13 Facts About Gregoire Boonzaier

Gregoire Johannes Boonzaier was a South African artist well known for his landscapes, portraits and still life paintings.

Gregoire Boonzaier was a famous exponent of Cape Impressionism, a founder of the New Group, and a contributor, through his art works, to the struggle against apartheid.

Gregoire Boonzaier was the fifth child of political cartoonist Daniel Cornelis Boonzaier and his cousin Maria Elizabeth Boonzaier.

Early on Gregoire made the acquaintance of the artists Pieter Wenning, Nita Spilhaus, Moses Kottler and Anton van Wouw, all of whom were close family friends.

Gregoire Boonzaier's father was dead set against a formal training in art and felt that he had more to learn from the artists around him.

Gregoire Boonzaier returned three years later to help found the New Group, with Terence McCaw, Frieda Lock, Lippy Lipshitz and others, and served as its first chairman for ten years.

Gregoire Boonzaier served for six years on the Board of the South African National Gallery, Cape Town.

Gregoire Boonzaier made Cape Town his base and his subsequent work reflected views of District Six and the Malay Quarter, recording its colourful life.

Gregoire Boonzaier settled at Onrusrivier, a short distance outside Hermanus.

Gregoire Boonzaier had been introduced to Onrus shortly after World War II by Uys Krige whose family had holidayed there for many years.

Gregoire Boonzaier took part with 43 SA artists, in the "Exhibition of South African Art" at the Tate Gallery in London in 1948.

Gregoire Boonzaier's work is to be found in private and corporate collections throughout the world.

In November 2004 Gregoire Boonzaier completed some works, and tidied his studio for the last time.