Gerdus Brönn, Dodo in the Classroom

reproduction, plate, 17 cm × 12 cm;
Signed on plate p.d.: BRÖNN;
framed, size with frame: 31 cm × 26 cm

The Dodo bird is the official symbol of Mauritius, even though it became extinct in the 17th century.
The Dodo appears in the official coat of arms of Mauritius (it supports the shield of the coat of arms on the left side).
Its image is placed on Mauritian rupees as a watermark or graphic element.
The silhouette of the dodo adorns the pages of official government documents and passports of residents.


Gerdus Brönn is a contemporary South African painter, former mineralogist and ceramist who now lives and works in Mauritius.
His life and career combine two fascinating worlds: earth science and visual arts.

He graduated from the Pretoria School of Art, Music and Ballet in South Africa.
At the beginning of his creative path, he was very successful as a ceramist, running a popular pottery studio, but his greatest passion eventually became painting.
Brönn is extremely versatile. He specializes in watercolors, oil painting and the rare and difficult technique of encaustic (which involves using paint in a beeswax binder that is applied with heat).

In his works, he focuses on pure forms, light and space.
His watercolors are known for their extreme lightness, precise capture of human silhouettes and the play of shadows and water reflections - he often portrays local landscapes and cultural scenes (such as ceremonies and festivals in Mauritius).