Souvenir Saturday: Durban Bay from the Maritzburg Road ca 1856

Souvenir Saturday: Shrubsole in Natal: a marine artist at work

Entrance to the Bay of Natal with mail liner approaching:
artist C J Shrubsole

While much about this artist remains obscure, it is known that Shrubsole arrived in Natal (on at least one occasion) aboard the Conway Castle on 8 March 1892. In the passenger list his initials are given as 'C.J.' (possibly an illegible 'T'?) and his age as 25, his occupation "Draughtsman". He travelled 3rd Class. In the column usually reserved for employers or 'sureties' for the incoming passenger, is the name O. ORMSKOLD, Marburg - one of the Norwegian families which settled in that area of the Natal South Coast. 

It may be that this was the start of Shrubsole's career in Natal and presumably his interest in painting marine views of the port began at that time. Though early attempts were amateurish (the ships endearingly wobbly and the Bluff varying considerably in shape from painting to painting) he gradually honed his skills and by the period 1915 to 1925 was producing consistent work in his own recognisable style, often repeating the Bay Entrance as his subject. His 'signature' was a small red-turbanned figure - either seen as an Indian fisherman as in the painting shown above, or in his few landscape works, an African figure in a red headdress. 

Four of his marine views are reproduced in Nigel Hughes' wonderful volume Paintings of the Bay of Natal (published privately Johannesburg 2001). Some of Shrubsole's works are held in the collection of the Old Court House Museum, Aliwal St, Durban and are displayed at the latter's satellite museum, the Old House in St Andrews Street. Included are some intriguing moonlight views of the Bay.

Enquiries to the SHRUBSALL/SHRUBSOLE and variants One Name Study have so far elicited no confirmation of the artist's origins or parentage, nor is it known when he first arrived in South Africa though his employment with Ormskold at Marburg may be significant. Any further information on Shrubsole would be most welcome.

A landscape by Shrubsole recently offered for auction by Clarke's Africana. Note the African figure with signature red headdress. This painting probably dates from the period 1915-1925. Is this the Cape or Natal?