Magersfontein

A drawing titled Magersfontein by the Dutch / South African artist Frans David Oerder (1867-1944) was drawn on somewhere at the beginning of 1900. During the South African War (1899-1902) Oerder 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. On 11 December 1899 the Battle of Magersfontein were fought near Kimberley in South Africa. After the British defeat they retreated and the Boer forces held their positions for two months. The Boers most important strategic advantage during the battle was the trenches they dug in front of the Magersfontein hills as they knew the British would shell them. The drawing is one of those trenches. 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.