Sidney Goldblatt - South African Artist, Oil Paintings, Sculptures 1919 - 1979

Sidney Goldblatt was born in Johannesburg, South Africa 1919 - 1979

Art Education
- 1949 to 1950 Sidney Goldblatt studied at the Anglo-French Art Centre, London.
- 1950 to 1951 Studied under Andre Lhote, Fernand Leger and independently in Paris, Sculpture at John Cass Academy London

Short Artist Biography
- Sidney Goldblatt was interested in painting as a boy and studied art at school.
- 1938 to 1948 On matriculating Sidney Goldblatt renounced his art inclination and entered the family business; after ten years in commerce he resigned and studied art.
- 1951 Confused by the teaching methods of the studios he attended in London and Paris, he worked out his own programme of study; on death of his father he returned to Johannesburg where he continued with his programme.
- 1955 On his marriage Sidney Goldblatt began to supplement his income with teaching.
- 1957 to 1958 Travelled to London via France, later settled in Marbella Spain and painted surrounding village-scene; his painting at this stage was stylized and semi-abstract; his paintings was very well received on his return to South Africa.
- 1958 to 1964 Sidney Goldblatt built up a successful art teaching-studio in Johannesburg; worked at graphic techniques and slowly modified his painting style.
- 1964 Began to exhibit non-figurative works.
- 1967 Won Cambridge Shirt Award on Art-SA-Today, Durban.
- 1969 to 1979 Several trips to Europe and USA influenced his choice of medium and subject matter.
- 1970 Sidney Goldblatt began to produce sculpture, first exhibited in 1971.
- 1973 His emotional reaction to the Yom Kippur War in Israel resulted in a series of paintings on the theme of desert conflict.
- 1977 Commissioned to design South Africa's first art-designed wine labels.
- 1979 Prestige exhibition, together with 10 of his former students.

Art Exhibitions
- 1948 Sidney Goldblatt's first one-man exhibition, Johannesburg.
- 1956 First Quad of South African Art.
- 1958 Venice Bienalle.
- 1960 Second Quad of South African Art; first one-man graphic exhibition in Tel Aviv.
- 1961 Sao Paulo Bienalle.
- 1964 Third Quad of South African Art.
- 1966 Republic Fest Exhibition, Pretoria.
- 1971 Republic Fest Exhibition.
- 1977 ' South African Art' National Gallery of Rhodesia (Zimbabwe).
- 1978 South African Art touring USA; South African Graphic Art touring West Germany.
- 1979 South African Graphic Art Bonn West Germany; Prestige Exhibition, RAU.
- 1981 Memorial Retro Exhibition, Pretoria Art Museum.

Public Art Collections
South African National Gallery Cape Town, Ann Bryant Gallery East London, King George VI Gallery Port Elizabeth, William Humphreys Gallery Kimberley, Hester Rupert Museum, University of Witwatersrand Art Galleries, Durban Art Gallery, Pretoria Art Museum, Pietersburg Collection, Israel Museum Jerusalem.

Source
Berman, E. 1994. Art & Artists of South Africa . Southern Book Publishers.

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