Pierneef het op 16 Mei 1924 met Mariane Francis Schoep (May) by die Hotel Agnes naby die Hartbeespoortdam kennis gemaak. Dit was kort na sy besoek aan Namibië (toe Suidwes-Afrika) en hy het finansieel nog gesukkel. Deels weens sy geldtekort het hy ‘n opdrag van mnr. Johan Schoeman, ‘n eiendomsontwikkelaar wat grond by Hartbeespoortdam besit het, aanvaar. Schoeman wou hê Pierneef moes die omliggende landskap skilder, met die hoop dat die skilderye as advertensiemateriaal sou help om die grond te verkoop.

Pierneef was tot May, as geesgenoot, aangetrokke en het haar en ‘n vriendin gevra om hom in Augustus op sy terugtog na Namibië te vergesel. Kort daarna, op 18 November 1924, is Pierneef en May getroud.

Die skildery Blou Magalies (1924) verbeeld ‘n deel van die Magaliesberg agter die Hotel Agnes. Pierneef het hierdie berg in verskeie werke uitgebeeld, maar hierdie skildery was spesiaal vir May bedoel — ‘n verlowingsgeskenk weens die gebrek aan geld om ‘n verloofring te koop. Gedurende hul wittebrood, in Junie 1925, het Pierneef en May na Europa vertrek. Dit was nie bloot ‘n reis om te ontspan en geniet nie; Pierneef wou ‘n aantal tekeninge en linosneë in Europa gaan vertoon en verkoop.

‘n Jaar nadat die pasgetroudes van Europa teruggekeer het, op 4 April 1927, is hul eerste en enigste kind, Marita Jennifer, gebore. In later jare sou May noem dat hul dogter se geboorte die wonderlikste gebeurtenis in Pierneef se lewe was. Sy liefde vir Miekie, soos hy haar genoem het, het duidelik geblyk uit sy optrede. Hy het byvoorbeeld miniatuurskilderye van Karoo-landskappe vir Marita se pophuis gemaak.

May en Marita het Pierneef op verskeie skilder-uitstappies in die buitelug vergesel en af en toe het May ook geteken en geskilder. May se kunstalent het veral in die dertigerjare na vore gekom toe die Pierneef-gesin in Londen gevestig was terwyl Pierneef die Suid-Afrika Huis-opdrag voltooi het. May het haar tyd benut deur die weefkuns te bemeester en het ‘n weeftoestel gekoop wat met hul terugkeer na Suid-Afrika saamgebring is. Sy het weefwerk gedoen wat saam met Pierneef se San-rotskuns uitgestal is. Hierdie items is by die jaarlikse groepuitstalling van die OFS Society of Arts and Crafts wat in 1936 in Boemfontein gehou is, vertoon.

Pierneef met Mariane Francis Schoep (May) at the Agnes Hotel near Hartbeespoort Dam, on 16 May 1924. This was shortly after Pierneef’s first visit to Namibia (then South West Africa) and he was still struggling financially. Partly due to his shortage of funds, he accepted a commission from Mr Johan Schoeman, a land developer, who owned property at Hartbeespoort Dam. Schoeman wanted Pierneef to paint the surrounding scenery, hoping that the paintings would serve as advertising material to assist in selling the land.

Pierneef was attracted to May, as a like-minded person, and asked her and a friend, Miss Hoogenwerf, to accompany him on his return trip to Namibia in August. Soon afterwards, on 18 November 1924, Pierneef and May got married.

The painting Blou Magalies (1924) depicts part of the Magaliesberg behind the Agnes Hotel. Pierneef portrayed these mountains in various works, but this painting was especially for May — an engagement gift, due to the lack of funds to buy an engagement ring. During their honeymoon, in June 1925, Pierneef and May departed for Europe. This was not just a trip to relax and enjoy travelling, but Pierneef had a volume of drawings and linocuts that he wanted to show and sell in Europe.

A year after the newlyweds had returned from their trip to Europe, on 4 April 1927, the couple’s first and only child, Marita Jennifer, was born. In later years, May mentioned that the birth of their daughter was the most marvellous event in Pierneef’s life. His love for Miekie, as he called her, was evident in several of his actions, such as rendering miniature paintings of Karoo landscapes for Marita’s doll’s house.

May and Marita accompanied Pierneef on various painting excursions in the outdoors and, on occasion, May drew and painted as well. May’s artistic talent showed specifically during the 1930s, when the Pierneef family was based in London while Pierneef completed the South Africa House commission. May used her time to master the craft of weaving and bought a loom that was brought to South Africa on their return. She made weavings to accompany Pierneef’s San rock art designs. These items were exhibited at the annual group exhibition of the OFS Society of Arts and Crafts held in Bloemfontein during 1936.

Versamelings / Collections

Plakkate van die Hartbeespoortdam-opdrag / Posters of the Hartbeespoort Dam commission: DITSONG Museums van Suid-Afrika / of South Africa.