Wat Pierneef se grafiese werk betref, veral sy hout- en linosneë, was hy ‘n belangrike voorloper in die geskiedenis van reliëfdrukwerk in Suid-Afrika. Die werk is ná Pierneef deur kunstenaars soos Azari Mbatha, John Muafangejo, Cecil Skotnes en kunstenaars van die Polly Street-groep voortgesit.

Die Ierse kunstenaar, George Smithard, het Pierneef in 1907 aan die tegnieke van houtsnee- en etswerke bekend gestel. Pierneef het van die ontwerpbeginsels van die Engelse Kuns- en Kunsvlytbeweging, wat later ook ’n mate van invloed gehad het op die Art Nouvea-styl, waarmee hy in 1925 in Holland in aanraking sou kom, gebruik gemaak.

Pierneef het met groot ywer begin werk en die meeste van sy houtsnee- en linosneedrukke tussen 1908 en 1924 gemaak. Teen 1920 het daar ’n verbreding ingetree toe Pierneef in sy linosneë van landskappe, huise en bome ook vir beskrywende tipografiese besonderhede plek gemaak het. Hierna het hy hom hoofsaaklik op die skilderkuns toegelê, hoewel hy nog tot in 1933 met grafiese werk besig was. Veral ná 1925 het die stilering wat reeds sy drukwerk gekenmerk het ook in sy skilderwerk tot uiting gekom.

Hy het baie van sy kunsidees in sy grafiese werk aangewend. Sy strewe na vormvereenvoudiging deur middel van lyne en plat vlakke is veral te sien in linosneë wat hy vir tydskrifte gedoen het, sowel as in boekontwerpe, ex librisse, plakkate en Kerskaartjies.

Pierneef het betreklik min etse en akwatinte in vergelykking met hout- en linosneë gemaak. Reliëfwerk in houtsnee en later veral linosnee was vir hom van meer nut in sy strewe na die vereenvoudiging en stilering van vorm. In sy etse het hy plat vlakke en atmosfeer gebruik om die aard van die landskap weer te gee.

Voordat hy op hout of linoleum gewerk het, het hy ’n tekening gemaak, waarvan hy dan die buitelyne nagetrek en dit na gelang van vereiste vergroot of verklein het. Tog is die tekeninge nie slaafs gedupliseer nie, maar het hulle ruimte vir spontaneïteit gebied. Hy het die tekeninge en linosneë redelik vinnig uitgevoer. Al sy opdragwerke vir linosneë is deur spesifieke tekeninge voorafgegaan.

Pierneef se grafiese werk het ’n belangrike bydrae gelewer tot groter bewustheid van die potensiaal van hout- en linosneekuns in Suid-Afrika, en die erkenning daarvan as ’n gerekende kunsvorm. Sy belangrikste bydrae lê egter in die hantering van vorm.

In terms of Pierneef’s graphic work, especially his wood- and linocuts, he was an important trailblazer in the history of relief printing in South Africa. After Pierneef’s death, this work was carried on by artists such as Azaria Mbatha, John Muafangejo, Cecil Skotnes and members of the Polly Street group.

The Irish artist George Smithard introduced Pierneef to the basic techniques of woodcut and etching in 1907. Pierneef used the design principles of the British Arts and Crafts movement, which later also influenced the Art Nouveau style that he encountered in the Netherlands in 1925.

Pierneef started working eagerly and produced most of his wood- and linocut prints between 1908 and 1924. By 1920, an expansion occurred, with Pierneef including descriptive typography in his linocuts of landscapes, houses and trees. During the following period, he mainly concentrated on painting, although he continued with graphic work up until 1933. After 1925, in particular, the styling that had already become characteristic of his prints manifested itself in his paintings too.

He applied many of his art ideas in his graphic work. His pursuit of simplified form by means of lines and flat surfaces is particularly evident in the linocuts he produced for magazines, as well as in book designs, ex librises, posters and Christmas cards.

Compared to his wood- and linocuts, Pierneef produced only a small number of etchings and aquatints. Relief work in wood and later specifically linocut proved more useful in his pursuit of simplified and stylised form. In his etchings, he employed flat surfaces and atmosphere to capture the nature of the landscape.

Before working on wood or linoleum, he made preliminary sketches, the outlines of which he would then copy and enlarge or minimise as required. Yet, these sketches were never blindly copied, but allowed some space for spontaneity. He executed the drawings and linocuts fairly quickly. Each one of his commissions in lino was preceded by detailed sketches.

Pierneef’s graphic work made a significant contribution to greater awareness of the potential of wood- and linocut art in South Africa, as well as its recognition as a respected art form. His most important contribution, however, is his use of shape and form.

 Teks / Text: Amanda Botha