THE RETURN OF THE ARAB PRIEST

20pp., colour illus., paperback, University of Pretoria Art Museum, Pretoria, 2026

Catalogue of the exhibition of the iconic painting Arab Priest (1945) by Irma Stern, alongside 10 other works on temporary loan from the Irma Stern Trust and the University of Pretoria's own Stern work titled Still Life with Watermelons, hosted by University of Pretoria Museums.

When the Qatar Museums Authority in Doha purchased the painting in 2011, the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) refused to grant a permanent export permit, declaring the artwork a "valuable artistic document" that "transcended and crossed boundaries of religion and culture". A mutual agreement was reached, granting a temporary export permit for a period of 20 years, on condition that South Africans have access to the artwork once every five years. IZIKO Museums of South Africa will serve as second hosts when the artwork travels to Cape Town from mid-September 2026.

Irma Stern (1894–1966) was born in South Africa. The daughter of German Jews, she spent her childhood and teen years between South Africa and Germany. As a young adult she lived in Berlin (1914-1920) where she studied painting. She was a member of the Novembergruppe, and was well-known for her "exotic" paintings. She left Germany forever in 1933 and later became a prominent artist in South Africa.