Krige undertook long sketching expeditions around southern Africa. To this end, Sylvia bought a VW Combi and had it fitted out with a bed, stove and refrigerator. They made an annual pilgrimage to see the spring flowers in Namaqualand while longer expeditions often took them to Namibia. The Kriges camped in dry river beds and slept under the stars. Each morning, François would venture into the desert on foot to sketch. He relished the breadth of the horizons and the emptiness, the silence and loneliness. The artist had to find ways to render the vastness of these vistas and the glaring light with its varied effects on shapes and colours at different times of the day. This watercolour is the most traditional landscape in the collection and exhibits a striking austerity and minimalism. – Justin Fox, 2013