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Henry Dyer

Considered to be one of the pioneers behind the process of manufacturing diamond, Dr Henry Dyer was a member of the scientific team who made the first industrial diamond in South Africa 1959. He went on to become the CEO and founder of de Beers Industrial Diamond Division (DEBID) and remained in service at DEBID for more than 40 years. 

• Year: 1980
• Category: People
• Size: 120cm x 80cm
• Medium: Oil
• Artist: Marlene Dickerson

This portrait was completed by Marlene Dickerson on request from De Beers Industrial Diamond Division (DEBID) by the then board of De Beers to celebrate their Managing Director Dr HB Dyer. The portrait was commissioned from Marlene, who at the time was the Personal Assistant to HB Dyer,  in acknowledgement of her incredible talent as an artist.

A newspaper article was published at the time (see below) after the work was completed. The painting hung in the boardroom at DEBID headquarters (rebranded as Element Six in 2002) for many years but it is unknown where this paint is at present.