The collection at Ellerman House traces South African art from the mid-nineteenth century to the present, and almost 1000 works hang across the house, most of them on display rather than in storage. It begins with early pictorial historians such as Thomas Bowler and moves through the New Group generation of the 1930s: Gregoire Boonzaaier, Maggie Laubser and Irma Stern.
Further rooms follow Walter Battiss and Alexis Preller, then Gerard Sekoto and George Pemba. A contemporary gallery carries Benon Lutaaya, Heidi Fourie and Blessing Ngobeni, so the account of a changing country continues into current practice.
An in-house art guide leads guests through the pieces. For clients with an interest in South African art or history, this is worth flagging at booking so the walk can be given proper time.