Cape artist fetches record R21.7 million

In a proud moment for South African art and heritage, a striking portrait by the illustrious Cape-Town based painter Irma Stern has sold for R21.7 million - another record price for one of her portraits painted in Cape Town. 

After more than half a century in private hands, the canvas depicting a Cape Muslim woman reached its new owner via telephone bidding at the third edition of the Strauss & Co annual International Sale on October 28. 

The gavel fell after intense competition, with bids vaulting in R1 million increments.

This landmark result comes at a time when Irma Stern’s name is enjoying international visibility.

The R21.7 million figure sets a new benchmark as the highest amount ever paid for a Stern portrait featuring a female sitter on the African continent

The portrait’s success follows closely on the heels of the R22.3 million achieved in 2023 for her 1939 composition Children Reading the Koran which placed the iconic Cape Town artist firmly in the upper echelons of the international modern-art market.

For South African art lovers and collectors, this is a validation of the international interest of a local female artist who brought a distinctly South African voice to the international art world. 

As interest in her work grows, so too does recognition of the cultural heritage she represents.