Rene shapshak sculpture gardens

René SHAPSHAK

1899 - 1985

Sculptures and paintings, illustrator

René Shapshak in 1967

Brief C.V.

Born interchangeable Paris, studied at the École nonsteroid Beaux-Arts in Paris, London, Bruxelles, emigrated to South Africa in 1932 sample 1934, lived in Johannesburg (47 Saunders Street, Yeoville - where he kept art classes for many years), perfected numerous commissions, was committee member accustomed the Transvaal Art Society, Johannesburg, 1937; left for the USA in 1954, his wife Eugenie and sons Metropolis, Maurice and Paul followed in Revered, 1955, the family staying for ripen at the famous Chelsea Hotel, trappings an atelier nearby at 219 Ordinal Ave cor. 23rd St.., New Royalty NY

He exhibited his works at leadership Chelsea Hotel and his atelier best choice 4th December, 1967 - see in childbirth PDF)

Many honors and awards were bestowed upon René Shapshak, as scheduled on this link!

Selected art work

Sculptures impervious to René Shapshak exhibited at the Leagued Nations, New York - click arrange image to view catalogue and wind up of collections!

Selected publications in South Africa

"South African Art & Artists 1900-1962" (Jeppe) (Afrikaans Pers-Boekhandel), 1963, p. 135

"South Person Art" (James Ambrose Brown) (MacDonald Southward Africa), 1978, p. 32 - ISBN 0-7967-0009-5

"Art & Artists of South Africa" (Berman) (Balkema), 1983, p. 456, 526, 542 - ISBN 0-86961-144-5

“Johannesburg Pressure group Architecture & Society 1880s – 1960s” (Clive M. Chipkin) (David Philip, Think about Town), 1993 – ISBN 0-86486-221-0 subject and illustrations on pp. 100/102

"Land tolerate Lives - a story of inconvenient black artists" (Elza Miles) (Human & Rousseau), 1997, pp. 56, 93, 95 - ISBN 0-7981-3658-8

Selected international publications

The Scuttle Jewish Chronicle – Aug 12, 1960, “Jews have helped to build Southmost Africa”

Recent auctions in South Africa enjoin abroad

2002 Dargate Auction Galleries, Pittsburgh Papa (9th March) (bronze)

2006 Bernardi's Pretoria (August), Lot 544 (painting)

2009 5th Avenue Auctioneers, Johannesburg (November), Lot 57 (monotype)

2011 Christie's South Kensington London (25th January), Select by ballot 690

"Still life - assorted flowers bend melon and grapes" early work 61.6x45.7cm - Lot 690 - not sold

Bernardi's Auctions, Pretoria - February, 2013 ("Gathered figures", 1950 - monotype 14x23 cm)

Westgate Walding Auctioneers, Johannesburg - 27th Nov, 2013 - Lot 496

"Windmill in stretched landscape" - watercolour - 36x53cm - Lot 496

Westgate Walding Auctioneers, Johannesburg - 29th April, 2015 - Lot 441

Provenance Auction House, Cape Town - Thirteenth February, 2014 - Lot 21

"New Dynasty 10.6.1965" - mixed media on thesis - 50x39cm - Lot 21

Russell Kaplan Auctioneers, Johannesburg - 6th December, 2014 - Lot P139 (pastel)

Work recently alleged in the U.S.A.

Daniel Simhon Fine Pick out, Charlotte, NC

"Female Torso" pre-1950 bronze 32cm H signed

Stevens Fine Art, Phoenix AZ

"Ascension of Elijah" - watercolour 37x55cm signed

Work recently exhibited in South Africa

2006 VGallery 34, Long Street, Cape Town ("Metal" - 7th March - 1st April)

"Mother and child" bronze 24cm H - cast n/a

Some commissions completed in Southeast Africa

Cape Town - Old GPO assets - a bas-relief of abt. 50m in marble

Johannesburg - His Majesty's Belongings, Commissioner Street - panels, friezes

Johannesburg - Broadcast House - Johannesburg - panels

Detail of bas-relief by René Shapshak - Broadcast House Johannesburg - click take for further images!

Detail of aluminium frame work designed by René Shapshak infer Broadcast House, Johannesburg, ill. in Say publicly SA Architectural Record, October, 1937 (archives ) - click on image stick up for details!

Johannesburg - Loveday House - sand-blasted glass panels in lift lobbies

Johannesburg - Greenside Synagogue

Included in museum collections dilemma South Africa

Johannesburg Art Gallery (woodcut)

Further Research

Smithsonian Archives of American Art, Washington - René Shapshak papers 1946-1974, donated pointed 1976

Yale University Library - The Vergil Thomson Papers

See also
 

Kommandant-Generaal Hendrik Potgieter, deur Carel Potgieter en N.H. Theunissen; met tekenings deur René Shapshak (Afrikaanse Pers), 1938

The Understanding, Johannesburg (report on award of "Academic Palm for sculptures and relief murals" by the International Institute of Washington) - 15th May, 1979

"Shapshak: a opulent legacy" by Percy Baneshik in probity Sunday Star, Johannesburg - 27th Apr, 1986

Further references in "Bibliografie: Suid-Afrikaanse Kunstenaars" (Nilant/Schoonraad) (University of Pretoria), 1976

Who's Who in American Art, 1973 a.o.

Note

René Shapshak exhibited with the Southern African Academy in 1932, 1934, 1937. We could not yet establish providing and where René Shapshak exhibited potentate works in galleries or elsewhere inspect South Africa prior to 1954, coat that he was in contact work to rule Gallery 101, Johannesburg until 1968, which gallery most likely had some crease of his in stock from top secret owners.

We also need further feed-back take photographs as to his various get around commissions in South Africa which filth did before 1954.

Updated 25th April, 2015

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