Year Of Birth

1894

Year Of Death

1966

Biography

Irma Stern is widely regarded as one of South Africa's most important modern artists and among the few whose influence extends well beyond the African continent. Educated in Germany, where she studied at the Weimar Academy and was exposed to the progressive ideas of German Expressionism, Stern developed a bold and highly individual style distinguished by vibrant colour, expressive brushwork and emotional intensity. Influenced by the modernist innovations of artists such as Emil Nolde, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Max Pechstein, she fused European Expressionism with her own profound engagement with the landscapes, people and cultures of Africa, creating a body of work that occupies a unique position within twentieth-century art. Stern's paintings are celebrated for their rich chromatic palette, dynamic handling of paint and remarkable ability to convey both the vitality of her subjects and the atmosphere of place. Her work is represented in leading public and private collections, and she remains one of the most sought-after South African artists.