Xhosa maiden 1957

This is George Pemba's Xhosa maiden, painted sometime in the mid-20th century, most probably in oil. Look at the way Pemba's brushstrokes build up a sense of the woman's figure against the backdrop of her village. You can almost feel the energy of the artist, layering the paint, searching for the right form, the right color. I wonder what Pemba was thinking about when he made this portrait? What was the conversation between him and his sitter? The paint is applied with such directness, especially in the face. Each stroke seems to capture a fleeting expression, a moment of contemplation. And look at those necklaces, and the skirt! They become these almost abstract patterns, yet they also tell us so much about the individual. Painters have always learned from each other, and you can see how Pemba's work continues the conversation, infusing it with his own unique vision and experience. Painting is never just about representation. It’s about feeling, and about being human, with all its complexities.