At Strauss & Co‘s auction of Important South African and International Art on Monday 1 June, artworks to the value of over R40 million are set to go under the hammer. Amongst the highlights is an arresting portrait by renowned Dutch artist, Kees Van Dongen, of his beloved daughter Dolly. Van Dongen was a contemporary of Picasso, Matisse, and others who exhibited at the Salon d’Automne and were hailed as Les Fauves or the ‘wild beasts’ for their use of bright colours and expressive painterly brushmarks. Painted in Paris in 1909, Dolly au collier d’argent, (Dolly with silver necklace) confirms Van Dongen’s stature as one of the leading avant-garde artists of the 20th century. At the heart of the composition is the quiet intensity of the child’s bright blue eyes set against her fine complexion so lovingly rendered by her adoring father, while sparkling jewels at her neck and wrist draw attention

Read More: Portrait of Kees Van Dongen’s daughter to be offered at Strauss & Co in Johannesburg