A commemorative exhibition of the work of painter and cartoonist John Amshewitz opens in the City Hall in Johannesburg

John Henry Amshewitz was born in Ramsgate, England in 1882. He came to South Africa with the intention of only staying for six months but ended up staying for six years. Amshewitz explored most of the paintings in the media of the time. His diverse genres included landscapes, portraits and still life. A great cartoonist and illustrator, he found work at the Rand Daily Mail and The Sunday Times. During his career, he held numerous exhibitions locally and abroad. He left for England in 1922, spent 14 years at home, but later returned to South Africa in 1936. Amshewitz died on 6 December 1942 in Muzienburg, Cape Town. In 1943 a commemorative exhibition of his work, opened by Lord Harlech, was held at the Johannesburg City Hall.