Claudette Schreuders

Claudette Schreuders painting onto a lithographic stone for her print titled "Eclipse".

Claudette Schreuders creates carved and painted wooden figures that reflect the ambiguities of the search for an 'African' identity in the post-apartheid 21st century. The domain of woodcarving is a contested one for a white, Afrikaans woman, and the subtractive process of carving offers a certain lack of control that she enjoys. Schreuders sculptures demonstrate a convergence of African and European influences from the blolo and colon figures of West Africa to medieval church sculpture, Spanish portraiture and Egyptian woodcarving. Their stocky bodies, solid stance and staring eyes 'own' space in a very particular way, partly indebted to the shape of the block of wood from which they emerge. Narrative and story telling are fundamental to the reading of her figures, which is why Claudette Schreuders opts to show small bodies of work as sculptural installations, after which the figures are available to be bought individually.

Schreuders sculptures are essentially modern deities for modern problems, taking with them the blolo figures' potential to 'cure', as well as engaging with issues around foreignness and hostility and the means we use to create a space for ourselves in a perceived 'alien' environment.

Schreuders work often follows the theme of making public that which is private or simply telling stories that have their origins in personal experience. It is this straight forward approach to herself, her world and her work that makes the work so moving and appealing. Schreuders is able to make something universal out of the seemingly trivial and personal. Her honesty and sense of humour are evident in the work.

The artist describes herself as something of a perfectionist, working slowly and indulging in her labour intensive process; which she sees as revelatory in terms of understanding one's intentions and desires. "I start off by making thumbnail sketches, very loose simple drawings of what I want to make. And I usually draw my sculptures in groups. Or on small pieces of paper, or in my books. The drawings I do for my sculptures are very informal. And the prints I do are much more finished products. My first series of etchings was a record of some of my favourite existing sculpture. And after that I decided what I would like to do is to keep a record of my own work seeing as it's something that leaves me."

The first set of lithograph prints Crying in Public that Claudette Schreuders did at The Artists' Press sold out almost immediately. The high quality of the lithographs and the intensity of her drawing mean that those who cannot afford her sculptures are still able to build up their collections of this remarkable South African's work. She has continued over the years and arrival of her children to keep a record of her sculptures in lithographic form.

In 2004, Schreuders was commissioned to do four life size bronzes of South Africa's Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Albert Luthuli and F.W. de Klerk for the Waterfront in Cape Town.

"I think what I'm interested in is telling stories. It's portraiture, but it's a vehicle for telling a particular story, or the way in which society makes people who they are, or the group against the individual. As soon as you make a figure, it has an identity, and it's immediately a white person or a black person. To me, things aren't that simple in South Africa. Everyone has an identity. And I made three white figures at first. The first one was Lokke and then the Housewife, which was fibreglass, and then the Dominee, which was of my grandfather. And then you start thinking, "but they're all white". That was before I even looked at the colon. And that provided a connection for me in Africa. I like to think of it as desire in a way that makes you want to make things. I don't look for 'authentic African art' to collect. I find that relationship of 'taking' very hard. My whole outlook is obviously western, but if you do research about art, or your own art, you have a whole different way of looking at it. Then you can get back to very basic questions. It's interesting for me to look at portraiture as something where you try and make a person with the idea you have of them, and try and bring in abstract elements, like in African art where they say "this is a beautiful person because he [sic] is complete." So I am interested in making things that are beautiful, and how beauty works." Claudette Schreuders

Artists A - L (listed by surname)

 Artists M - X (listed by surname)

New Editions

Claudette Schreuders Archive

For orders (with free shipping) or any other enquiries, please contact us.

standing woman with her hands clasped behind her back wearing a chequered dress and red shoes

Title: The Guilty Bystander
Medium: Five colour lithograph
Paper size: 108 x 65 cm
Edition size: 30
Price: R 21 500 (excl.VAT)


a clothed woman with long dark hair lying on a bed with her eyes closed

Title: Spent
Medium: Six colour lithograph
Paper size: 45 x 60 cm
Edition size: 30
Price: R 11 500 (excl.VAT)


Title: Mother and Child
Medium: Six colour, chine collé lithograph
Paper size: 38.5 x 27.5 cm
Edition size: 35
Price: R 10 600 (excl.VAT)


a man wearing khaki shorts and a white shirt riding on the back of a leopard.

