Alexis Preller, one of South Africa’s most distinctive and visionary modern artists, created this small yet powerful oil painting “Boy with a Horse” around 1950. Measuring just 8 × 9 cm (approx. 3 1/10 × 3 1/2 inches), this intimate work showcases Preller’s unique ability to convey profound symbolism and emotional depth even on a miniature scale.
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Alexis Preller (1911–1975)
Born in Pretoria, South Africa, Alexis Preller trained at the Westminster School of Art in London. He developed a highly personal visual language that blended European modernism with African themes, mythology, and ancient symbolism. Preller drew inspiration from Ndebele art and culture, Egyptian art, classical mythology, and the South African landscape. His works often explore themes of transformation, human-animal relationships, and spiritual connection.
By the late 1940s and early 1950s, Preller had established himself as a singular voice in South African art — neither fully aligned with European trends nor traditional local styles. His paintings are known for their luminous colors, dreamlike quality, and rich symbolic content.
The Artwork: “Boy with a Horse”
In this delicate oil on canvas/board painting, Preller depicts a nude boy gently interacting with a pale horse against a stylized landscape. The composition features:
- A luminous, almost mythical horse rendered in soft golden tones
- A classical, sculptural figure of the boy
- A dramatic sky with hints of turquoise and deep earth tones
- The artist’s signature “Preller” in the lower right
The small format creates an almost jewel-like intensity, inviting close contemplation. The relationship between the boy and the horse suggests themes of harmony with nature, guidance, strength, and innocence — motifs that recur throughout Preller’s oeuvre.
Key Details:
- Title: Boy with a Horse
- Date: ca. 1950
- Medium: Oil on canvas/board
- Size: 8 × 9 × 1.5 cm (painting); framed 14 × 15 × 2 cm
- Signature: Hand-signed by the artist
Significance
Created during a formative period in Preller’s career, this intimate painting reflects his growing interest in archetypal imagery and the human figure. The horse, a recurring symbol in his work, often represents power, freedom, and spiritual journey. Small-scale works like this one are especially prized by collectors because they reveal the artist’s mastery of composition and emotional nuance in concentrated form.
For Collectors
This rare “Boy with a Horse” by Alexis Preller is currently available at Kings Gallery in Jerusalem. With full documentation and certificate of authenticity, it represents an exceptional opportunity to acquire a museum-quality miniature by one of South Africa’s most important modern masters.
Kings Gallery is a leading fine art gallery established in Jerusalem in 1995. We strive to collect and sell the highest quality historic and contemporary Israeli and International art. The gallery specializes in artists from the early period of the 1920’s. In addition, Kings Gallery features leading up-and-coming young artists who will definitely be prominent names in the next few years.