Le Roux Smith Le Roux – South African Artist, Paintings 1914 - 1963
Le Roux Smith Le Roux was born in Cape Town, South Africa 1914 - 1963
Art Education
- Michaelis School, Cape Town, under John Wheatley; Royal College of Art; Slade School, London; British School at Rome.
Short Artist Biography
- The son of JA Smith. He displayed precocious talent and versatile ability. On completion of his preliminary studies he received a Government grant to study mural-painting in Europe.
- 1935 : he was commissioned, jointly with fellow-student Eleanor Esmonde-White, to cover the walls of a room in South African House, London with murals; theme chosen – Zulu life, medium – egg-tempera; studied techniques in Rome.
- 1938 : commissioned with E E – W to provide murals for the Cunard liner “Queen Elizabeth”. Returned to South Africa; member of New Group; Several major mural commissions in Cape Town and Johannesburg, including the then largest mural in South Africa, in South Africa Mutual Buildings, Cape Town. Illustrated “Die Vlammende Fez” by I du Plessis.
- 1943 – 1949 : Director of the newly-established Pretoria Art Centre, also curator of Pretoria art collection; served on War Art Advisory Committee. Member of International Art Club, South Africa.
- 1949 : worked in Holland – seven pictures commissioned for the Dutch liner “Jagersfontein”.
- 1950 – 1955 : Deputy Keeper of the Tate Gallery, London; during this period active on BBC as actor, broadcaster and critic – regular broadcasts to South Africa, one of the central figures in a scandal which rocked the Tate.
- 1955 : became art-adviser to Lord Beaverbrook.
- 1960 : buyer for London art galleries, including Wildenstein Gallery.
Art Exhibitions
- 1948 : Overseas Exhibition of South African Art, Tate Gallery et al.
- 1953 : Rhodes Cent Exhibition, Bulawayo.
Commissions
- Murals : South African House, London; ss “Queen Elizabeth”; ss “Jagersfontein”; ss “Pretoria Castle”; South African Mutual Buildings, Cape Town; Law Courts, Johannesburg; Dutch Reformed Church, Ladysmith, CP
Public Art collections
South African National Gallery, Cape Town; Pretoria Art Museum; Durban Art Gallery; William Humphreys Gallery, Kimberley.
Source
Berman, E. 1994. Art & Artists of South Africa . Southern Book Publishers.
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