The African Queen collection
The Sisters of Eight, African Queen paintings by Martin Osner
Eight portraits of African women, painted by Martin Osner as a family of sisters. Each sister has her own name, and each name carries a meaning. The series is also known as Tshazile, She Who Shines.
- Painted and soldSeven sisters
- Celebration printsAll seven, in two sizes
- Still to comeThe eighth sister
The story
How the Sisters of Eight began
The collection began with three identical sisters, Zinhle, Thandiwe and Ayanda. From there the family grew, one portrait at a time, to eight sisters, each with a character of her own.
Every sister carries a name from isiZulu or isiXhosa, chosen for its meaning. Zinhle means “they are beautiful”, Lindiwe “the one we have been waiting for”, and Inathi, one of the older sisters, “they are with us”.
The portraits are painted in acrylic and ink, some on canvas and some on metal, and they are among the original paintings visitors most often come to Osner Gallery to see.
The seven painted sisters
Meet the sisters, and what their names mean
All seven painted sisters now live with collectors. Their stories continue in the celebration prints, and in the last sister, still to come. Choose a sister to see her celebration print.
New, the seventh sister
“Redeemed, rescued, saved”Hlengiwe
The seventh of the eight sisters is finished. Martin Osner worked her with a palette knife on aluminium in the Hout Bay studio, and her home is now with a collector in Washington State, who chose her name.
It had to begin with an H. The sisters’ names spell Tshazile, she who shines, one letter each: Thandiwe, Sibahle, Hlengiwe, Ayanda, Zinhle, Inathi and Lindiwe. That leaves one letter, and one sister.
Paint on aluminium, palette knife, 86 × 65cm. Original sold.
The six sisters before her
Zinhle
Acrylic and ink on metal, 75 × 95cm. Original sold.
See the celebration print
Thandiwe
The shy, thoughtful sister. Acrylic and ink on canvas, 60 × 78cm. Original sold.
See the celebration print
Ayanda
Acrylic and ink on canvas, 92 × 74cm. Original sold.
See the celebration print
Lindiwe
Acrylic and ink on canvas, 92 × 74cm. Original sold.
See the celebration print
Sibahle
Acrylic and ink on canvas, 106 × 85cm. Original sold.
See the celebration print
Inathi
One of the older sisters. Acrylic and ink on metal, 85 × 106cm. Original sold.
See the celebration printThe eighth sister
One sister is left, and her name begins with E
Martin Osner will paint her for Resonance, the exhibition at Osner Gallery in Hout Bay that opens to the public on Saturday 28 November 2026, a celebration of all eight sisters. She will be painted either way, but she can only go to one home.
If you would like the last sister to be yours, put your name down now.
A portrait of your own
Commission a painting in the spirit of the sisters
Martin Osner paints a new work for you in the spirit of the sisters. Never a copy, and you can ask for changes, to size, colour or mood. It starts with a conversation, in the gallery in Hout Bay or on Zoom.
Celebration prints
Celebration prints of all seven sisters
When an original is sold, it stays part of the story. A celebration print lets you bring one of the sisters home, printed from the original on fine art paper and numbered, in two limited editions.
- 29.5 × 36cm, edition of 100$230
- 70 × 83.5cm, edition of 50$650
- Delivery, anywhere in the worldFree and insured
It carries the signature from the original, printed as part of the image, and is never signed again. Prints are sent unframed, rolled in a strong tube, and we can frame yours in our Hout Bay workshop.
Before you ask
Questions about the Sisters of Eight
Osner Gallery is at 14 Luisa Way, Hout Bay, twenty minutes from Cape Town. Open Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm and Saturday 10am to 4pm. Sunday by appointment, booked the day before. Plan your visit.
Can I buy an original Sisters of Eight painting?
All seven painted sisters are sold. The eighth, the last sister, is being painted for Resonance, which opens at Osner Gallery on 28 November 2026, and you can put your name down for her. Celebration prints of all seven come in two numbered sizes.
What is the Tshazile collection?
Tshazile, She Who Shines, is another name for the Sisters of Eight, Martin Osner’s family of eight African Queen portraits. Their names spell it, one letter each: Thandiwe, Sibahle, Hlengiwe, Ayanda, Zinhle, Inathi and Lindiwe, with the E still to come.
What are the paintings made with?
Acrylic and ink. Zinhle and Inathi are painted on metal, and Thandiwe, Ayanda, Lindiwe and Sibahle on canvas. Hlengiwe was worked with a palette knife on aluminium.
Is a celebration print signed?
No. A celebration print carries the signature from the original, printed as part of the image. It is never signed by hand, so it can always be told apart from the original.
Are Nobuhle and The Golden Girls part of the Sisters of Eight?
No. Nobuhle, The Golden Girls and Timeless Africa belong to Martin Osner’s wider African portrait work. See his original paintings.
Who is the seventh sister?
Hlengiwe, painted for a collector in Washington State, who chose her name. It means redeemed, rescued, saved, and she is a celebration print too.
Where can I buy a celebration print?
Online, in the Tshazile Collection at osnerartgallery.com, the Osner Gallery shop, or at the gallery in Hout Bay. Delivery is free and insured, anywhere in the world.