Amanda Coetzer 1998 original 30x40 tennis painting by Barbara Mittelmann

Spectacular 30 by 40 inch original oil on canvas 1998 painting of former WTA Tour tennis superstar Amanda Coetzer by acclaimed American sports artist Barbara Mittlemann, who signed the painting with her last name in the bottom right corner. Coetzer was the first and remains the only South African woman to reach a Grand Slam Semifinal and she did it three times. She also reached one Grand Slam Final in doubles along with two semifinals. She was ranked as high as #3 in the world, and from 1992 through 2003 finished every year ranked in the top 25. She is by far the most accomplished female tennis player ever from not just South Africa but the entire continent of Africa. Since 1979, Barbara Mittelmann has been one of an elite group of artists selected nationwide to paint or sculpt portraits of inductees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. About 30 of her works are on display and in the permanent archives of the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Barbara has been commissioned to paint program covers for a variety of events surrounding the Super Bowl, the World Series and several pro golf tournaments. Derby magazine Used her work on their cover and when base-stealing star Lou Brock retired from baseball, she was commissioned to paint his portrait. Other major commissions have included the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, the Indianapolis 500, and the Automotive Art Invitational Show in Las Vegas. Many of Barbara’s original artworks hang in sports arenas around the country, including a piece at Madison Square Gardens, a 40-foot mural at the San Diego Ice Arena, and a wide collection of work at the Caliente Race Track in Tijuana, Mexico, where her series on horses and jockeys is on display. Her exquisite lithographic portrait of all-time champion jockey Willie Shoemaker has been purchased at the Del Mar Racetrack and the Kentucky Derby by horse-racing fans from throughout the United States. The Miami Project, headed by Nick Buoniconti, chose Barbara as the artist to produce portraits of eleven famous sports figures to be presented at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York. Her works included Frank Gifford, Edwin Moses, Mike Ditka, and Florence Joiner. Portraits of Y.a. Tittle and Charlie Joiner were privately commissioned. Most recently she was invited to complete a Collector’s Series of portraits for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This is obviously a unique work of art that beautifully and perfectly captures not only Coetzer the player, but the sport of tennis itself. NOTE: the plain gold color aluminum frame has some minor scratches but the painting itself is in perfect condition and could easily be reframed.