A painting by SA painter Irma Stern is auctioned for the record price of R1.1 million in Johannesburg

Date: 8 Nov 1999
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

A painting by SA painter Irma Stern is auctioned for the record price of R1.1 million in Johannesburg

South African prolific painter Irma Stern was born in 1894. She studied art in Germany where she was influenced by Pechstein’s expressionist style. Stern gained master status in her chosen still life and portrait genres. However, her paintings often garnered controversy especially in her depiction of Black people. Stern died in 1966 and her home in Cape Town has been converted into a museum dedicated to her. In 1999 a painting by Stern was auctioned for a record breaking R1.1 million. Her paintings have since broken that record five times, with the latest being the 2011 sale of her painting for R34 million.

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How we know this

01southafricaweb, ‘A Dictionary of Twentieth Century Art: Irma Stern’ [online] Available at: www.southafricaweb.co.za [Accessed on 07 October 2013]
02irmastern.co.za (2011). ‘Irma Stern Museum’ from Irma Stern Museum [online] Available at: www.irmastern.co.za [Accessed on 12 October 2011]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, November 2). A painting by SA painter Irma Stern is auctioned for the record price of R1.1 million in Johannesburg. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0069112

South African History Online (2011) 'A painting by SA painter Irma Stern is auctioned for the record price of R1.1 million in Johannesburg', South African History Online, 2 November. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0069112 (Accessed: 24 September 2026).

South African History Online, A painting by SA painter Irma Stern is auctioned for the record price of R1.1 million in Johannesburg [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0069112, (accessed 24 September 2026).

"A painting by SA painter Irma Stern is auctioned for the record price of R1.1 million in Johannesburg." South African History Online, 2 Nov. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0069112. Accessed 24 Sept. 2026.

South African History Online. "A painting by SA painter Irma Stern is auctioned for the record price of R1.1 million in Johannesburg." South African History Online. November 2, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0069112.