Jacobus Hendrik Pierneef (1886-1957) was a South African landscape painter and also a very close friend of Fanie Eloff. In 1912, Pierneef invited Eloff to exhibit with him at the Individualists Exhibition in Pretoria City Hall. For this exhibition, Eloff created this portrait of Pierneef, which should not be confused with his better-known portrait of 1922. In one of the photographs Eloff is posing with the portrait.