Maria Magdalena (Maggie) Laubser (b. 1886, Malmesbury district, Cape Town – d. 1973) was a prominent South African artist known for her expressionistic style. She attended Bloemhof Seminary in Stellenbosch until the age of 15 and later pursued singing lessons in Cape Town, where she became involved with a circle of artists and musicians. In 1907, she shifted her focus to painting and joined the SA Society of Artists.
After working as a governess on a farm near Ermelo, she met JHA Blawé, who became her patron and facilitated her studies in Europe. Laubser arrived in Laren, Holland, in 1913, immersing herself in the vibrant artistic community.
With the outbreak of World War I, she moved to London, attending the Slade School of Art from 1914 to 1919. She then relocated to Belgium, where exposure to Van Gogh’s work influenced her style. She spent time painting in Northern Italy and later moved to Berlin, interacting with artists such as Irma Stern and the German Expressionists, which led her to intensify forms and brighten colours in her work.
Returning to South Africa in 1924, she held her first solo exhibition at the Argus Gallery in Cape Town, which was met with mixed reviews. Despite this setback, Laubser continued to produce art, focusing on portraits and landscapes throughout South Africa.
Her paintings, often criticised for their naïveté, reflect her honest and ambitious approach to art. Laubser remains celebrated today as an internationally renowned master of South African art.
Text Source: Grahams Gallery
Image Source: Wikipedia, Self Portrait, (1928), 475 x 340 mm
