Sketching the Khoikhoi': George French Angas and his depiction of the Genadendal Khoikhoi characters at the Cape of Good Hope, c. 1847

Abstract

This article investigates the first and only visit of the British artist George French Angas to the Cape Colony in 1847 with specific reference to four Khoikhoi individuals he had sketched. These sketches were later published in his book, The Kafirs Illustrated (London, 1849). Although Angas had made field sketches of these Khoikhoi people which were lithographed later, these sketches are not only seen as popular works of art, but opened a window into the social and cultural world of the Genadendal Khoikhoi community during the mid-19th century. The fact that Angas supplied the names and surnames of three of the four characters, allowed historians to reconstruct a brief biography of each individual.

‘OM DIE KHOIKHOI TE SKETS’: GEORGE FRENCH ANGAS EN SY SKETSE VAN DIE GENADENDALSE KHOIKHOI KARAKTERS AAN DIE KAAP DIE GOEIE HOOP, c. 1847. Hierdie artikel stel ondersoek in aangaande die eerste en enigste besoek van die Britse kunstenaar, George French Angas aan die Kaapkolonie in 1847 met spesifieke verwysing na vier Khoikhoi individue wat hy geskets het. Hierdie sketse is later gepubliseer in sy boek, The Kafirs Illustrated (Londen, 1849). Alhoewel Angas veldsketse van hierdie Khoikhoi-mense gemaak het, wat later gelitogeer was, bewys dat hierdie sketse nie slegs as populere kunswerke is gereken is nie, maar "n venster is tot die sosiale en kulturele wereld van die Genadendal Khoikhoi gemeenskap gedurende die middel 19de eeu. Die feit dat Angas die name en vanne van drie van die vier karakters noem, het historici instaat gestel om "n kort biografie van elke individu te rekonstrueer.