(c) Donkey

A donkey and a figure in traditional dress occupy this acrylic composition with characteristic warmth and directness. The animal dominates the left side in ochre and tan tones, whilst a seated figure in red clothing and a distinctive hat anchors the right, rendered with exaggerated proportions. The artist employs bold gestural brushwork across the board surface, building form through thick application of pigment. The palette of blues, yellows and warm earth tones creates an intimate, unhurried scene. Claerhout’s depictions of donkeys from his decades working in South African mission communities remain particularly notable in his oeuvre.