Title: The Hero
Medium: Six colour, chine collé lithograph
Paper size: 28.5 x 38.5 cm
Edition size: 35
Price: R 10 600 (excl.VAT)


a female figure with blue tights on and a naked torso brushing her brown hair

Title: Hair
Medium: Six colour lithograph
Paper size: 60 x 45 cm
Edition size: 35
Price: R 11 500 (excl.VAT)


a blue budgie in profile sitting on a wooden perch

Title: Budgie
Medium: Five colour lithograph
Paper size: 38 x 30 cm
Edition size: 35
Price: R 6 900 (excl.VAT)


Note to Self  Lithographs

a woman sketching in a notebook while standing up and facing to the right of the image

Title: Note to Self
Medium: Seven colour lithograph
Paper size: 90 x 64 cm
Image size: 78 x 31 cm
Edition size: 25
Price: R 19 000 (excl.VAT)


a standing woman sketching in a notebook facing and looking directly at the viewer.

Title: Note to Self - Front
Medium: Eight colour lithograph
Paper size: 90 x 64 cm
Image size: 78 x 26.5 cm
Edition size: 25
Price: R 19 000 (excl.VAT)


a standing woman sketching in a notebook seen in profile, she wears a paint-spattered apron.

Title: Note to Self - Profile
Medium: Seven colour lithograph
Paper size: 90 x 64 cm
Image size: 78 x 28 cm
Edition size: 25
Price: R 19 000 (excl.VAT)


full-length portrait of Nelson Mandela standing and wearing a patterned shirt in brown tones.

Title: Mandela
Medium: Two colour lithograph
Paper size: 70 x 40 cm
Image size: 63.5 x 20 cm
Edition size: 25
Price: R 12 000 (excl.VAT)


a figure of a standing toddler dressed in a loincloth facing sideways

Title: Brett
Medium: Four colour lithograph
Paper size: 50 x 30 cm
Image size: 38 x 11.5 cm
Edition size: 25
Price: R 8 900 (excl.VAT)


Nine portraits of men and women in black and white. Each portrait adheres to the fabric separately.

Title: Nine Portraits
Medium: Nine single colour lithographs mounted onto cotton fabric base.
Paper size: 23 x 21 cm x 9
Panel size: 70 x 64 cm
Edition size: 20
Price: R 17 800 (excl.VAT)



Great Expectations Lithographs

woman wearing a cream coloured dress lying on a blue checked pillow, gazing with head tilted away from the viewer.

Title: Great Expectations
Medium: Five colour lithograph
Paper size: 60 x 91 cm
Image size: 26.5 x 75.5 cm
Edition size: 45
Price: R 17 300 (excl.VAT)

a young man standing with a spiral coming out of his mouth with a small female standing figure on the end of it

Title: Song
Medium: Five colour lithograph
Paper size: 76 x 56.5 cm
Image size: 65.5 x 29 cm
Edition size: 45
Price: R 15 500 (excl.VAT)

A brightly coloured love bird standing on a wooden branch perch

Title: Love Bird
Medium: Six colour lithograph
Paper size: 30 x 38 cm
Image size: 18 x 31 cm
Edition size: 45
Price: R 6 900 (excl.VAT)

Young woman in vest and panties with hands raised behind her head holding long hair up

Title: Mirror
Medium: Three colour lithograph
Paper size: 70 x 50.5 cm
Image size: 59.5 x 23 cm
Edition size: 45
Price: R 14 900 (excl.VAT)

a standing female figure facing forward wearing pleated skirt and shoes but no top

Title: Loved Ones
Medium: Four colour lithograph
Paper size: 70 x 50 cm
Image size: 60 x 20 cm
Edition size: 45
Price: R 14 900 (excl.VAT)

portrait bust of young boy in school uniform

Title: Boy
Medium: Four colour lithograph
Paper size: 45 x 45 cm
Image size: 39.5 x 26 cm
Edition size: 45
Price: R 9 600 (excl.VAT)

cream coloured horse in profile facing left

Title: Romance
Medium: Three colour lithograph
Paper size: 40 x 50.5 cm
Image size: 29 x 35.5 cm
Edition size: 45
Price: R 9 600 (excl.VAT)

