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Solid rosewood case, professionally restored 2024
Original 8-day mechanical movement, recently serviced
A powerful original oil-on-board painting by South African artist Welcome Mandla Koboka, signed and dated 1997 at the lower right. The artwork depicts two male figures engaged in an energetic football scene, painted in a vivid, impasto technique that conveys both motion and emotion through expressive colour and thickly layered texture.
The composition’s angular brushstrokes and fragmented geometry create a sense of rhythm and dynamism  characteristic of Koboka’s bold style. His palette of warm ochres, rusty reds, and cool turquoise blues evokes the dust and energy of township life, while maintaining a painterly sophistication that connects to the lineage of South African expressionists.
Presented in a broad, antique-finish wooden frame with inner silver beading, the piece radiates a sense of nostalgia and vitality, balancing urban realism with abstraction.
Artwork Details:
Title: The Footballers
Artist: Welcome Mandla Koboka (South African, 20th century)
Medium: Oil on board
Style: Modern African Expressionism / Figurative abstraction
Condition: Excellent; minor age-consistent craquelure visible under close inspection
Artistic Analysis:
Welcome Mandla Koboka is known for his thick, sculptural paint application and rhythmic depictions of everyday African life  particularly scenes of labour, music, and sport. His art often reflects the vibrant social identity of South Africa’s post-apartheid era, balancing movement and harmony through abstraction.
The impasto texture creates almost sculptural relief, where each palette-knife stroke adds dimensionality. The dynamic postures of the figures convey teamwork and competition  symbolic of resilience and unity within township communities.
Door-to-door tracked delivery across South Africa from R220 (insured to full sale value). Free pickup available in Cape Town. International shipping by quote. Estimated dispatch within 2 business days of payment clearing escrow.
RubyRose Collectibles is a verified Sunflower trader.
Q: Does the clock keep accurate time? Heritage Lot: Within ±30 seconds per week after the 2024 service.
Q: Will it survive shipping? Heritage Lot: Yes — pendulum is removed and packed separately, and the case is custom-crated.
