Robert Melvin Simmers: A Narrative of a Gentle Soul in South African Art

I. Introduction: The Quiet Architect of Cape Town’s Artistic Foundation

Robert Melvin Simmers (1907–1991) occupies a unique and enduring space in the narrative of twentieth-century South African art. While history often favors the loud and the revolutionary, Simmers’ legacy is defined by a quiet, foundational consistency. For over five decades, he was a "gentle soul" deeply woven into the fabric of Cape Town's cultural life, operating as a distinguished artist, a perceptive critic for The Cape Times, and, perhaps most significantly, a dedicated educator at the Michaelis School of Fine Art.

His life and times were not merely adjacent to the major shifts in South African art; they were intrinsically part of the machinery that allowed those shifts to happen. From the establishment of formal art education in the 1920s to the complex socio-political landscapes of the 1970s, Simmers remained a steady hand. For those of us who studied under him in the late 1960s, he was more than a lecturer; he was a link to the very origins of the institution we inhabited, a man who combined the rigour of anatomical study with a demeanor of profound gentleness.

II. From Hampstead to the Hallowed Halls of Michaelis

Born in Hampstead, London, in 1907, Robert Melvin Simmers’ journey to the tip of Africa was serendipitous. He arrived in South Africa in 1924, a timing that could not have been more fortuitous. The cultural ground in Cape Town was shifting; the Michaelis School of Fine Art was established at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in 1925, and Simmers was there at the genesis.

He enrolled in that inaugural year, positioning him not just as a student, but as a pioneer of the country's first university-based fine art department. His integration into this nascent environment was swift and successful. By 1927, he was awarded the prestigious Michaelis Prize, a clear indication that this young expatriate possessed an innate talent that would soon become indispensable to the school itself. This early distinction set the trajectory for a life that would rarely veer away from the academic and artistic precincts of UCT.

III. The Educator: A Gentle Guide Through Anatomy and Form

It is in his capacity as an educator that Simmers arguably left his deepest mark. His tenure at the Michaelis School of Fine Art spanned nearly half a century, ending with his retirement in 1972. Within the high-ceilinged studios of the campus, Simmers served as a lecturer in anatomy and drawing—subjects that form the bedrock of traditional artistic training.

For students attending Michaelis between 1966 and 1968, Simmers was a familiar, calming figure. In an era where the art world was increasingly noisy with conceptual shifts and modernist ruptures, Simmers provided a grounding in the essential mechanics of seeing. He taught anatomy not merely as a medical study, but as the architecture of expression. His approach to still life and life drawing was meticulous, urging students to understand the underlying structures of the physical world before attempting to deconstruct them.

He worked alongside formidable figures like Edward Roworth, yet Simmers maintained a distinct pedagogical identity. While Roworth could be a polarizing figure, Simmers is remembered for his temperament—a gentle soul who navigated the complexities of academia with grace. This duality of deep technical knowledge delivered with kindness created a learning environment where students felt supported in their acquisition of difficult skills. He did not just teach us how to draw a muscle or drape a cloth; he modeled a way of being an artist that was disciplined, observant, and respectful of the craft.

IV. The Artist: Capturing the Luminous and the Living

Simmers’ pedagogical focus on anatomy and observation directly informed his own artistic output. He was a versatile practitioner, moving fluidly between oil paintings, linocuts, gouache, pastels, and watercolours. His work reflected a deep affection for the world around him, particularly the vibrant life and landscapes of the Cape.

His oeuvre is populated with studies of the human form, such as "TWO NUDES" and "Male Nude Study," which serve as a testament to his mastery of the anatomy he taught so assiduously. Yet, he also looked outward, capturing the "Flower Sellers, Cape Town" and the grandeur of Table Mountain. His works were not merely academic exercises; they possessed a "luminous colour" and "fine design" that garnered critical praise.

A pivotal moment in his artistic career occurred in 1936 when the South African National Gallery (SANG) acquired his painting "The Glory of Spring" directly from the South African Society of Artists (SASA) exhibition. For a sitting Academician and critic to have work purchased by the national institution was a significant validation of his creative powers. While his auction prices in later years may not have rivaled the commercial giants of South African art, his presence in the SANG and UCT collections ensures that his visual voice remains preserved within the canon of the country’s art history.

V. The Critic: A Progressive Voice in a Conservative Era

Perhaps the most surprising facet of Simmers’ career—given his dedication to traditional disciplines like anatomy—was his role as a progressive art critic. Writing for The Cape Times between 1933 and 1939, Simmers wielded his pen with a discernment that belied the conservative tendencies of the time.

In the mid-1930s, when the avant-garde work of Wolf Kibel was being met with hostility and "public abuse" by established critics, it was Melvin Simmers who stepped forward to champion him. In 1935, Simmers wrote a favorable review of Kibel’s "Virile Exhibition," praising the artist’s "extraordinarily strong sense of drawing." This required intellectual courage. It demonstrated that Simmers, the teacher of classical anatomy, possessed an eye sharp enough to recognize the validity of modernism. He acted as a bridge, validating new forms of expression while maintaining his footing in traditional education. This ability to appreciate the "virile" and experimental while embodying the "gentle" and academic speaks to a complex and sophisticated understanding of art.

VI. The Man: A Life of Rhythm and Resilience

Beyond the easel and the lecture hall, Robert Melvin Simmers was a man of diverse talents and quiet resilience. His artistic sensibility was not confined to the visual; he had a profound fondness for the theatre and was, remarkably, one of the first male ballet dancers in Cape Town. He partnered with the legendary Dulcie Howes at the UCT Little Theatre, a fact that adds a layer of physical grace to our understanding of his character. It suggests that his understanding of the human body was kinetic, felt in the muscles and movements of dance, which undoubtedly enriched his teaching of anatomy.

His life was also touched by the great upheavals of the century. From 1941 to 1946, his career was interrupted by service with the Union Defence Force in North Africa. This period of conflict stands in stark contrast to the tranquility of his studio life and his persona as a gentle soul. That he returned from the war to resume his teaching and painting with such continuity is a testament to his dedication to his vocation.

VII. Conclusion: An Enduring Legacy of Grace

Robert Melvin Simmers passed away in 1991, leaving behind a legacy that is foundational rather than flashy. He did not seek the limelight, yet his influence permeated the Cape Town art scene for the better part of the twentieth century. The "Melvin Simmers Papers" at UCT Libraries preserve the record of a life lived in service to art, but his true archive lies in the skills and memories of the students he taught.

For those of us who knew him in the late 1960s, he remains a touchstone of integrity. He was a man who taught us that the discipline of the hand and the eye is compatible with a gentleness of spirit. In a narrative of South African art often dominated by turbulence, Robert Melvin Simmers stands as a reminder of the power of quiet dedication, a gentle soul who helped build the very structures upon which so many others would stand.