Herman Pekel (born 1956) is an Australian painter whose subjects include country landscapes, city streets, industrial places and interiors. Working in oils, watercolour and gouache, he brings a strong interest in light, tone and the expressive possibilities of paint to recognisable scenes.
Early life and first exhibitions
Born in Melbourne to Dutch parents, Pekel developed an interest in painting while young. Gallery biographies record his first solo exhibition in Melbourne at the age of 17 and describe it as a sell-out. His career developed through direct observation, travel and formal art study rather than through one influence alone.
Art education: teachers, training and influences
His early teachers included Roger Webber, Ernest Buckmaster and Lance McNeill. Painting outdoors with these oil painters helped develop his response to changing light and his willingness to work directly and spontaneously.
Pekel later spent three years studying and painting in Amsterdam and London. There he encountered work by Rembrandt, J. M. W. Turner and John Constable. These were historical influences encountered through their paintings, rather than artists who personally taught him.
Back in Melbourne, he studied fine art at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, now RMIT University, in the early 1980s. Dale Hickey and Jeff Makin are named as teachers in gallery accounts. Lost Bear Gallery also identifies Clifton Pugh among the artists under whom he studied; this should not be read as a claim that all three held the same formal teaching role at RMIT.
Harvey Galleries additionally records a Diploma of Teaching at the University of Melbourne in 1989. These different strands of experience help explain a practice that combines close observation with an interest in abstraction and the physical character of paint.
Painting style and artistic development
Pekel is often described as a contemporary impressionist. His paintings remain connected to places and everyday subjects, while brushwork, tonal structure and colour carry much of their energy. His range extends beyond rural landscape to streetscapes, working environments, cafés and bars.
In his artist statement, Pekel explains that a painting need not be a literal record of one location. Work begun outdoors may develop into a composition combining observations from different places. A scene can therefore convey a believable atmosphere without functioning as a topographical document.
His use of different media also matters. In watercolour, the light of the paper and decisions about washes are central; oils allow a different handling of the painted surface. Collectors should identify the actual medium and support of each work rather than assuming that every Pekel is made in the same way.
Awards and career recognition
Published gallery biographies record Alice Bale awards in 1989 and 1993, together with repeated success at the Camberwell art show. Gallery One lists Camberwell watercolour awards in 1989, 1993, 1995 and 2006, and a Best Oil award in 2004. These distinctions provide career context; they do not establish the quality or value of every individual painting.
Looking closely at Balmain
The illustrated Balmain streetscape brings a curving street, parked cars, buildings and utility poles into a composition of cool shadows and luminous sky. The dark foreground and lighter distance give the scene depth, while visible brushwork keeps its surface lively. The work is signed “Pekel” at the lower left and carries the title “Balmain” on the reverse.
Herman Pekel signature guide
The accompanying close-up shows a dark, freely painted “Pekel” signature against blue-grey brushwork. Look at the connected strokes, the angle of the lettering and the relationship between the inscription and the surrounding paint. This photograph records one signature on one work; it is not a universal template.
Descriptions of Pekel works may record either the full name “Herman Pekel” or the surname “Pekel”. A shorter signature should not, by itself, be used to assign a date. The available evidence does not establish a reliable changeover year or a rule covering every work.
Compare a signature with documented examples in the same medium, then consider the complete painting: subject, brushwork, support, inscriptions, labels and ownership history. A resemblance between signatures alone is insufficient to authenticate an artwork. Keep clear photographs of the front, signature and reverse together.
Collecting Herman Pekel
Begin with the painting itself. Consider whether its light, composition and handling of paint remain engaging at normal viewing distance as well as close up. A familiar subject can be appealing, but the strength of an individual work matters more than its title alone.
- Medium and support: distinguish oils, watercolours, gouaches and prints. Record whether a painting is on paper, board, panel or canvas when established.
- Condition: examine the painted surface, paper where applicable, mounting and frame. Keep reflections separate from observed condition issues.
- Documentation: retain invoices, gallery labels, titles, exhibition references and dated photographs. A handwritten title is useful evidence but is not automatically proof of who wrote it.
- Comparisons: compare works of similar medium, scale, subject, condition and provenance. Separate advertised asking prices from completed sales and auction hammer prices from totals including fees.
- Care: avoid direct sunlight, damp and large changes in temperature. Seek a qualified conservator’s advice before cleaning, removing varnish or changing an older mounting.
Choose a work that suits both your interests and the space where it will be enjoyed. Artist recognition can support a collecting decision, but does not guarantee resale value or future appreciation.
Browse more Herman Pekel paintings available from TMC Art.
View the illustrated Herman Pekel Balmain streetscape.