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The William Humphreys Art Gallery (WHAG) holds one of South Africa’s most distinguished collections of European Old Masters, complemented by significant South African and African art acquisitions.  

Among its most treasured holdings are the Flemish and Dutch Old Masters, many of which originate from the historic Michaelis Collection. These works exemplify the artistry and realism that defined seventeenth-century European painting, with an emphasis on detailed depictions of everyday life, nature, and human character.  

Notable highlights include landscapes by Jan Brueghel the Elder, Antonie Waterloo, Jan Wijnants, Jan Dirksz Both, and Philips Wouwerman. Remarkable for their naturalistic light and atmosphere are Karel Dujardin’s Landscape with Ruins and a river scene by Jan van Goyen. Still lifes are represented by artists such as Cornelis de Heem, Jan Frans van Son, and Jan van Huysum, renowned for their intricate detailing and luminous color.  

The collection also contains genre scenes such as The Woodcutters by Adam Pynacker, Fighting Cats by Frans Snyders, Interior by Egbert van der Poel, Suitors in a Garden by Dirck Hals, Woman on Horseback by Eglon van der Neer, and Rest on the Flight to Egypt by Gerrit Dou, as well as portraits by Caesar van Everdingen and Gonzales Coques.  

Malikah Meyer, Curatorial Assistant, and Chepape Makgato, Chief Curator (October 2025)