Florence Zerffi (South African 1882-1962)
Portrait of a woman- possibly a self-portrait.
Oil on canvas laid down on board
51.5 cm x 41.5 cm
Provenance:
Purchased from Oliver Caldecott, the artist’s son (London)
Private Collection, Cape Town
Gary Shean Fine Art, Cape Town.
South African History Online:
https://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/florence-josephine-zerffi-sa-still-life-and-landscape-painter-dies
Florence Louise Josephine Zerffi was born in 1882, London, England. She came to Cape Town in 1916 after studying art in London and at the Arts and Crafts Academy in Berlin. In South African, Zerffi joined the South African Society of Artists (SASA). Not only did Zerffi paint, but she also used needle work as a medium. She loved colour and always used it to bring an expressive element in her work. She married another artist, Stratford Caldecott in 1924 and had joint exhibitions with him. She lost her husband in 1929, only five years after their marriage. After his death, she taught art in schools throughout Cape Town. She later returned to England to live with her son. She died in 1962.