Clement Sénèque - South African Artist, Oil Paintings 1896 - 1930

Clement Sénèque was born in Phoenix, Mauritius 1896 - 1930

Art Education
1918-21: Clement Sénèque apprenticed as an architect in Durban.
1921-25: Ecole des Beaux Arts, Paris under Prof Heraut and Alfred Agache (architecture and town-planning, some painting).

Short Artist Biography
1908: Clement Sénèque settled in Durban, educated at the former Berea Academy in Durban; displayed interest in art from an early age, but would have made a career at sea, had his family permitted it; instead began training as an architect.
1921-25: while in Europe Clement Sénèque continued to draw and paint; participated on several Paris salons;
1923: Clement Sénèque married in Paris.
1924: Clement Sénèque held a one-man exhibition at the Maison des Artistes, Paris; became assistant to Agache with whom he helped replan Dunkirk after WW1 damage.
1925: returned mid-year to Durban; established an architectural practice; began to participate actively in Natal art-life; Council-member of National Society of Artists, subsequently vice-President; founder of Durban Sketch Club; Clement Sénèque exhibited regularly on group-shows.
1926: published a bound book, `Some Woodcuts', Durban Art Gallery purchased his painting, Mont
Blanc from Sallazzches in 1927 and he was well thought of as an architect, but Clement Sénèque struggled to earn sufficient to support his wife and family; just prior to his early death, was arranging to undertake, jointly with Agache, a townplanning scheme in Buenos Aires.
1930: Clement Sénèque died of pneumonia in Durban Sanatorium. Council-member of South African Institute.

Art Exhibitions
1924: first one-man exhibition, Paris.
1925-30: National Society of Artists, South African Institute Exhibitions.
1927: only South African one-man exhib in his life-time, Lezard Gals, Jhb.
1964: Memorial Exhibition, Pta Art Mus; Memorial Exhibition, Lidchi Gallery, Jhb.
1979: `South African Printmakers', South African National Gallery, Cape Town.

Public Art Collections
South African National Gallery, Cape Town; Johannesburg Art Gallery; Pretoria Art Museum; William Humphreys Gallery, Kmberly; Durban Art Gallery.

 

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

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