Hans Fransen

1931 - 2017

Author of publications on art and architecture in South Africa

Art and Architectural Historian
Curator Stellenbosch Museum, 1965 - 69

Hans Fransen was born in 1931 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. He commenced his studies in architecture which remained uncompleted when he moved to South Africa in 1955. He married Marie Anneen van Zyl in 1963.
BA (History of Art, UNISA,1968) , PhD (University of Natal). Title of thesis: Style periods in Cape architecture and decoration.
Career:

1955-58 1959-61 1959-61 1962-64 1965-69 1970-74 1975-80 1980-89 1990-2001 2001- 2017

Survey Asistant, Dept. of Water Affairs, Pretoria Press and Cultural Affairs Assistant, French Embassy, Pretoria/Cape Town Editorial assistant and proof reader, Die Burger Acting Curator, Michaelis Collection (museum) Curator Stellenbosch Museum Curator, Groot Constantia Assistant Director, S.A. National Gallery Senior Lecturer History of Art, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg Director Michaelis Collection Active as author, heritage practitioner

Hobbies:Tennis
Running (6 Comrades Marathons)
Cycling (13 Argus Tours)

Professional Organisations: At one stage or another
S.A. Association of Art
Simon van der Stel Foundation
Vernacular Architecture Society
S.A. Society of Cultural Historians
S.A. Museums Association

Awards:
1984:  Simon van der Stel Foundation Medal of Honour
1993:  Cape Times Award for Conservation
2001:  Knighthood in the Order of Orange-Nassau (Netherlands) 
2008: DPhil, honoris causa, from Stellenbosch University

Hans Fransen died on 11 December 2017 in Pinelands

Publications:Over 30 exhibition catalogues and brochures, 11 articles in specialised journals Hans Fransen writes regularly the Kultuurkroniek, a column on architectural gems in Die Burger . Old Towns and Villages of the Cape Books: The Old Houses of the Cape (co-author: Mary Cook), Balkema, Cape Town 1965 Architectural Beauty of the Cape as seen by Arthur Elliott (anthology of the pioneer photographer's work, with introduction and annotations), Balkema, Cape Town 1969 Guide to the Museums of Southern Africa, - Gids vir die museums van Suider- Afrika, S.A. Museums Association, Cape Town 1969. Entirely revised in 1978. The Cape Chair - Die Kaapse Stoel, Stellenbosch Museum, 1970 Discover Historical Stellenbosch (co-author Christo Botha), - Ontdek Historiese Stellenbosch, HAUM, Stellenbosch 1979 The old Buildings of the Cape (co-author: Mary Cook), entirely revised and much expanded edition of The Old houses of the Cape, Balkema, Cape Town 1981 Drie Eeue Kuns in Suid-Afrika (the first integrated South African history of art, and applied art), Anreith, Scottsville 1981 Three Centuries of South African Art (translation of Drie Eeue Kuns in Suid-Afrika, with the addition of a few chapters), Donker, Johannesburg 1982 A Cape Camera (photographs of the Old Cape by Arthur Elliott, introduced and annotated), Jonathan Ball, Johannesburg 1994 Michaelis Collection, the Old Town House (compiler), Waanders, Zwolle 1997 A Guide to Old Buildings of the Cape (a total revision of The Old Buildings of the Cape), Jonathan Ball, 2004 Old Towns and Villages of the Cape, Jonathan Ball, 2006 Erik Laubscher - a Life in Art, SMAC Gallery, Stellenbosch 2009 Cape Barock - and the contribution of Anton Anreith, SunMedia, 2015 Chapters in Books: The outlying districts, in: C. de Bosdari (editor) , Cape Dutch Houses and Farms, 2. edition, Cape Town 1962 Wine and Architecture, in: D.J. Opperman (editor) , Spirit of the Wine, Cape Town 1968 Dorpstraat, Stellenbosch, in: Merwe Scholtz (editor) , Wynland, Cape Town 1969 Kuns in ons Huis, in: C.F. Albertyn (editor) , Die Vrou, vol 6, Stellenbosch 1973 Meubels en hout, in: Immelman (editor) , Ons Groen Erfenis, Cape Town 1974 Introduction in: S.A. de Villiers, Otto Landsberg, Cape Town 1974 300 years of architecture, in: F. Smuts (editor) Stellenbosch 1679-1979, Stellenbosch 1979 'n Vrugbare ruskuur: Balkema en de Bosdari, in: Friends of the South African Library, Balkema, 1984 Architecture. the new amidst the old, in: J. Laband and R. Haswell (editors) , Pietermaritzburg 1838-1988, Pietermaritzburg 1988

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