Peter Percival William Lamb (1905 – 1963) was an acclaimed South African artist born in Boksburg. He exhibited his work locally as well as in London and New York. Lamb built his reputation as a portraitist, capturing people from all walks of life with his paintbrush. His preferred medium was oils on stretched canvas, where he would use his brisk colours to capture the human expression. As is evident in this portrait of an Arab figure, Lamb’s work was much inspired by beloved artist, Irma Stern. With the vibrant colours and thick strokes, this portrayal and style are reminiscent of her Zanzibar collection. She would often frame her artworks with remnants of wood native to Zanzibar. On one of his many journeys to Morocco, collector Hugo Jankowitz bough old pieces of wood in an antique shop in Marrakech and built this frame to resemble Stern’s practice.