South African Wildlife Art

Christie's Fine Art Auctioneers closed their Wildlife Art Sale at the end of 2000. Christie's was the last of the international auction houses to hold this category of sale.

Click Here to view what Wildlife Art we have in our current catalogue.

The African Continent is renowned for the diversity and magnificence of its wildlife and natural heritage. It is not surprising therefore that artists across the centuries and across the continents continue to be inspired by the African wildlife experience. Wildlife art came into its own as a result of the 18th Century obsession with the need to catalogue and record the world around us.
 
Travellers to the southern African region left behind diaries and reminiscences of their explorations and travel most notably Cornwallis Harris and Samuel Daniell.
 
Amongst the best know artistic names associated with paintings of 19th Century South Africa are the Thomas's - Baines and Bowler. Baines frequently included animals in his landscapes, but the artistic tradition associated with wildlife art is linked to names such as Rosa Bonheur (1822 - 1899 French), Wilhelm Kuhnert (1825 - 1926 German), Edward Whymper (1840 - 1911 British), Urs Eggenschwiler (1849 - 1923 Swiss), Archibald Thorburn (1860 - 1935 British), Heinrich Egersdorfer (1853 - 1915 South African), Georges-Lucian Guyot (1185 - 1973 French) and Sir Peter Scott (1909 - 1989).
 
South African artists continue to be inspired by the magic of the natural world. Environmental issues have focused our attention on the fragility of habitats, the animals' dependence upon them and the need to preserve our heritage for future generations of mankind. The bush experience has driven many to capture the essence of the African landscape and wildlife, not least of all the top contemporary South African artists.
 
In the 1990s Christie's held bi-annual Wildlife sales. In this period we encouraged many local artists to consider presenting their work to Christie's for inclusion in their sales and, as a result, we established a relationship with many of them. The last of the Christie's sales was held in November 2000. This was a sad end to a dynamic contribution to the field of wildlife art. However, the artists have not stopped to create and produce wildlife art and we have continued to promote the genre.
 
South African wildlife artists are joined here by keen and enthusiastic East African wildlife artists. They share with all wildlife artists their devotion to the wild and their keenness to inspire us and bring us the magnificence of wildlife in many forms. The work of artists represented here can be found in private and corporate collections across the world and many are prepared to undertake commission work on request.

Click Here to view what Wildlife Art we have in our current catalogue.