Pierneef het konsekwent in vier hoofmediums gewerk: tekening, hout- en linosnee, kaseïen en olie. Sy tekeninge in potlood, houtskool en kryt is in eie reg volwaardige kunswerke. Dit getuig van liniêre ritmes, wiskundige verhoudinge, geometriese verbindinge en vereenvoudigde vorms. Tekenwerk was vir hom belangrik as voorstudies van beide sy grafiese en skilderwerk. Hy het talle ruwe sketse en meer volledige tekeninge gemaak voordat hy dit op ‘n etsblok, hout- of linosnee of op doek oorgedra het.

Primêr was hy ‘n tekenaar en hy was ook tot die argitektuur aangetrokke. Sy bydrae as grafiese kunstenaar is net so belangrik soos sy pionierswerk as landskapskilder.

In 1907 het hy met ets- en houtsneewerk begin eksperimenteer. Later het hy hoofsaaklik net op linoleum gewerk. Tegnies is sy linosneë knap uitgevoer en was die drukwerk goed. Sy gebruik van plat vlakke, vormvereenvoudiging en abstrakte lyne kan reeds in sy vroeë linosneë gesien word, veral in die portretstudies waar die detail van die gelaatstrekke tot die essensiële deur die minimum-lynwerk beperk word. Die medium is veral doeltreffend om uitdrukking deur kontrasterende vlakke te verhoog. Hy het ‘n oliebasis-verf op wit en soms op blou en bruin papier vir impressies gebruik.

Pierneef het ook in waterverf, akwatint en akwarelle gewerk waarin hy landskap-, boom- en argitektoniese studies gemaak het.

Sy olieverfwerke, hoofsaaklik landskappe, natuurtonele van bome en rotse en argitektoniese voorstellings, is ‘n belangrike bydrae tot Suid-Afrikaanse kuns. Eers was sy kuns meer realisties, maar gaandeweg is dit geometries vereenvoudig en georden. Daar kan byvoorbeeld gepraat word van die “dekoratiewe” Pierneefs, die “liniêre” Pierneefs, die “konstruksionele” Pierneefs, die “monumentale” Pierneefs, die “geometriese” Pierneefs en die vroeëre “romanties-realistiese” Pierneefs.

Pierneef het sy olieverfskilderye hoofsaaklik op doek of bord uitgevoer. Hy het ook in kaseïen, ‘n redelik onbekende meduim, gewerk. Dit is ‘n melk-gebaseerde verbinding, wat hy van ‘n Duitse verskaffer ontvang het, waarmee hy sy doeke en borde behandel het. Die kaseïenskilderye het Pierneef meestal in ‘n impressionistiese styl uitgvoer wat in kleur en atmosfeer sterk ooreenkomste met sy olieverfwerk getoon het, maar in ontwerp en stemming verskil het. Hierdie werk word baie hoog aangeslaan en deur kenners as sy treffendste beskou.

Pierneef se produksie as kunstenaar was besonder groot en veelsydig en in elk van hierdie mediums het hy voortreflike werk gelewer.

Pierneef mainly worked in four mediums — drawing, wood- and linocut, casein and oil. His drawings in pencil, charcoal and chalk can be viewed as artworks in their own right. These are evident of linear lines, mathematical proportions, geometrical ties and simplified forms. Drawing was important to Pierneef as studies for both his graphic works and paintings. He sketched many rough and more detailed sketches before they were transferred to the etch plate, wood- or linocut block or canvas.

Primarily, he was a draftsman, with an attraction to architecture. Pierneef’s contribution as graphic artist is as important as his pioneer work as a landscape artist.

In 1907 he started experimenting with etching and woodcuts. Later he worked solely on linoleum. Technically his linocuts were well executed, and the printing was good. His use of flat surfaces, simplified forms and abstract lines can already be observed in his early linocuts. He used an oil-based ink on white, blue or sometimes brown paper for the prints.

Pierneef also worked in water-colour, aquatint and aquarelles. These were mainly used for his studies on landscapes, trees and architecture.

His oil-paintings, mainly landscapes, natural scenes of trees, cliffs and architectural representations, are an important contribution to South African art. At first, his work was more realistic, but gradually became geometrically simplified and organised. For example, one could refer to the “decorative” Pierneefs, the “linear” Pierneefs, the “constructional” Pierneefs, the “monumental” Pierneefs, the “geometrical” Pierneefs and the early “romantic-realistic” Pierneefs.

Pierneef mainly rendered his oil-paintings on canvas or board (hardboard and cardboard). He also worked in casein, an unfamiliar medium — a milk-based binding that he received from a German supplier. Pierneef mostly used an impressionistic style when working in casein. These works have strong resemblances with his oil- paintings referring to colour and atmosphere, but the design and feel differ. The casein works are highly rated by experts and seen as his most striking works.

The volume of work Pierneef produced as an artist is very large and versatile, and in each of the above-mentioned mediums he delivered excellent work. 

Teks / Text: Amanda Botha