Gabriel Cornelis de Jongh, the only son of the renowned artist Tinus, was faced with the challenge of establishing his reputation as an artist worthy of recognition in his own right.
Tinus taught him to observe and mentally record all the facets of the landscape with the clarity and precision of a camera. He instilled in him the principle that so characterises their work, that it is light, reflected light and cast shadow that create form and dimension. The father’s enthusiasm for nature was reflected in the son who avidly absorbed all these revelations and stored them for future use.
Gabriel spent a year studying watercolour techniques under his father’s supervision.
He attended, as a part-time student, the technical college for tuition in special techniques and the Michaelis School of Art where he studied woodcarving under H V Meyerowitz. Despite his crowded schedule, Gabriel spent every free moment in activity. Bearing in mind his father’s dictum that practical experience was the finest teacher, his lunch hours were spent sketching and painting small watercolours of such familiar city scenes as the Malay Quarter, Cape Town Docks and Table Mountain. Each evening he painted till midnight, depending upon Tinus for criticism of the completed works.
His works displayed at the Annual Exhibition of the Eastern Province Society of Artists in Port Elizabeth received mention in a local newspaper, “Son steals father’s thunder!” to Tinus’ astonishment and delight. Thereafter Gabriel exhibited regularly at the art societies of East London, Queenstown and Orange Free State; the Langton and Pieter Wenning Galleries; and the S.A. Academy exhibitions in Johannesburg. He also exhibited at the 1946 Eeufees Exhibition in Bloemfontein and the 1946 exhibition of the S.A. Society of Artists.