Jan Brandes (1743 – 1808) was a Dutch Lutheran minister and artist, in the service of the Dutch East India Company. He visited Vergenoegd from May 1786 to March 1787, when he was hosted by owner of the time, Johan Georg Lochner. Before coming to the Cape, he had lived and preached in the Dutch East Indies (Batavia/Jakarta and Ceylon/Sri Lanka).
He proved a remarkable draughtsman with a fine ability to capture vignettes of daily life wherever he found himself. His panoramas of the Vergenoegd farm proved invaluable to the recent architectural restoration team. He has also given us an insight into what people looked like and did at that time.
During his career, he produced many drawings and watercolours of buildings, landscapes, flora, fauna and fish. As he had finally moved to Sweden, his sketch books remained in his family there for almost two centuries. In 1958 The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam acquired some of his loose sketches in Stockholm. In 1985 the Rijksmuseum obtained two complete sketchbooks containing Brandes' most important work. These include the work he produced at what is now Vergenoegd Löw.
Our art walk has been devised for you to explore our sculptures, paintings and landscaping in a way that we hope will surprise and delight, enchant and intrigue. Of course, you may wish to discover our works in your own sequence and that’s fine too. Although very individual in expression, all the works here are emblematic of values we cherish. From the conservation of our natural environment to the protection of our rich and layered heritage. From opening ourselves to new possibilities, innovation and ideas to being challenged by different ways of seeing. And as importantly, to celebrate artistic talent. You can find out more as you stop at each work. Scan the QR codes on signage or the one on this page for online profiles on the artists. Pursuing an anti-clockwise path, your discovery will take you to:
We start close to our 1773 Homestead with a sculpture by local artist, Manuela Holzer of an Indian Runner duck, symbolic of our regenerative, natural and holistic approach to farming.
(reception area) Homage to Löwenmensch by Dylan Lewis
(visible upon entry) Beast with Two Backs IV Life Size by Dylan Lewis
(dam wall) Male Trans-Figure by Dylan Lewis
(adjacent to Chapel) Labyrinth by Terry de Vries
(inside Chapel) Triptych altarpiece (reproduction) by 16th century German artist Hans Baldung Grien, taught by legendary artist Albrecht Dürer. (If the chapel is closed, please ask staff to open for you.)
(close to Chapel) Maze by Terry de Vries
(Amy’s Island) Beast With Two Backs S-H 79 by Dylan Lewis
(Indigenous landscaped garden) Brandes Garden, inspired by flora discovered and depicted by Dutch artist Jan Brandes during his visit here from 1786 to 1787
(close to Clara’s Barn) Male Trans-Figure IX by Dylan Lewis
(in front of Clara’s Barn) Maquettes: Male Torso IV and Torso V by Dylan Lewis
(inside Clara’s Barn) Vergenoegd Farm (reproductions) by Jan Brandes, produced between 1786 and 1787. A 24- karat gold-leaf edition of the Indian Runner duck by Manuela Holzer. (*If the restaurant is closed, please refer to our website for details of these works and our opening hours.)
From here you continue your journey aside the dam back to the Homestead – the perfect opportunity to enjoy a glass of our award-winning wines and the tranquillity of the werf!