Collecting South African art in the 1930s : the role of Martin du Toit

dc.contributor.authorVan Eeden, Jeanne
dc.date.accessioned2009-05-11T06:32:45Z
dc.date.available2009-05-11T06:32:45Z
dc.date.issued2008-05
dc.description.abstractThe first head of the Department of Afrikaans Art and Culture at the University of Pretoria in the 1930s was Professor Martin du Toit, a well-known figure in Afrikaner cultural circles. His vision for the new department included the ideal of exposing students to the work of South African artists. He believed passionately in the future of the arts in South Africa and was enthusiastic in establishing them in the so-called "North", particularly in Pretoria. Martin du Toit was involved in many cultural bodies and activities and instituted regular art exhibitions under the auspices of the Department of Afrikaans Art and Culture in the Macfadyen Memorial Hall in Pretoria. These exhibitions focused on contemporary South African artists and brought the work of groundbreaking painters such as Irma Stern and Maggie Laubser to the attention of the public. Du Toit also wanted to build up a representative collection of Afrikaner material culture and visual art at the university. This article examines this endeavour, contextualises it in relation to aspects of public art collecting in South Africa during the 1930s, and shows how Du Toit laid the foundation for the current art collection of the University of Pretoria.en_US
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANS: Die eerste hoof van die Departement Afrikaanse Kuns en Kultuur aan die Universiteit van Pretoria in die 1930's was professor Martin du Toit, 'n bekende figuur in Afrikanerkultuurkringe. Deel van sy visie vir die nuwe departement het die gedagte ingesluit om studente aan die werk van Suid-Afrikaanse kunstenaars bloot te stel. Hy het hartstogtelik geglo in die toekoms van die kunste in Suid-Afrika en was ywerig om hulle in die sogenoemde "Noorde", en spesifiek in Pretoria, te vestig. Martin du Toit was by vele kultuurliggame en aktiwiteite betrokke en het gereelde kunsuitstallings onder die vaandel van die Departement Afrikaanse Kuns en Kultuur in die Macfadyen Memorial Hall in Pretoria gereël. Hierdie tentoonstellings het op kontemporêre Suid-Afrikaanse kunstenaars gefokus en die werk van innoverende skilders soos Irma Stern en Maggie Laubser aan die publiek bekendgestel. Du Toit wou ook 'n verteenwoordigende versameling van Afrikaner materiële kultuur en visuele kuns by die Universiteit saamstel. Hierdie artikel ondersoek dié poging en kontekstualiseer dit teen die agtergrond van aspekte van openbare kunsversameling in Suid-Afrika gedurende die 1930's. Dit dui ook aan hoe Du Toit hierdeur die grondslag vir die huidige kunsversameling van die Universiteit van Pretoria gelê het.af
dc.identifier.citationVan Eeden, J 2008, 'Collecting South African art in the 1930s : the role of Martin du Toit', Historia, vol. 53, no. 1, pp. 162-196. [http://www.journals.co.za/ej/ejour_hist.html]en_US
dc.identifier.issn0018-229X
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/10000
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherHistorical Association of South Africaen_US
dc.rightsHistorical Association of South Africaen_US
dc.subjectMartin du Toiten_US
dc.subject.lcshDu Toit, Martinen
dc.subject.lcshArt -- Collectors and collecting -- South Africa -- Pretoriaen
dc.subject.lcshUniversity of Pretoria -- Art collectionsen
dc.titleCollecting South African art in the 1930s : the role of Martin du Toiten_US
dc.title.alternativeVersameling van Suid-Afrikaanse kuns in die 1930's : die rol van Martin du Toiten_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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