Herman’s work chronicles a lost way of life which has shaped a sense of local distinctiveness whether he worked in Wales or the rest of the UK and in Europe. Between 2004 and 2007 Josef Herman’s widow, Nini Herman gifted the Foundation of 194 original artworks. This gift comprises mainly ink drawings and lithographs, and included mostly later work. Since 2007, the Foundation has been gifted more work, including paintings from New Zealand and Israel.
Herman studied working people as the subjects of his art, including grape pickers, fishermen and, most notably, coal miners. His work depicts miners, foundry workers, fishermen and agricultural workers and illustrates a way of life for working people that no longer exists. It also serves as a useful reference, especially for young people living in the Upper Swansea valley that depicts a landscape that has substantially changed.
The Archive
An archive of Josef Herman's work is available to view at the Miner's Welfare Hall in Ystradgynlais. Below and on this website, we will be presenting an "exhibition" of Herman's work from our archive, presenting some selected images. We will update the “exhibition” regularly to keep it fresh and engaging.
Josef Herman. Ink on paper. N.d. Black and white Sketch. A view of a field with a tree on right with the sun above left. Gifted by Nini Herman.
| Herman N.d. Ink on paper. |
Josef Herman. Ink on paper. N.d. Black and white sketch. Street view in perspective with a church spire in the middle. Gifted by Nini Herman.
| Herman N.d. Ink on paper. |
Josef Herman. Ink and pen on paper. N.d. Black and white sketch. Cow mooing facing right. Gifted by Nini Herman.
| Herman N.d. Ink and pen on paper. |
Josef Herman. Ink, pen and chalk on paper. N.d Colour. A donkey facing left. Gifted by Nini Herman.
| Herman N.d. Ink, pen and chalk on paper. |
Josef Herman. Ink and pencil on paper. N.d. Black and white sketch. Three figures dancing in the air together. Gifted by Nini Herman.
| Herman N.d. Ink and pencil on paper. |
Josef Herman. Ink, chalk and pencil on paper. N.d. Colour sketch. Two figures dancing in the air together. Gifted by Nini Herman
| Herman N.d. Ink, chalk and pencil on paper. |
Josef Herman. Ink, chalk and pencil on paper. N.d. Colour sketch. Ballet dancer sat on floor with arms above her head. Gifted by Nini Herman.
| Herman N.d. Ink, chalk and pencil on paper. |
While working with the Tate in 2013-15, we were able to explore their extensive Josef Herman archive and at the end of the project, the Tate gifted the Foundation with 20 reproductions of Herman’s work depicted drawings undertaken in Ystradgynlais. This fills a gap in our collection and features mostly miners and local street scenes of the 1940’s and 1950’s.