Jan Ernst Abraham Volschenk
Encyclopedia
Jan Ernst Abraham Volschenk (20 August 1853 Riversdale
- 22 January 1936 Riversdale
), was a South African painter, noted for his majestic landscapes of the Langeberg Range
in the Western Cape Province.
Born of Dutch parents on the farm Melkhoutskraal, Volschenk started painting when still a child and was largely self-taught. James Reitz, the Government Land Surveyor, saw some of his drawings and suggested that his brother Gysbert, a Riversdale lawyer, take an interest. He eventually joined the firm of Reitz & Versfeld as a bookkeeper. At 51 years of age he gave up his office job and devoted all his time to his oils and canvases. His home district around Riversdale and the Langeberg
, was his inspiration and subject matter, and he became a master of the subtle colours and tones of the Karoo
mountains.
Volschenk's keen powers of observation spilled over into natural history - he amassed a collection of more than 4 000 beetle specimens.
When 45 years old, Volschenk married another Riversdale resident, Helen Smalberger, and they produced a family of nine daughters. Of these, Vera, the eldest, followed in her father's footsteps and painted in the same genre.
Riversdale, Western Cape
Riversdale is a town located on the N2 highway between Cape Town and George on the Agulhas Coastal Plain of the southern Western Cape province of South Africa. It is an agricultural service orientated town, being a hub for shopping and other services for surrounding farming communities, smaller...
- 22 January 1936 Riversdale
Riversdale, Western Cape
Riversdale is a town located on the N2 highway between Cape Town and George on the Agulhas Coastal Plain of the southern Western Cape province of South Africa. It is an agricultural service orientated town, being a hub for shopping and other services for surrounding farming communities, smaller...
), was a South African painter, noted for his majestic landscapes of the Langeberg Range
Langeberg
The Langeberg Mountain Range is a mountain range situated in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The range runs in a generally east-west direction and is approximately 170 km long. The Langeberg's most westerly point is located 35 km west of the town of Swellendam; the range ends some 30 km...
in the Western Cape Province.
Born of Dutch parents on the farm Melkhoutskraal, Volschenk started painting when still a child and was largely self-taught. James Reitz, the Government Land Surveyor, saw some of his drawings and suggested that his brother Gysbert, a Riversdale lawyer, take an interest. He eventually joined the firm of Reitz & Versfeld as a bookkeeper. At 51 years of age he gave up his office job and devoted all his time to his oils and canvases. His home district around Riversdale and the Langeberg
Langeberg
The Langeberg Mountain Range is a mountain range situated in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The range runs in a generally east-west direction and is approximately 170 km long. The Langeberg's most westerly point is located 35 km west of the town of Swellendam; the range ends some 30 km...
, was his inspiration and subject matter, and he became a master of the subtle colours and tones of the Karoo
Karoo
The Karoo is a semi-desert region of South Africa. It has two main sub-regions - the Great Karoo in the north and the Little Karoo in the south. The 'High' Karoo is one of the distinct physiographic provinces of the larger South African Platform division.-Great Karoo:The Great Karoo has an area of...
mountains.
Volschenk's keen powers of observation spilled over into natural history - he amassed a collection of more than 4 000 beetle specimens.
When 45 years old, Volschenk married another Riversdale resident, Helen Smalberger, and they produced a family of nine daughters. Of these, Vera, the eldest, followed in her father's footsteps and painted in the same genre.
Timeline
- 1879 Exhibits four works in Cape Town
- 1893 Accompanies the Reitz family to Europe and is inspired by the art galleries
- 1894 Joins the South African Drawing Club and exhibits with them
- 1899 Marries Helen Smalberger of Riversdale
- 1904 Gives up office work and devotes full attention to painting
- 1936 Suffers a stroke and dies in Riversdale
Public art collections
- South African National Gallery, Cape Town
- Johannesburg Art Gallery
- Pretoria Art Museum
- Durban Art Gallery
- William Humphreys Gallery, Kimberley
- AC White Gallery, Bloemfontein
- Albany Museum, Grahamstown