Sumner, Maud (1902 – 1985)

Maud Sumner is considered to be one of the most international of South Africa’s artists, due to her
experience of French, English and South African life. She was a highly gifted and sensitive artist.
Sumner graduated from Roedean School in Johannesurg, but later moved to London. There she studied
Literature at Oxford between 1922 – 1925. She later studied painting at Westminster School of Arts.

Attracted to the French Art Scene she decided to move to Paris in 1926. There she studied for four years
at the Academie de la Grande Chaumiere, and returned on several occasions to further her art training
and work at the Ateliers d’Art Sacré. Her first solo exhibition was held at Galerie Druet in Paris in 1932.

After stints in Spain and England she finally returned to South Africa in 1941. Her works were not
focused on the landscape of her native country but more on interiors, still life’s, and the human figure.
Sumner stayed in South Africa until 1949, where she held at least 16 solo exhibitions between 1941 –
1945.

On returning to France, Sumner changed her style considerably and also began to produce more
experimental works. She divided most of her time between London, Paris and Johannesburg. It was
towards the end of her career that the vast spaces and intense colour of South Africa began to influence
her art. In the 1960’s she started travelling the Namib Desert, here she produced some of her finest
works.

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Maud Sumner

Born: 1902, Johannesburg

Died: 1985, Johannesburg

A painter of landscapes, snowscapes, interiors, still life, city scenes, figures, portraits, religous scenes and semi-abstract paintings. Worked in oil and watercolour. Designs for stained glass windows and tapestries. A number of series of paintings including from 1953 flight series; 1954-57 desert series; 1965 SWA/Namibia series.

Studies: Under Albert E Gyngell while at Rodean School for Girls, Johannesburg; 1925 briefly Westminster School of Art, under Frank Dobson (c.1886-1963) and Bernard Meninsky (1891-1950); 1926 drawing lessons under the sculptor Naoum Aronson in Paris; 1926-29 Academiè de la Grand Chaumière, Paris, under Georges Desvallières (1861-1950) and Francois Quelvèe (1884-1967); 1929-32 Ateliers de l'Art Sacrè, Paris, under Maurice Denis (1870-1943); 1932 briefly under Andrè Lhote; c.1934 Academiède la Grand Chaumière, Paris, under Othon Friesz (1879-1949); 1938 Acadèmie Ranson, Paris, under Roger Bissiere (1884-1964).

Profile: 1926 shared a house with Maria Blanchard (1881-1932), influenced by the Intimists. A member of the Woman's International Art Club and from 1941 of the New Group. 1945 illustrated the Afrikaans translation of William Shakespeare's Hamlet, Stewart, Cape Town. 1976 a print of her painting "Madonna & Child" was produced. 1902-22 lived in Johannesburg; 1922-25 at Oxford University, England (reading English Literature and language, French, Greek and Latin); 1926-32 in Paris with visits to SA and England; 1933-34 in SA; 1934-39 in Paris; 1939-41 in England, working as an ambulance driver; 1941-47 in Johannesburg; 1947-78 lived and worked mostly in Paris, but also in London and SA. In 1953 and 1954 visited Israel and in 1965 SWA/Namibia; from 1978 based in Johannesburg.

Exhibitions: Participated in group exhibitions from 1932 in Italy, France, Belgium, the UK, the USA, Brazil, Greece, West Germany, SA and Rhodesia (Zimbabwe); 1932 Galerie Druet, Paris, first of over 70 solo exhibitions held in Paris, London, Oxford, Salisbury (Harare), Bulawayo and from 1942 throughout SA; 1948 Tate Gallery, London, SA Art Exhibition; 1964 Quadrennial Exhibition; 1964 the opening exhibitionof the new Pretoria Art Museum, Prestige Exhibition; SAAA Gallery, Pretoria, Retrospective Exhibition; 1976 Pieter Wenning Gallery, Johannesburg, Fifty-Year Retrospective Exhibition; 1977 Pretoria Art Museum, Retrospective Exhibition; 1978 SA National Gallery, Cape Town, Retrospective Exhibition; 1980 Hoffer Gallery, Pretoria, Retrospective Exhibition; 1981 Republic Festivsl; 1981 William Humphreys Art Gallery, Kimberley, exhibition.

Award: 1971 Medal of Honour, SA Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns.

Represented: Africana Museum, Johannesburg; Ann Bryant Gallery, East London; Arts Association SWA/Namibia Collection; Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK; Contemporary Art Society, London, UK; Durban Art Gallery, Hester Rupert Art Museum, Graaff-Reinet; Johannesburg Art Gallery; King George VI Art Gallery, Port Elizabeth; Municipal Museum of Modern Art, The Hague, The Netherlands; Museè de l'Art Moderne, Paris, France; National Museum Bloemfontein; Pietersburg Collection; Potchefstroom Museum; Pretoria Art Museum; Rand Afrikaans University; Sandton Municipal Collection; SA Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns; SA National Gallery, Cape Town; Tatham Art Gallery, Pietermaritzburg; University of Cape Town; University of the Orange Free State; University of Pretoria; University of South Africa; University of Stellenbosch; University of Witwatersrand; William Humphreys Art Gallery, Kimberley.