In the context of this artwork, explore the The search for inspiration of the History.
When Van Wouw began modeling the Voortrekker figures under fire, he did not know what they looked in full regalia, unlike the familiar Kruger himself and the two modern Boers he simply showed as he had seen them since arrival, namely with a beard, a bandolier, and a Martini–Henry gun. No photos and precious few descriptions survived of old Voortrekker gear, however, so Van Wouw wired Pretoria to send him a full Voortrekker kit, including a powder horn, bandolier, and flintlock. The government struggled to find clothes from the era at the Transvaal Museum but gathered what they needed from citizens of the Rustenburg district who still had pieces.
Another problem arose with the four bronze panels Van Wouw's model had separating the sentries on each side of the pedestal. Each panel was to show an event from Kruger's life, starting with his teenage shepherding beside his father during the Great Trek. Unable to find surviving photos or other information from this time, Van Wouw got permission to instead start with the signing of the 1881 peace accord ending the First Boer War at O'Neill's Cottage in Laing's Nek. At that event, then Vice-President Kruger set the conditions with the British representatives for their withdrawal after a resounding Boer victory at the Battle of Majuba Hill, including securing the independence of the Boers given up by Sir Theophilus Shepstone in 1877. The second bronze panel also posed problems, and Van Wouw considered scrapping it until the State Secretary of the South African Republic persuaded him to keep the scene of the 29-year-old commandant of Rustenburg leaping into the fray among enemy soldiers at the Battle of Makapansgat. Once again, however, no photograph or detailed description was at hand, prompting the Secretary to send an expedition (including an eyewitness of the battle and a photographer) to photograph relevant areas of the cave. The pictures and relevant captions were sent to Van Wouw in Rome with commentary from former commandant Hercules Malan of Rustenburg. A diptych of bronze panels were to depict events related to the First Boer War, since it was Kruger's resistance to annexation then that set the stage for his future statesmanship. One of them showed Kruger delivering the Paardekraal Covenant, an address delivered to thousands near what is now Krugersdorp proclaiming armed resistance on 8 December 1880; this panel was to accompany that depicting the Peace of Laing's Nek. Once again, visual evidence was lacking, with no photos available from the Paardekraal event and only a drawing from The Illustrated London News of the 1881 treaty signing at O'Neill's Cottage that Van Wouw considered a poor depiction of the moment. The Transvaal government once more helped by providing photos of people that would appear in the panels, Boer women in typical finery, and typical gatherings of Boers with ox-wagons such as communion masses. The fourth panel would depict Kruger's first swearing-in ceremony as President in 1883. This was the only panel not to vex Van Wouw, who was in Holland at the time but would later attend the President's third inauguration in Church Square in 1893.
The Illustrated London News Boer Rome Makapansgat Rustenburg communion Laing's Nek South African Republic Pretoria commandant drawing Great Trek South Africa Transvaal Museum Voortrekker beard Church Square bronze Theophilus Shepstone Martini–Henry First Boer War bandolier State Secretary of the South African Republic Battle of Majuba Hill powder horn Boers Krugersdorp flintlock