Creusot

A drawing titled Creusot by the Dutch / South African artist Frans David Oerder (1867-1944) was drawn on 3 December 1899. During the South African War (1899-1902) he was paid by the Transvaal Government to paint scenes from the war. He was captured early on and stayed in Pretoria where he painted the everyday life of the British in the capital. This is one of the drawings created by him during the war. The Creusot 155mm Long Tom was a French gun used by the Boers during the War. The government purchased four of these cannons which would later have an iconic status. In this pre sketch Oerder seems to draw the setup of the battlefield at Vaal Krantz near Ladysmith. Short Biography: Frans Oerder was born in Rotterdam in the Netherlands came to South Africa in 1890. He was mostly known for painting landscapes, still-life and portraits. After the South African War Oerder returned to The Netherlands in 1908 where he settled and married fellow painter Gerda Pitlo in 1910. In 1938 with a second war looming in Europe, Oerder returned to South Africa where he passed away in 1944.