"Die Slag Van Bloedrivier" W.H.Coetzer

                Issued by The Voortrekker Museum, original print by W.H.Coetzer, 585 x 415mm, condition: very good.

              Willem Hermanus Coetzer-Timeline 

 1934- Coetzer becomes conscious of his Afrikaans heritage and resolved to portray the history and spirit of Afrikanerdom in his art. He therefore returned to Europe and spent nine months studying figure-drawing and painting. He began collecting Africana and conducting research into the history and life of the Voortrekker period; he visited people and places connected with this history; became an expert on costume and equipment of the period.
-1938 Willem Coetzer designed the Great Trek Commemorative Postage Stamps.
-1947 He published ‘My Kwas Vertel’ – a book of his sketches and designs relating to South African historical subjects.
-1948 Co Founder with WE Gladstone Solomon of Brush and Chisel Club; designed the marble friezes and tapestries for the National Voortrekker Monument, Pretoria.
-1965 Willem Coetzer was awarded a Special Gold Medal by the South African Akademie in recognition of his historical work.
-1969 Presented his complete oeuvre of 800 etchings to the City of Johannesburg. Long-time member of Africana Museum Advisory Committee. Paintings reproduced by E Schweikerdt (Pty) Ltd, Pretoria.