Old Xhosa woman 1945

George Pemba painted this 'Old Xhosa Woman' in 1945, and you can almost feel the swish of his brush mixing on the page, coaxing this portrait into being. The background washes of earthy yellows set the stage, and then, bam! The woman emerges with her steely gaze and dignified presence. I imagine Pemba, hunched over his work, carefully layering watercolor to capture the textures of her skin and the folds of her shawl. There's something so tender in the way he renders the light catching on her face, a subtle dance between shadow and illumination. It’s like he's not just painting a face, but also the weight of time, the stories etched in every wrinkle. Pemba's use of color is like a love letter to his subject; the blues in her sweater and gloves bring warmth to the composition. You can see him in conversation with other artists, like Dumile Feni, using portraiture to celebrate the resilience and beauty of Black South Africans. It’s a reminder that painting is a form of connection, a way to honor each other across time.