Describe the characteristics of the Van Wouw and his design in this artwork's History.
The Dutchman Van Wouw came to the ZAR as a young man and settled in Pretoria, teaching drawing classes at the state gymnasium and a girls' school after a brief stint as a store clerk. An admirer of Kruger's like Marks, Van Wouw considered the President's tailcoat and top hat an inseparable part of him, something which critics would later lambaste Van Wouw for portraying. To them he replied: "Without them I would not recognize him! With the tailcoat and top hat, I would! "Van Wouw tried to portray the "everyday" Kruger: Kruger on his porch, with citizens at 6:00 in the morning seeking him out not necessarily to discuss politics but perhaps simply to seek advice on healing a sick cow or consolation on a recent loss. For Van Wouw, Kruger was the cornerstone of independence, and the monument should therefore reflect his "everyday" qualities.
His sketch model portrayed Kruger in formal state attire, standing quietly on the pedestal, in what Van Wouw considered a paternal attitude. Two of the four Boers portrayed below his statue were from the Voortrekker time and two were from Van Wouw's epoch, and each surveyed to one of the four cardinal directions. They were meant not to be trained soldiers but typical citizen militias: sedentary but watchful, surrounding Van Wouw's central figure and symbol of Kruger's position as father in the heart of his people and of the Republic's freedom. Marks and members of the Volksraad and Executive Council of the Republic came to view the sketch, which was approved.
On 7 October 1896, more than thirteen months after Marks' initial donation, he and Kruger agreed to have Van Wouw leave for Europe to supervise the work in France and Italy. He remained abroad until 1 April 1898, when he returned to Pretoria. In the meantime, he worked on the monument for £40 a month on a two-year deadline (along with reimbursement for forging and casting expenses). His family was also granted free travel to and from Europe, including work sites there. By December 1896, he was in Europe, first discussing his proposals with the Envoy of the Republic and experts on modeling and casting in the Netherlands. The Envoy, J. G. T. Beelaerts van Blokland, worried that the top hat would cast a shadow over Kruger's face and hide his features, to which Van Wouw held firm, explaining that it would be unthinkable for a Transvaal Boer such as Kruger to stand hat-less under the African sun. The Envoy's only contribution to the final work was a Bible quote on one side of the pedestal, namely Psalm 91:15-16:He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.
According to the Envoy, Kruger was partial to the verses, but Kruger was unhappy with praise to him given his belief that such should only go to God, therefore asking to substitute Psalm 105:4-5:Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced.
Due to the circumstances under which the monument was raised, this wish went unfulfilled and no text appeared on the pedestal.
Psalm 91 France Boer gymnasium Pretoria drawing Italy Voortrekker Psalm 105 tailcoat J. G. T. Beelaerts van Blokland top hat Dutchman Boers Netherlands