Cape Town - Over the past four weeks more than 10 000 art lovers flocked to the South African National Art Gallery in Cape Town to see an exhibition by late artist, Vladimir Tretchikoff.

On the first day alone 2 000 people viewed the 92 paintings in the retrospective exhibition Trechikoff: The People’s Painter.

The works, mostly in oil and pastel, were sourced from all corners of the world, including Europe, Canada and America.

Tretchikoff died in 2006.

Unique and unusual

One of the main attractions is The Ten Commandments, a painting series based on the Old Testament Commandments of Moses, to which Tretchikoff lent his own distinctive style.

Also featured, are his portraits of Asian beauties, flower arrangements and uniquely South African characters.

For the first time, visitors can also see an unusual sculpture of a fish that Tretchikoff created in 1972 from amethyst, iron, steel and wood. In a glass display there is also an amethyst necklace, which he designed for his wife Natalie.

Visit kultuurkroniek for more photos and information on the artist and his work.