The Cape Malay Quarter in South African painting

Abstract

Naude as painter is influenced by the Dutch Impressionists of the Hague School. He stresses the essential characteristics of the Malay Quarter namely, poverty, colourfulness and intimacy. His style displays immediacy and vitality due to his swift, sure brush strokes and strong contrasting light and shade.

Ruth Prowse's paintings of the Malay Quarter stress the dignity and harmonious co-existence of the malays. She is also a realist but her technique is bolder in comparison with that of Nita Spilhaus.

Caldecott is influenced by French Impressionism. He depicts the Quarter as overcrowded and poverty-stricken. He uses mauves, blue and black in his shadows which have subdued reflections of sunlight from nearby objects. And there is no loss of form.

Boonzaier as realist, depicts forms clearly in a steady light suggesting that time passes slowly. Colour over a dark background creates black outlines round forms, resulting in a decorative linear design where warm, subdued colour and quiet brush strokes are present.

Wenning, affected by the Dutch Impressionists of the Hague School, expresses a fleeting moment of time in hasty brush movements. Like Boonzaier he chooses a darkened canvas and soft, warm colour. Wenning's power of suggestion makes his work more impressive than that of Boonzaier.