Maud Frances Eyston Sumner (1902–1985) was a South African artist. Sumner was born in

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Demo ...

Transvaal Colony The Transvaal Colony () was the name used to refer to the Transvaal region during the period of direct British rule and military occupation between the end of the Second Boer War in 1902 when the South African Republic was dissolved, and the ...

. After completing her schooling at

Roedean Roedean is a village in the city of Brighton and Hove, England, UK, east of the seaside resort of Brighton. Notable buildings and areas Roedean Gap is a slight dip in the cliffs between Black Rock and Ovingdean Gap, and has been known by the ...

in Johannesburg, she studied literature at

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

from 1922 to 1925 and then studied painting at the

Westminster School of Art The Westminster School of Art was an art school in Westminster, London. History The Westminster School of Art was located at 18 Tufton Street, Deans Yard, Westminster, and was part of the old Royal Architectural Museum. H. M. Bateman described ...

. Attracted to the French art scene, she moved to Paris in 1926, where she studied for four years at the Academie de la Grande Chaumière. She was part of the art movement called the Ateliers d'Art Sacré and loved the new style of painting taught by the masters George Desvallieres and his co-founder

Maurice Denis Maurice Denis (; 25 November 1870 – 13 November 1943) was a French painter, decorative artist, and writer. An important figure in the transitional period between impressionism and modern art, he is associated with '' Les Nabis'', symbolism, a ...

, where everyday scenes were permeated with religious undertones. She was a designer for the stained glass manufacturer

Goddard & Gibbs The firm of Goddard & Gibbs were London-based English glassmakers and stained glass window manufacturers. The company was established by Walter Gibbs in 1868, although one firm which it subsequently acquired had been established earlier, in 18 ...

. Although she had been separated from the South African art world, Sumner was invited by

Walter Battiss Walter Whall Battiss (6 January 1906 – 20 August 1982) was a South African artist, also known as the creator of the "Fook Island" concept. Early life Battiss was born into an English Methodist family in the Karoo town of Somerset Eas ...

to exhibit with the

New Group The New Group was a group of young South African artists who, starting in 1937, began to question and oppose the conservatism of the South African Society of Artists. Its founding chairperson was Gregoire Boonzaier; other founding members were Lip ...

in 1938. She was awarded the Medal of Honour by the ''

Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns The Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns (SAAWK) (literally ''South African Academy for Science and Arts'') is a multidisciplinary organization dedicated to promoting science, technology and the arts in Afrikaans, as well as promoting ...

'' in November 1971, accompanied by a sensationally successful "semi-retrospective" exhibition at the South African Association of Art Gallery in

Pretoria Pretoria () is South Africa's administrative capital, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to South Africa. Pretoria straddles the Apies River and extends ...

. During her stay in Paris in 1978, Sumner was diagnosed with

Guillain–Barré syndrome Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rapid-onset muscle weakness caused by the immune system damaging the peripheral nervous system. Typically, both sides of the body are involved, and the initial symptoms are changes in sensation or pain often ...

. She died in early January 1985 at her home in Melrose, Johannesburg.

References

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External links

Biography at Johan S Borman
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sumner, Maud 1902 births 1985 deaths 20th-century South African women artists People from Johannesburg Alumni of the University of Oxford Alumni of Roedean School, South Africa Alumni of the Westminster School of Art Alumni of the Académie de la Grande Chaumière People with Guillain–Barré syndrome