Figuratiewe studies / Figurative studies
Synde ‘n landskapskilder het Pierneef selde die mensfiguur in sy werk uitgebeeld. Daar moet wel gemeld word dat Pierneef figuurstudies nie vermy het nie, maar dat dit by sy illustratiewe en grafiese werk behoort eerder as by sy skilderye. Pierneef se illustratiewe en grafiese werk was ‘n hoogtepunt in die vroeë jare van sy loopbaan —ongeveer tot net na sy Europese reis van 1925 en 1926.
Wat portretstudies betref, was die potloodskets Markus (1908) en ‘n selfportret-kryttekening (1908) van die vroegstes. Die vernaamste selfportret-linosneë se eerste druk dateer uit 1910 en daarop volg vyf portretstudies van President Paul Kruger tussen 1915 en 1930. Die portretstudies en illustreerwerk vir Die Brandwag is tussen 1917 en 1919 gedoen. Verder het Pierneef tussen 1910 en 1925 ook ses naakstudies en enkele ruwe sketse van naakfigure gedoen.
Met die verloop van tyd, en veral na 1994, het Pierneef se werk onder hewige kritiek deurgeloop, met die klem op die feit dat Pierneef met opset die mens uit sy landskap verwyder het. Dit het ‘n nasionalistiese perspektief of siening van Pierneef die kunstenaar laat ontstaan. Die waarnemer en kenner kan die kritiek egter self interpreteer, met inagneming van Pierneef se keuses, minder bekende werke, sy hele oeuvre, en spesifieke belangstellings, assosiasies en invloede.
Benewens die linosneewerke van figure is daar ook ‘n aantal van Pierneef se tekeninge, sketse en waterverfwerke waarin ‘n verskeidenheid van mensfigure voorkom. Tegnies vorm die werke hoofsaaklik deel van die bestuderingsfases wat as bron vir die skep van olieverfskilderye gebruik is, maar hulle dien as bewys dat Pierneef wel die mensfiguur ingesluit het en as deel van die landskap gesien het.
Having been a landscape painter, Pierneef seldom made use of the human figure in his work. It must be mentioned, though, that Pierneef did not simply ignore studies of figures; they were present in his illustrative and graphic work rather than in his paintings.
Pierneef’s illustrative and graphic work was a highlight in the early years of his career, the period until, more or less, just after his European trip of 1925 and 1926.
As far as portrait studies are concerned, a pencil drawing Markus (1908) and a self-portrait in chalk (1908), were the earliest. The first print of the most important self-portrait linocut dates from 1910, followed by five portrait studies of President Paul Kruger, between 1915 and 1930. The portrait studies and illustrative work Pierneef did for Die Brandwag are dated as between 1917 and 1919. Furthermore, there were six nude studies and a few rough sketches of nude studies done between 1910 and 1925.
Over time, and especially after 1994, Pieneef’s work endured fierce criticism, maintaining that Pierneef had deliberately separated the human being from its landscape. This created a nationalistic perspective or view of Pierneef as an artist. Viewers and experts can, however, interpret the cristicism in their own way, bearing in mind Pierneef’s choices, less famous works, his whole oeuvre, and specific interests, associations and influences.
Apart from the linocuts of figures, there are a number of Pierneef’s drawings, sketches and water-colours that feaure a variety of human figures. Technically, the works mainly form part of the study phases that were utilised as a source for the executon of oil-paintings, but they show that Pierneef indeed included the human figure and regarded it as part of the landscape.
