About
Everard Read is Africa’s oldest commercial art gallery. Established along a dusty street in the young mining town of Johannesburg, the gallery celebrated its centenary year in 2013. Since its inception, Everard Read has been associated with pre-eminent artists working in Southern Africa.
Throughout the 20th Century, a large proportion of South Africa’s most important paintings and sculpture graced the interior of the gallery in central Johannesburg that Everard Read initially called home. The gallery has also been involved in sourcing Fine Art from acclaimed international artists and continues to do so. This, over decades, profoundly stimulated the tastes and sophistication of art collectors in a country somewhat isolated during apartheid.
After our 50 years in the city centre, in the late 1970s, a new gallery was built to house Everard Read on Jellicoe Avenue, Rosebank. This building has since become a celebrated icon of South African post-modern design.
In 2009, the CIRCA building was developed alongside the gallery. CIRCA, which is supported by Rand Merchant Bank, has been internationally recognised as an outstanding contribution to South African architecture. Within the subtle curved walls of CIRCA, a series of profound and powerful exhibitions have already been held. The curatorial directors seek to intersperse contemporary art exhibitions with human technology and scientific installations. The magnificent Darwin Room at the apex of CIRCA is used for workshops and lectures.
110 years after first opening its doors, Everard Read has galleries in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Franschhoek and London. Across all sites, and at its core, it is an business dedicated to exhibiting paintings and sculpture by South Africa’s finest modern and contemporary artists. The development of young artists’ careers is also a crucial component of the brand’s mission.
Please note: Our website is also used as an historical archive to reflect the trajectory of our artists’ work as a resource to historians, journalists, students and art enthusiasts. As a result it is important to note that the majority of works on our website are historical and may no longer be available to purchase. Please email gallery@everard.co.za to secure an up to date portfolio of available works by the artists whose work you have admired.
Established in 1913, Everard Read is Africa's oldest commercial art gallery and presents modern and contemporary art from South Africa. Our Johannesburg galleries have a rigorously curated exhibition programme of South Africa's top artists.