Johannes Antonie Smith - South African Artist, Oil Paintings 1886 - 1954

Johannes Antonie Smith was born in Aberdeen, South Africa 1886 - 1954

Art Education
No formal art-training

Short Artist Biography
Educated at Victoria College, Stellenbosch; joined Boer Commandos at age of 15 and very active in political sphere from youth; established a career in writing and art; J A Smith married Anna le Roux; father of Le Roux Smith Le Roux.
1916-25: editor of Afrikaans periodicals in Potchefstroom, Graaff-Reinet and Pietermaritzburg; J A Smith was instrumental in founding first Afrikaans-medium schools in Graaff-Remet and Natal.
1925-40: J A Smith became art-editor of `Die Burger'; Council member of South African Society of Artists; member Eastern Province Society of Arts, K Club;
1932: J A Smith was one of the delegates at the National Convention in Cape Town at which the National Academy of Arts was constituted - member of initial National Academy.
1933: Gov nominee on Board of Trustees of South African National Gallery; continued to paint and etch; exhibited on group art exhibitions of National Academy, South African Society of Artists and provincial art societies, but energies increasingly concentrated on political activity.
1939: Adj-Gen of Ossewa Brandwag, later assistant Commandant-General of CP. Author of several books: `Boer en Brit', `Van Bloed-rivier na Perdekraal', `Ek Rebelleer'

Art Exhibitions
1929: first one-man exhib, Cape Town; group exhibitions of National Society of Artists, Eastern Province Society of Arts, South African Society of Artists.
1932-37: Contemporary Exhibitions of South African Art, South African National Gallery.

Public Art Collections
South African National Gallery, Cape Town; Libertas

 

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

Back to directory of historical South African artists