Entertainment
Popular Hylton Nel gets his own single-artist sale
Strauss & Co is pleased to announce A World in Clay: Hylton Nel’s Ceramic Studio, a 49-lot single-artist auction showcasing the work of Hylton Nel, the renowned artist-potter from Calitzdorp. The auction is scheduled to commence on Tuesday, 17 September 2024 at 5pm.
Renowned for his distinctive cat sculptures and press-moulded plates painted in vibrant hues, Nel has attracted significant collector interest following his successful international engagements in recent years.
The auction catalogue for A World in Clay: Hylton Nel’s Ceramic Studio includes Nel’s renowned Weeping Cat (estimated at R80,000 – 120,000 / $4,495 – 6,740), a piece that gained recognition when it was featured in Dior’s 2025 men’s summer catwalk show in Paris in June 2024. The fashion line inspired by Nel’s work was prominently displayed. In 2023, Nel’s creations were the focal point of an exhibition at Charleston, the former Sussex residence of English painters Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, now transformed into a museum.
Featuring artworks produced between 1982 and 2004, A World in Clay: Hylton Nel’s Ceramic Studio offers an array of early pieces acquired directly from the artist during his renowned house sales in the 1980s and 90s. Collectors can anticipate notable items such as a pair of Venus and Sebastian sculptures (estimated at R50,000 – 70,000 / $2,810 – 3,935) and a bowl adorned with a painted motif of a female nude and leaf (estimated at R1,500 – 2,500 / $85 – 140), originating from Nel’s Port Elizabeth period (1974-87).
“Our initial introduction of Hylton Nel’s work in a 2010 auction, featuring a cheerful plate, marked the beginning of his consistent presence in our sales,” stated Bina Genovese, Managing Executive at Strauss & Co. “Following the success of our 2021 sale, which showcased Nel’s ceramic sculpture and achieved R125,180 for his remarkable 2009-10 piece Sphinx, his reputation has continued to soar.
Continuing, Bina Genovese remarked, “A World in Clay: Hylton Nel’s Ceramic Studio aligns with our strategic initiative at Strauss & Co to spotlight individual artists with devoted followings. This auction dedicated to Hylton Nel, following our successful single-artist sales honoring John Muafangejo, Irma Stern, and JH Pierneef, establishes him as a leading figure in ceramic art. We are particularly enthusiastic about the collection of cat sculptures, which have garnered significant attention from collectors.”
Nel’s sculptural output is intertwined with his representation of cats, drawing inspiration from the iconography of ancient cultures such as Egypt and China, as well as Staffordshire ware. The auction catalogue for A World of Clay: Hylton Nel’s Ceramic Studio features pieces like a yellow and black cat on a round base from 2000 (estimated at R60,000 – 80,000 / $3,375 – 4,495) and a pair of Cats on Yellow Bases crafted a year later (estimated at R150,000 – 200,000 / $8,430 – 11,240).
A World of Clay: Hylton Nel’s Ceramic Studio also showcases Nel’s utilitarian plates and bowls adorned with distinctive figural motifs, quotes, and diverse patterns. As Nel expressed in 1996 during his first significant exhibition at the Fine Art Society, London, “The same shape over and over, but like people, each one different.” A World in Clay: Hylton Nel’s Ceramic Studio is accompanied by a richly illustrated catalogue, featuring artist notes, available for download on Strauss & Co’s website.
For more details, please visit the Strauss and Co website or explore their e-catalogue.
