"The Animal in Art"
2003-07-25 until 2003-08-31
Sasol Art Museum, University of Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch, , ZA South Africa

The celebration of centenaries are at the moment on the Stellenbosch campus in vogue. The Departement of Zoology is a 100 years old this year and to celebrate this the Sasol Art Museum and the JS Gericke Library’s Special Collections are jointly hosting an exhibition on "The Animal in Art." At the Art Museum examples of contemporary artists’ depictions of animals in different media and styles on show. Works from the Museums’ collection as well as some on loan will be exhibited as well. A few rare items from the Special Collections Division are also currently exhibited in the Gericke Library.

Items from the Hugh Solomon collection that highlight some of the zoological expeditions undertaken between 1655 and 1949 can be viewed in the Africana Room. Similarly the journals of early travellers, e.g. Kolbe, Le Valiant, William Paterson and the Andrew Smith’s ground breaking Illustrations of the zoology of South Africa (1849) contain remarkably accurate depictions of a wide variety of South African fauna, as well as many imaginary beasts.

A selection of old and current publications from the Rare Books section include Le Guat’s A new voyage to the East Indies (London, 1708). It contains the only known image of a dodo drawn by someone who had seen a live bird. An impressive 2001 facsimile of Albert Seba’s Cabinet of natural curiosities (originally published 1734 – 1765), photos and handwritten class notes from the manuscript collections of a few former lecturers are also on display.

Related Links:

Indepth Arts Resources for South Africa

Other Important Exhibitions in South Africa