annual Exhibition of the South African Society of Artists,Cape Town
1924
Solo exhibition, Ferdinand Postma Biblioteek, Potchefstoom
1925
Solo exhibition, Argus Gallery, Cape Town
1929
Group exhibition, Inaugural Exhibition of Die Federasie van Afrikaanse Kultuurvereniging, Bloemfontein
Exhibition at Stellenbosch
1931
Solo exhibition, MacFadyen Hall, Pretoria
Solo exhibition, Martin Melck House, Cape Town
1932
Group exhibition,First Annual Exhibition of South African Art,South African National Gallery, Cape Town
1933
Group exhibition,Second Annual Exhibition of South African Art,South African National Gallery, Cape Town
1936
Group exhibition,Fifth Annual Exhibition of South African Art,South African National Gallery, Cape Town
Group exhibition,The Empire Exhibition,Johannesburg
1937
Group exhibition,Art from the Commonwealth,Royal Institute Galleries, London
1938
Joint exhibition with Rene Graetz, Cecil Higgs and Lippy Lipshitz
Group exhibition,Orange Free State Society for Arts and Crafts Exhibition,Bloemfontein
1942
Solo exhibition, Argus Gallery, Cape Town
1943
Group exhibition,Fifth Annual ‘New Group’ Exhibition,Argus Gallery, Cape Town
1944
Group exhibition,‘New Group’ Spring Exhibition,Argus Gallery, Cape Town
1945
Group exhibition,‘New Group’ Spring Exhibition,Argus Gallery, Cape Town
Solo exhibition, South African Association of Arts Gallery, Cape Town
Solo exhibition, Constantia Gallery, Johannesburg
1947
Group exhibition, ‘New Group’ Exhibition,Argus Gallery, Cape Town
1948
Group exhibition,Contemporary South African Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture, Tate Gallery, London
Solo exhibition, Derry’s Gallery, Cape Town (March)
Solo exhibition, Bloemfontein (June)
Group exhibition,South African Art,Fine Arts Association, Cape Town
1949
Solo exhibition, Argus Gallery, Cape Town
Solo exhibition, Constantia Gallery, Johannesburg
Group exhibition,‘New Group’ Exhibition,South African Association of Arts Gallery, Cape Town
1950
Solo exhibition, South African Association of Arts Gallery, Cape Town
1951
Group exhibition,‘New Group’ Exhibition,South African Association of Arts Gallery, Cape Town
1952
Solo exhibition, South African Association of Arts Gallery, Cape Town (April)
Solo exhibition, Pretoria (September)
Group exhibition,Venice Biennale XXVI
Group exhibition,Van Riebeek Festival Exhibition of Contemporary South African Art,South African National Gallery, Cape Town
1953
Solo exhibition, Whippman Gallery, Johannesburg (October)
Group exhibition,Central Rhodes Centenary Festival Exhibition: Three Centuries of South African Art,Bulawayo
1954
Solo exhibition, South African Association of Arts Gallery, Cape Town (May)
Group exhibition,Venice Biennale XXVII
1955
Solo exhibition, South African Association of Arts Gallery, Cape Town (May)
Solo exhibition, Technical College, Pretoria
Group exhibition,Historical Exhibition of South African Art,Pretoria Centenary, Pretoria
1956
First Quadrennial Exhibition of South African Art, South African National Gallery, Cape Town
1957
Solo exhibition, Argus Gallery, Cape Town
Solo exhibition, South African Association of Arts Gallery, Cape Town
1958
Group exhibition,Academy for Arts and Sciences Festival Exhibition, Stellenbosch
1959
Solo exhibition, South African Association of Art Gallery, Cape Town (April)
Solo exhibition, Pretoria (September)
Group exhibition,Eight Contemporary South African Painters,Gemeentelijke Museum, Den Haag, Netherlands
Group exhibition,Still Life and Flowers by some Women Artists of the Cape Peninsula,South African National Gallery, Cape Town
1960
Second Quadrennial Exhibition of South African Art,South African National Gallery, Cape Town
Group exhibition,Looking at Landscape – South African Landscape Painting 1910- 1960,Union Festival, South African National Gallery, Cape Town
1961
Solo exhibition, Lidchi Gallery, Johannesburg
1963
Maggie Laubser Retrospective Exhibition,Egon Guenther Gallery, Johannesburg
1964
Group exhibition,South African Masters Exhibition,South African Association of Arts Gallery, Cape Town
Third Quadrennial Exhibition of South African Art,South African National Gallery, Cape Town
1965
Solo exhibition, South African Association of Arts Gallery, Cape Town
Retrospective Exhibition, South African National Gallery, Cape Town
Solo exhibition, Lidchi Gallery, Johannesburg
1966
Group exhibition,South African Art of the Twentieth Century,Rembrandt van Rijn Art Foundation, University of Stellenbosch
Group exhibition,Annual Exhibition of the Eastern Province Society of Arts and Crafts
1967
Group exhibition,Ten Best South African Women Artists,Adler-Fielding Galleries, Johannesburg
Group exhibition,Cape Art ’67,South African Association of Arts Gallery, Cape Town
1968
Group exhibition,Festival of the Soil,Silberberg Gallery, Cape Town
1969
Retrospective Exhibition, South African National Gallery, Cape Town, the Pretoria Art Museum and the Johannesburg Art Gallery
1975
Prestige Exhibition, Rand Afrikaans University
1980
Prestige Exhibition, University of Stellenbosch
1986
Centenary Exhibition, Silberberg Gallery, Tulbagh, Cape Province
1987-88
Early Works from the Silberberg Collection,South African National Gallery
2012
Retrospective Exhibition,Altyd Lig,Sasol Art Museum, Stellenbosch
Public Collections – South Africa:
- Sandton Municipal Collection
- SA Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns
- Rembrandt Art Foundation, Stellenbosch
Galleries & Museums – South Africa:
- Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town
- William Humphreys Art Gallery, Kimberley
- Hester Rupert Art Museum, Graaff-Reinet
- National Museum, Bloemfontein
- Durban Art Gallery, Durban
- Johannesburg Art Gallery
- Julius Gordon Africana Centre, Riversdale
- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Gallery, Port Elizabeth
- Potchefstroom Museum, Potchefstroom
University Collections – South Africa:
- University of the Free State
- University of Pretoria
- University of the Witwatersrand
- University of Johannesburg
- University of South Africa
1946
Awarded the Medal of Honour by the South African Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns
1947
Received the Oscar Award for painting from theDie Vanderlandnewspaper
1959
Elected honorary member of the South African Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns
1968
Awarded Medal of Honour by the South African Association of the Arts for the Cape Region
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