Veronica Burleigh - Four African Landscapes

Artist: Veronica Burleigh, SWA, WIAC 

Title: A small group of four unframed African landscapes in what was Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and possibly Mozambique 

Description: All four watercolours are on paper, are unframed, and are in generally good condition, with good colour retention. All are signed but none are inscribed with the specific location. From conversations in person and on the telephone with Veronica Burleigh in the period 1976 to the early 1980s she explained that she worked annually in Rhodesia as was from the late 1950s and that on occasions she ventured into the hills in Mozambique, painting as she went. She was a straight talking fearless woman, who wasn't intimated by being a lone visitor in what could sometimes have been hostile territory. 

The individual details are:

(a) An African landscape with mountains and a farm building, signed lower left. Has a manufacturer's watermark to the paper which appears to be Whatmans. We think this is the earliest work from this group, late 1950s/early 1960s. It has been mounted at some point, but not now, as it has some tape residue to the upper edge of the sheet. The sheet size is about 10.6 x 15.5 inches. 

(b) An African landscape with what may be a man made lake to the foreground with excavation work to the middle ground. There are mountains in the distance. This is probably Rhodesia circa the mid 1960s. The work is on manufactured paper but there is no maker's name visible. The colour is good but to the reverse there are clear signs of foxing to the paper though the fox marks are few to the visible image.  The work is signed lower right. It has been mounted at some point, but not now, as it has some signs of tape residue to the upper edge of the sheet. The sheet size is about 11.0 x 15.1 inches.

(c) Another African landscape with what may be excavation work to the foreground with several mountains in the distance. This is probably Rhodesia circa the mid to late 1960s. The work is on manufactured paper but there is no maker's name visible. The colour is good but there are signs of one or two foxing marks to the reverse and someone in the past has treated them on the image side. This is visible to the mid left of the image near to the edge. The work is signed lower right. It has been mounted at some point, but not now, as it has some signs of tape residue residue removal to the corners of the sheet, outside the image. The sheet size is about 11.3 x 15.6 inches. 

(d) An African mountain landscape featuring rocks and some foliage. It is likely to be late 1960s or early 1970s in date and is signed lower right. It is on Saunders watermarked paper. It has been mounted at some point, but not now, as it has some signs of tape residue removal to two corners of the sheet, not affecting the image. The sheet size of the upright work is about 15.5 x 11.5 inches.