Bird art takes flight at online art auction

Over the past year, the auction house has been assisting banking group FirstRand in de-accessioning its extensive holdings of high-quality botanical and wildlife artworks. The present consignment of bird art is part of this long-term project by FirstRand, which includes FNB and RMB, to responsibly find buyers for these works. All proceeds from these sessions will be re-invested in contemporary South African art.

“We are incredibly excited about the lots we have up for auction,” Hazel Cuthbertson, Strauss & Co research specialist remarks. “We don’t get bird art very often, so it’s very exciting when these artworks do come onto the secondary market. It’s so interesting to have such a broad array of artists represented in the sale. Ornithological art, like botanical art, is not only concerned with a pleasing aesthetic depiction of its subject. There is a scientific angle too – the artist has to convey an accurate naturalistic image of the bird, with its characteristic posture and body language, in its most likely habitat, to help the viewer, scientist and researcher identify the particular species,” she explains.

Geoff Lockwood, a South African bird expert and artist explains that it takes years to master the skill of ornithological art. “For example, when you depict a LBJ (little brown job), you have to take extra care. You can’t always rely entirely on your own experience of birds in the wild and sometimes need to consult museum specimens as well.” LBJ is an informal moniker birdwatchers use when referring to the large number of small brown birds that all look similar and are notoriously hard to identify. “With an LBJ, the subtle detail is so important, it’s essential to get it right.” 

The artists represented on the sale have all successfully captured the look and personality of the birds. The African Paradise Flycatchers in Richard ‘Dick’ Findlay’s study are delicate and elegant, while Penny Meakin’s depictions of Swainson’s, Cape and Red-billed spurfowl manage to convey fully the whimsical jauntiness of her subjects.

“There are a multitude of technical factors to consider,” Lockwood points out. “You need to understand anatomy and how the different body parts work together so that your drawing can accurately depict the bird. The better you know the bird, the better and more accurate the artwork will be.”

Despite the rigorous requirements of ornithological art, many artists still manage to put their unique style into their works. “An artist like Leigh Voigt is so skilled in the technique of watercolour painting that she manages to capture the soul of a bird with a few critical brushstrokes that suggest the important details like the crest or the eye, and Graeme Arnott’s style is so distinctive, that you can spot one of his artworks from across a room,” Lockwood remarks.

“Top selling field guides still use ornithological artists to illustrate the bird species, rather than putting in photographs” Lockwood says. “Digital photography may have turned the wildlife and nature photography game on its head. But even with the incredible strides made in technology, photography still has its limits,” he explains. “You might get a brilliant photo of the bird, but it may not show a particularly key feature necessary for identification. Then you need another picture to show a different view of the bird. Artists have an advantage because they can choose a pose that best conveys all the necessary information at once,” he explains.

And notwithstanding the progress in digital bird photography and videography, bird art remains as popular as ever among collectors. “In the art world, connoisseurs still value the meticulous craftsmanship of the artists who produce this type of work,” Cuthbertson says.

In addition to Richard ‘Dick’ Findlay’s depiction of the African Paradise Flycatchers (estimate R4 000 – 6 000), Strauss & Co’s FirstRand consignment also includes his study of a mating pair of Pied Kingfishers (estimate R4 000 – 6 000). Findlay, a well-known natural history painter, achieved national renown when his ornithological paintings appeared on South African stamps.

Leigh Voigt, the daughter of botanical artist Barbara Jeppe, has three watercolours on the sale: a study of a Southern Red Bishop (estimate R 6 000 – 9 000), a tightly framed frontal view of a Snowy Owl (estimate R 12 000 – 18 000) and a gregarious depiction of a gaggle of Namaqua Sandgrouse (estimate R12 000 – 18 000). 

Another highlight is a watercolour by Kenneth Newman depicting two Broad-billed Rollers on a baobab tree (estimate R6000 – 9000). Newman was a renowned bird artist, ornithologist and the author of a field guide that sold millions of copies globally. 

Also included in the FirstRand consignment are works by artists Simon Calburn, Peter Fogarty, Christopher Haskins, Johan Hoekstra, Penny Meakin, Rodger McPhail, Bronwen Mellor, and Linda van Someren.  

Geoff Lockwood generously agreed to an interview in support of the sale. The interview can be viewed on Strauss & Co’s website and YouTube channel.

The sale concludes on Monday, 27 September 2021 at 8.00pm.

To view the auction and register to bid, go to:

https://www.straussart.co.za/auctions/details/27-sep-2021