Southern Nguni Priest Diviner

A painting titled Southern Nguni Priest Diviner by the South African artist and author, Barbara Eleanor Harcourt Tyrrell (1912-2015). Tyrrell, as an artist, was also a lifelong scholar of the traditional rituals and clothing of South Africa's people, and she authored several books on the subject. The painting depicts a Southern Nguni Priest or Diviner from the Eastern Cape. She can originate from any of the groups Xhosa, Thembu, Mpondo or Xesibe. The "Sjambok" in her hand is to drive away evil spirits. A sjambok (often spelt shambok) is a heavy, semi-rigid whip that typically ranges from 90 to 150 cm in length. This painting is one of 59 in the collection painted by Tyrrell for her book African Heritage in 1983. The University of Pretoria purchased this collection from the artist later in 1988, and the University of Pretoria Art Archive also holds some archival literature and primary documents related to the artist. Short biography: Barbara Eleanor Harcourt Jurgens (née Tyrrell) was born on 15 March 1912 in Durban, South Africa. Her father, who passed away when she was still a small child, had occupied the post of assistant magistrate and later interpreter in the former Department of Native Affairs and had been stationed in various towns in Natal. His final posting was in Eshowe, Zululand. Tyrrell's grandfather was Frederick Fynney, an interpreter and companion to the Zulu King Cetshwayo during the latter's visit to Queen Victoria in 1882. Tyrrell trained as an artist at the former University of Natal during the 1930's, when the fine arts department was still linked with that of the former Technical College. From her first field trip in 1934, by the 1960s, she had artistically captured the traditional dress and tribal customs of all the indigenous people of southern Africa. In 1952, Tyrrell married Pete Jurgens, who was a cameraman and stuntman. They made their home in Richmond, KwaZulu-Natal, and had one son. Tyrrell was a painter, author, illustrator, and printmaker. Tyrrell is internationally known for her detailed studies of the traditional dress and ornamentation of the indigenous peoples of southern Africa, Namibia and Swaziland. Her cultural portraiture of African women and men invaluably recorded disappearing ways of life and traditional attire. Many of Tyrrell's works are held in important collections, such as the Constitutional Court Art Collection, the Campbell Collections at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and many of her original sketches are held at the Brenthurst Library in Johannesburg. Tyrrell was 103 years old when she passed away on 23 September 2015.