Kensington Palace Pierneef up for sale

Cape Town – A Pierneef painting that has been hanging in Kensington palace in London for decades is looking for a South African home.

The painting, called Karoo, was painted in 1930. It will be auctioned off by Strauss & Co in Cape Town on Monday.

According to experts, the painting is worth about R700 000.

Media director for Strauss & Co, Bina Genovese, said on Sunday that the painting is one of two Pierneef's which the Women's Committee of Pretoria donated to Countess Alice van Athlone - who stayed in Kensington Palace in 1930.

The countess apparently had a big appreciation for Pierneef's work. She was very impressed with him as a person. She was also the protector of arts in South Africa at that time and chose Karoo as one of her two Pierneef gifts.

The painting has been hanging in Kensington Palace ever since. It is not known how it found its way back to South Africa.

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(Photo: Strauss & Co.)