Close, Close Lithographs

female figure holding child up in front of her with detail of their heads next to her

Title: Eclipse
Medium: Seven colour, chine collé lithograph
Paper size: 50 x 38 cm
Image size: 43 x 31 cm
Edition size: 35
Price: R 10 600 (excl.VAT)

Black woman in profile carrying a white baby on her back. Portrait detail of her face next to figure.

Title: Abba
Medium: Eight colour, chine collé lithograph
Paper size: 50 x 38 cm
Image size: 43 x 31 cm
Edition size: 35
Price: R 10 600 (excl.VAT)

Standing female toddler in cream coloured dress facing forward

Title: Anna
Medium: Four colour, chine collé lithograph
Paper size: 50 x 38 cm
Image size: 43 x 31 cm
Edition size: 35
Price: R 10 600 (excl.VAT)

Male standing figure with a baby holding his legs and walking on his feet.

Title: One
Medium: Eight colour, chine collé lithograph
Paper size: 50 x 38 cm
Image size: 43 x 31 cm
Edition size: 35
Price: R 10 600 (excl.VAT)

Female figure in red chequered dress holding a baby in each hand

Title: Two hands
Medium: Eight colour, chine collé lithograph
Paper size: 50 x 38 cm
Image size: 43 x 31 cm
Edition size: 35
Price: R 10 600 (excl.VAT)

standing figure of a pregnant woman facing viewer, naked except for panties

Title: Insider
Medium: Four colour, chine collé lithograph
Paper size: 50 x 38 cm
Image size: 43 x 31 cm
Edition size: 35
Price: R 10 600 (excl.VAT)

Figure of a child sleeping child

Title: Sleep
Medium: Four colour, chine collé lithograph
Paper size: 38 x 50 cm
Image size: 31 x 43 cm
Edition size: 35
Price: R 10 600 (excl.VAT)

The Fall Lithographs

a figure of a woman standing with snake over her shoulders and another beneath her right foot

Title: The Free Girl
Medium: Six colour, chine collé lithograph
Paper size: 50 x 38 cm
Image size: 43 x 31 cm
Edition size: 35
Price: R 10 600 (excl.VAT)

Female figure standing with her hands in her pockets, wearing a red shirt and blue trousers.

Title: Tresspasser
Medium: Six colour, chine collé lithograph
Paper size: 50 x 38 cm
Image size: 43 x 31 cm
Edition size: 35
Price: R 10 600 (excl.VAT)

A naked male figure lying prone with a naked female figure's torso emerging from his stomach

Title: The Beginning
Medium: Three colour, chine collé lithograph
Paper size: 38 x 50 cm
Image size: 31 x 43 cm
Edition size: 35
SOLD OUT

A heterosexual couple standing alongside each other, woman holding a tiny baby in her outstretched palm.

Title: The Fall
Medium: Six colour, chine collé lithograph
Paper size: 38 x 50 cm
Image size: 31 x 43 cm
Edition size: Edition size: 35
SOLD OUT



a naked woman lying on a table with a baby emerging feet first from her stomach

Title: Arrival
Medium: Four colour, chine collé lithograph
Paper size: 38 x 50 cm
Image size: 31 x 43 cm
Edition size: 35
Price: R 10 600 (excl.VAT)

a naked female figure walking with her hands hiding her face

Title: Departure
Medium: Three colour, chine collé lithograph
Paper size: 50 x 38 cm
Image size: 43 x 31 cm
Edition size: 35
Price: R 10 600 (excl.VAT)

Portrait bust of a young balding man seen from the side

Title: The Boyfriend
Medium: Five colour, chine collé lithograph
Paper size: 38 x 28.5 cm
Image size: 33 x 23.4 cm
Edition size: 35
Price: R 10 600 (excl.VAT)

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