Lucas Sithole
Synopsis
South African sculptor hailed by some critics as Africa’s major Black sculptor
First name
Lucas
Middle name
Ted
Last name
Sithole
Date of birth
15-November-1931
Location of birth
KwaThema, Springs, Transvaal (now Gauteng), South Africa
Date of death
08-May-1994
Location of death
Spekboom,Kwazulu-Natal
Gender
Male
Lucas Sithole was born and grew up in KwaThema, Springs, Transvaal (now Gauteng). He was one of ten sons of a Zulu lay priest in the Zion Christian Church, Richard Ndlala Sithole, and a Swazi mother whose name could not be ascertained. His given Zulu name was Ncane meaning “small”. He disliked that name and called himself Ted or Teddy, a name reflected in the signature of one of his very early works. Later he was also known as Lucas Thandokwazi Sithole. From the age of six he lived with his Swazi grandmother, Tsayi Numvumi, who was of royal blood and was a famous potter.