Walter Battiss Art Museum

Description

The Walter Battiss Art Museum building was in use during the time of Somerset Farm (before the town of Somerset East was established in 1825) and was used as an Officers Mess for British troops stationed on the eastern Frontier.

The cast-iron fence was transported by wagon from Cape Town. Yellowwood from the Boschberg Mountain provided wood and beams for some partitions of the first floor. Several fireplaces still in the building have the royal coat of arms built into them. The Victorian veranda was added later.

Walter Wahl Battiss was born in Somerset East in 1906. At one stage the family rented 45 Paulet Street, and ran it as the Battiss Private Hotel. The Walter Battiss Art Museum was officially opened on 24 October 1981. Battiss was present on the day, and donated 65 of his private collection of artworks to “the people of Somerset East”. He died in 1982.

After extensive deterioration, the gallery was closed to the public at the end of 1999, and reopened on 5 November 2004, after restoration. Today it houses a permanent exhibition on the works of Battiss, including watercolours, oils, rock art and Fook Island. The gallery forms part of the Somerset East Museum. Various items including T-shirts and publications are for sale.