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Historical records matching Jacobus Hendrik Pierneef
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About Jacobus Hendrik Pierneef
Jacobus Hendrik Pierneef was born on August 13 1886 in Pretoria. He was the eldest of six children of Gerrit Pierneef and Neeske Buser. A seventh child died at the age of three months.
He attended the State Model School in Pretoria where he took his first art classes. Pierneef and two of his friends (Gordon Leith and Fanie Eloff – also destined to be famous artists) received drawing lessons from Master JF Hondius who also taught them to appreciate nature.
Due to the Anglo Boer War, the family decided to move back to the Netherlands in 1901. They first live in Hilversum where the children carry on with their schooling. The 15-year old Pierneef works in a paint shop after school and at night he takes classes in architectural drawing. Ten months later they relocate to Rotterdam where he studies at the Rotterdamse Kunsakademie.
1903 – The family returns to their home in Pretoria, South Africa.
1904 – Pierneef's father, Gerrit becomes a partner in a tobacco shop and discourages him from being an artist because he feels there is no future in being an artist. He allows Pierneef to work in the tobacco shop.
1905 – 1908 Pierneef did not give up on his dream of becoming an artist and during this time he studies painting under Frans Oerder and woodcutting under the Irish artist, George Smithard.
1908 – Pierneef starts working at the State Library as an assistant. His father loses his business and Pierneef realises he will not be able to study any further. He holds his first public exhibition with Anton van Wouw and Hugo Naude. His work was well received.
1910 – He married Agatha Delen, 12 years his senior, against his parents' wishes. This is the year he sells his first oil painting, 'n Blik op Meintjieskop, to an art dealer by the name of Emil Schwelkerdt.
1911 – Pierneef joins a group of Pretoria artists called Die Individualiste (The Individualists).
1913 – He holds his first solo exhibition. It received great critical acclaim, some even describing his work as that of a genius.
1915 – Pierneef holds his second solo exhibition and also does various illustrations for magazines and books.
1918 – 1919 He starts a career as an art lecturer at the South African College of Education in Pretoria and Heidelberg. These positions gave him the opportunity to focus on his art. He participated in many solo and group exhibitions and studied the rock art of the San. On a personal level it was a very difficult time in his life. His wife, Agatha suffered from a mental disorder and also started to lose her sight.
1920 – Pierneef resigns as lecturer to become a full-time artist. He produces work in oils, pastels and pencil. As well as linocuts, woodcuts and etchings.
1921 – He exhibits his work in Cape Town and Stellenbosch.
1922 – He paints eight wall paintings for Ficksburg High School in the Free State.
1923 – 1924 Pierneef visits South-West Africa (now Namibia), where he sketched and painted landscapes which would later be considered some of his best works. He divorces his wife, Agatha in 1924. During this time he meets his future second wife, May Francis Schoop, a 35-year old woman from the Netherlands.
1925 – 1926 The couple travels to Europe where Pierneef promoted his art and also studied the latest art movements.
1927 – Pierneef's daughter, Marita was born.
1928 – His solo exhibition which had some modern works on display was not very well received. This compels him to revert back to his old style.
1929 – Pierneef is commissioned to paint 32 panels for the interior of the new Johannesburg Railway Station. He completed this task in 1932. Today, these panels can be seen at the Rupert Museum in Stellenbosch.
1933 – He accepts a commission to do seven murals for South Africa House in London, which he finishes in 1934.
1935 – Pierneef receives The Medal for Visual Arts for his Johannesburg Station Panels as well as for his panels in South Africa House in London.
1939 – He buys a farm east of Pretoria that he names Elangeni.
1951 – He receives a Honorary Doctorate from the University of Natal.
1957 – Pierneef is awarded a Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy from the University of Pretoria. He also receives the Honorary Membership of the South African Academy for Science and Art.
To view some of the works done by Pierneef:
[http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Jacobus_Hendrik_Pierneef]
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Jacobus Hendrik Pierneef's Timeline
| 1886 |
August 13, 1886
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Pretoria, South Africa
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| 1927 |
1927
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| 1957 |
November 14, 1957
Age 71
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Andrew McCullum Hospital, Pretoria, South Africa
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1957
Age 70
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