Featured 1940 Erongo S.W.A- Watercolour

Hi all,I really like the soft (desert)colours used in this painting. Painted in the Erongo region S.W.A (South-West Africa now Namibia) I was thinking it was very well done and finding the artist should be relatively easy (but no such luck) It seems clear as R. Grau? (from Windhoek) What do you think? Artist name? Skill level? It’s 57x36cm
Surely this is a skilled artist?
Thank you for any comments and keep well

 

Very nicely done. And I very much like the original period frame.

Debora

 

Hi Debora,thank you for the comment and your valued opinion.

 

@Debora

Hi Debora,do you also simply read the signature as R.Grau? (apologies if this is a silly question,I just want to make sure)

 

No, fair question. I read signature as "R. Grau" too. But given he carefully identified date and his location, wonder if he wasn't someone just passing through.

Debora

 

There is a Rene Grau listed on Find Art Info albeit for two paintings. I have tried googling his name and I just get a lot of noise from Rene Gruau and cant filter it out. Sometimes Google can be an arse.

Scratch that. I have just googled the name of the painting by them and it is by rene gruau. I think find art info have included the same artist under a slightly different spelling as a typo.

 

Think your artist is Ricardo Grau.1907 -1970 Peruvian artist .Born in France ,died in Peru.Lived In Peru and returned to Europe around 1938.Very hard to get examples of his work as they are protected by copyright,but seen one signature in a newspaper article which looked similar but more interestingly that painting had the name of the place inscribed on it like yours.Also if you google [ R Grau artista ] and go to images you will see a painting of a Spanish style house painted on a artist board, with a signature of R Grau 1938 which is or was for sale on a art website.Hope one or either of these might be of help.

 

René Grau was a fashion illustrator. According to the internet, in 1940 he was already working with DIOR. Ricardo Grau returned to Lima permanently in early 1937 according to this.

https://icaa.mfah.org/s/en/item/1146716#?c=&m=&s=&cv=&xywh=1123,1090,857,480

Debora

 

Grau is also a German surname. Given location, think more likely. (Namibia was a German colony for many years.)

Debora

 

There's a mention of a Rudolf Grau as an amateur artist in this book :
"Our First Thirty Years The History of the South African Association of Arts (S.W.A)
By Olga Levinson (1979).

https://www.google.co.uk/books/edit...dq=grau+windhoek++painter&printsec=frontcover

 

Ah... That sounds very promising.

Debora

 

Here's another snippet. Referred to as one of the "Sunday painters." Think you got 'em.

Debora

 

OMG! I found him on familysearch.org! Born 1869. Died 1942. Buried in Gammams Cemetery, Windhoek.

Debora

 

Thanks for replying. I also had the same ‘problem’ Rene Grau. Appreciate you searching

 

It’s interesting what you say about this peruvian artist. Unfortunately I couldn’t find the painting of the Spanish house. Many thanks for making as such a effort in helping me.

 

Wow,that’s just great that you found this reference. Excellent research! He must have been a very skilled amateur. I really like this work. Many thanks

 

Great.Thanks Debora. Interesting term: ‘ Sunday painters’ I think Rudolf had real talent.

 

That’s cool info. So he painted this in he’s 70’s.Thanks again for all the help

 

Hi Boland.If you google R Grau artista click on images,and scroll down and you will see painting of Spanish style house painted on an artist board.It is signed R Grau 1938.Sorry not very tech/y person so maybe someone can find it and put up a picture.

 

Hi,not a problem. I really appreciate all your efforts in helping to solve this little artist mystery. I will have a look again. Thanks