Don James Madge - Colourful Rural Cape Village, 60x30cm

Don James Madge was a South African painter and graphic artist whose work offers a wonderfully evocative record of the country’s landscapes, villages and everyday life during the twentieth century.

A regular Art Collective favorite, this is a lovely example of his work, lovely colours, crisp clean lines, 60x30cm, oil on canvas on board, unframed. Signed James Madge (his earlier signature)

Born in Stutterheim in 1920 and later based in Pretoria, Madge developed a broad and distinctive body of work encompassing rural landscapes, Cape cottages, farmyards, street scenes, coastal views and figures. His paintings are particularly admired for their controlled brushwork, confident composition and adventurous use of colour, ranging from subtle, atmospheric landscapes to unexpectedly bold and vibrant interpretations of familiar South African scenes.

Working in oils, pastels and other media, Madge had an ability to capture both the physical character and the mood of a place. District Six and Cape Malay neighbourhoods, small Karoo towns, farms and mountain landscapes all feature within his oeuvre, often imbued with warmth, nostalgia and a strong sense of South African identity.

An interesting part of his legacy is the monumental painting Mielie Boer, which once hung in the foyer of the South African Maize Board’s Pretoria headquarters before being sold following the Board’s closure in 1997.

Today, Madge enjoys an established presence on the South African secondary market, with his paintings continuing to be offered and sold through leading auction houses including Strauss & Co.

For collectors, Don Madge represents an appealing combination of strong draughtsmanship, distinctive colour, South African heritage and excellent value within the established art market.

The Art Collective is proud to offer a selection of original works by Don James Madge.