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Historical Artist - Moses Kottler (1896 - 1977)
Moses Kottler was born in Joniskis, Lithuania 1896 - 1977
Art Education
- Moses Kottler was self-taught as a sculptor.
- 1911 : painting and drawing at Bezalel School of Art, Jerusalem.
- 1911 – 1912 : painting and drawing at Munich Acad of Art.
Short Artist Biography
- Moses Kottler's parents immigrated to South Africa when he was a boy, arranging for him to be
educated in Jerusalem; early interest in sculpture but, in absence of training facilities in
Palestine, studied drawing and painting; after six months, transferred to Munich Acad.
- 1912 : Moses Kottler visited his parents in South Africa, then returned to Munich for further
study; worked in Paris and London.
- 1915 : Moses Kottler settled in South Africa; first home in Oudtshoorn, where he began to work
at sculpture; moved to Cape Town in December 1916.
- 1917 – 1922 : friendly with DC Boonzaier and the critic, Bernard Lewis; concentrated on
painting but began to establish a reputation as a sculptor; it is from this period that his
painted portraits date; also several still-life and landscape studies.
- 1922 : Moses Kottler visited London, exhibited sculpture.
- 1923 : returned to Cape Town.
- 1928 : married in Cape Town to Eva Goldberg.
- 1929 – 1932 : art-tour of Europe; worked and exhibited in London.
- 1932 : Moses Kottler settled in Johannesburg; first public commission – sculpture for
Johannesburg Library; continued to consolidate a distinguished reputation as a sculptor; member
of New Group.
- 1956 – 1965 : member of the advisory committee of Johannesburg Art Gallery.
- 1962 : awarded South African Akadamie Medal of Honour for Sculpture.
- 1974 – 1975 : Prestige Retrospective Exhibitions at Pretoria Art Museum, South African
National Gallery, Johannesburg Art Gallery. Numerous important sculptural commissions. A most
reticent man who was always reluctant about personal publicity.
Art Exhibitions
- 1936 : Empire Exhibition, Johannesburg.
- 1948 : Overseas Exhibition of South African Art, Tate Gallery et al.
- 1952 : Van Riebeeck Tercent Exhibition, Cape Town.
- 1953 : Rhodes Gent Exhibition, Bulawayo.
- 1954 : Venice Bien.
- 1960 : Second Quad of South African Art.
- 1974 and 1975 : Prestige Retrospective Exhibition, Pretoria Art Museum, South African National
Gallery, Johannesburg Art Gallery.
Commissions
- 1932 : Johannesburg Public Library.
- 1935 : Johannesburg Magistrates Court.
- 1941 : Anglo American Building, Johannesburg.
- 1956 and 1957 : Population Registration Building, Pretoria (work removed after misguided
public uproar).
- 1957 : General Mining Building, Johannesburg.
- 1964 : TPA Building, Pretoria.
- 1967 : University of Wits War Memorial. Portraits : i a President Burgers, Gens de Wet, Botha,
Smuts, Hertzog
Public Art collections
Represented by sculpture in almost every South African Gallery and in National Portrait Gallery,
London. Paintings : South African National Gallery, Cape Town; Johannesburg Art Gallery,
Africana Museum, Johannesburg.
Source
Berman, E. 1994. Art & Artists of South Africa . Southern Book Publishers.
Contemporary South African Artists
Art Galleries in South Africa
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