Pierneef Bushveld

Paint your own Pierneef and learn about him and his characteristic style. 

Jacob Hendrik Pierneef is one of South Africa's most well-know painters, known for his specific and characteristic style he painted the South African landscape with.  He had a way of simplifying images, without compromising a composition, he always produced a well-balanced image, accurately portraying the peaceful and tranquil environment of the African landscapes.  

This specific painting is called Bushveld and Pierneef painted it in 1942.  Pierneef had a great love for the African bushveld and it is evident in his life's work.  He obviously enjoyed the great outdoors and these styled trees featured in many of his paintings, he was specifically fond of painting camel thorn, leadwood and wild seringa trees.  Some feel that because of his work, he elevated these trees to symbolise the magic of the African bush, and to him they were perhaps more, like a connection between heaven and earth. 

Either way, his paintings of these trees are iconic and his deep love for these trees were a true inspiration to him.  He was once quoted as saying:  "Bury me under a camel thorn tree, with its straight manly character guarding me, and its roots deep in the soil of Africa."

This 40 x 50cm version of his beloved Bushveld is a challenging one to paint, with a few larger areas, but a lot of tricky sides and 24 colours.  Each box contains a stretched, printed and numbered canvas, paint, brushes and a page detailing the numbers for an extra reference.