Barbara Jeppe
(1921-1999)

Think that you may own a painting by Barbara Jeppe? We authenticate, appraise, research and issue certificates of authenticity (COA) and provide consultations for all paintings by Barbara Jeppe.

Barbara Jeppe was a South African botanical artist. Born in the mining town of Pilgrim's Rest, she was the daughter of Victor Brereton, a land-surveyor, and Gladys Evans. At an early age her mother introduced her to the world of wild flowers.

She was married to Carl Louis Jeppe, a psychiatrist, and had four children, Leigh, Marie, Carl and David. Twenty years into her marriage, she illustrated her first book, Trees and Shrubs of the Witwatersrand (Witwatersrand University Press) which made her mark in the field of botanical art.

At the invitation of Hendrik van Zijl, a retired attorney from Cape Town, Barbara stayed with his family in Constantia. Over a period of three years, she spent a year with the family illustrating and writing the text for her book on Cape bulbs. This passion for bulbs resulted in the publication of The Spring and Winter Flowering Bulbs of the Western Cape (Oxford University Press). Her definitive work on Amaryllidaceae in collaboration with Piet Vorster, has yet to be published, the illustrations being finished by her daughter, Leigh Voigt.

Besides her botanical paintings, Barbara Jeppe had a great love for butterflies and painted many for friends and family. She also occasionally ventured into painting landscapes. She was awarded two gold medals in 1990, one by the Botanical Society of South Africa, the Cythna Letty Gold medal for contributions to botanical illustrations in South Africa, and another by the South African Nurserymen’s Association. The Transvaal Horticultural Society bestowed on her a silver medal in 1991.

Still wondering about an African painting in your family collection? Contact us…it could be by Barbara Jeppe.

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