Venice

A painting titled, Venice was painted in France by the South African artist, Enslin Hercules du Plessis (1894-1978). The work was done in 1971 and is of people enjoying an outdoor café on the Campo Santo Stefano, a city square in Venice Italy. Short Biography: Du Plessis was born in Standerton in 1894, he joined the South African Armed Forces during the First World War (1914-1918). After the end of the war, in about 1918 he became a journalist for The Star NewsPaper in Johannesburg and in 1922, he relocated permanently to England, although he visited South Africa quite frequently. In England, he worked as a freelance journalist for The Argus NewsPaper Group until 1956, after which du Plessis pursued painting full-time. Back in 1928, he wanted to start painting more seriously and so became a member of the London Group in 1929, as well as a member of the South African New Group in 1935. Du Plessis died in Bromley in London in 1978. A collection of 15 works by Du Plessis was purchased by the University of Pretoria from the artist’s exhibition he held in Pretoria and it constituted one of the first large purchases made by the institution at that time.