A monumental dahlia still life by South African artist Irma Stern sold for R13 725 000 at Strauss & Co’s flagship September auction on Tuesday, drawing intense competition from four telephone bidders.
But the R13.7m price tag tells a bigger story about why South African art continues to attract serious money from collectors around the world.
Painted in 1935, "Dahlias" was first sold to a private collector at an exhibition in Johannesburg that same year. The work is part of Stern’s celebrated series of monumental flower paintings, which remain among the most sought-after works in her oeuvre.
The latest sale once again underscored Stern’s enduring position in the South African art market. In 2019, her "Still Life with Fruit and Dahlias" (1946) sold for R16 159 600 at a Strauss & Co sale in Johannesburg.
Stern has been described as a bellwether of the South African auction market for more than half a century, and her continued performance comes as international interest in South African and African art grows.
The allure of South African artists
Senior art specialist at Strauss & Co, Leigh Leyde, said collectors abroad are increasingly looking beyond established markets and seeking artists from different regions and histories.
"South African artists have a strong international presence, with established names continuing to perform well alongside growing interest in modern and contemporary artists. International buyers are attracted not only by recognised artists, but also by the depth, diversity and distinctive histories represented within South African art.
"Digital auction platforms have also made the market far more accessible, allowing collectors from around the world to view, research and bid on works without having to be physically present. This has helped broaden the international audience for South African art and created greater visibility for artists working locally," said Leyde.
Tuesday’s auction featured an exceptional group of works by women artists spanning South African modern and contemporary art.
Alongside Stern, the sale included important works by Maggie Laubser and Penny Siopis, as well as representative works by Kate Gottgens, Georgina Gratrix, Gladys Mgudlandlu, Esther Mahlangu, Cecily Sash and Maude Sumner.
Among Strauss and Co.'s top artists at auction are Stern, Jacob Hendrik Pierneef, Alexis Preller, William Kentridge, Maggie Laubser, Vladimir Tretchikoff, Robert Hodgins, Walter Battiss, Anton van Wouw, Cecil Skotnes, Gregoire Boonzaier and Gerard Sekoto.
The strength of the market is reflected in Strauss & Co’s 2025 results.
Its 10 top-earning artists collectively accounted for 55% of the company’s aggregated income, with 493 lots by Battiss, William Kentridge, Maggie Laubser, John Meyer, Pierneef, Preller, Sekoto, Stern, Tretchikoff and Van Wouw generating R260.2 million.
Tretchikoff’s 1955 signature portrait "Lady from the Orient" sold for R31.1 million last year, setting a new world record for the artist.
Stern, however, remained the highest-earning artist by combined sales at Strauss & Co in 2025, generating R64.4 million from 40 lots. Tretchikoff generated R52.6 million from 14 lots.
Leyde explained that for an artwork to reach the auction room, the process generally begins with a conversation between a collector and one of their specialists.
She said the specialist team assesses the artwork and considers factors including the artist, condition, provenance, market demand and current collecting trends.
"If the work is accepted for auction, we then research and catalogue it, establish its provenance and exhibition history where possible, agree on an estimate and reserve price with the seller, and prepare it for photography and marketing. The work is available for bidding on our website when the sale goes live," she said.
Specialists with expertise in particular artists, periods or categories assess both the artwork and its position in the current market. Quality, condition, provenance, authenticity, market demand and suitability for a particular auction all inform the decision to accept a work.
Authentication and provenance
Authentication and provenance research can draw on the artwork itself as well as documentation, literature, exhibition catalogues, gallery records and previous auction records. Depending on the artist, specialists may also consult recognised experts, foundations or artist estates.
Provenance, the history of ownership, is traced as far back as possible, with supporting documentation reviewed at each stage.
Lyde said the specialist examines the work and carries out research into the artist, the specific artwork and comparable works that have previously appeared on the market, and looks closely at its condition, medium, subject matter, date and significance within the artist's broader body of work when evaluating the artwork before accepting it for sale.
She said tracing the work back to the artist, understanding if it has been exhibited in important exhibitions or published in important research and books all build confidence in the market for the artwork and encourage collectors to bid.
The estimated value of a work is determined through a combination of specialist experience, research and knowledge of the current market.
"We look at recent auction results for comparable works by the same artist, taking into account factors such as size, medium, date, subject matter, condition, provenance and rarity. We also compare it to similar work on databases that track international auction results and create a benchmark estimate based on what recent hammer prices reveal.
"It is important to remember that an estimate is not an exact prediction of what a work will sell for. It is a guide to the likely market range based on the information available at the time."
The reserve price is agreed between the seller and the auction house.
"The specialist will advise the seller based on their understanding of the market, recent comparable sales and the estimate established for the work.
"The reserve is confidential and represents the minimum price at which the seller is prepared to sell the artwork, subject to the terms and conditions of the auction," she said.
Lyde added that the seller is responsible for providing accurate information about the artwork and its ownership history, as well as any documentation that may be relevant to its authenticity, provenance or condition.
"The auction house manages the sale process, from research and cataloguing through to marketing, exhibition and the auction itself. The specialist provides the subject expertise that informs the catalogue entry, estimate and sale strategy."
If bidding fails to reach the reserve price, the artwork is not sold.
For "Dahlias", however, four telephone bidders were willing to compete for Stern’s 1935 composition, an indication of the enduring demand for the artist’s monumental flower paintings.
taschica.pillay@nationalmg.co.za