For the first time the 92-metre frieze of the Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria one of the
largest historical narratives in marble has been made the subject of a book. The pictorial
narrative of the Boer pioneers who conquered South Africa's interior during the 'Great Trek'
(1835-52) represents a crucial period of South Africa's past. Conceptualising the frieze both
reflected on and contributed to the country's socio-political debates in the 1930s and 1940s
when it was made. The book considers the active role the Monument played in the rise of
Afrikaner nationalism and the development of apartheid as well as its place in post-apartheid
heritage. The frieze is unique in that it provides rare evidence of the complex processes
followed in creating a major monument. Based on unpublished documents drawings and models
these processes are unfolded step by step from the earliest discussions of the purpose and
content of the frieze through all the stages of its design to its shipping to post-war Italy
to be copied into marble from Monte Altissimo up to its final installation in the Monument.
The book examines how visual representation transforms historical memory in what it chooses to
recount and the forms in which it is depicted. The second volume expands on the first by
investigating each of the twenty-seven scenes of the frieze in depth providing new insights
into not only the frieze but also South Africa's history. François van Schalkwyk of African
Minds co-publisher with De Gruyter writes: From Memory to Marble is an open access monograph
in the true sense of the word. Both volumes of the digital version of the book are available in
full and free of charge from the date of publication. This approach to publishing democratises
access to the latest scholarly publications across the globe. At the same time a book such as
From Memory to Marble with its unique and exquisite photographs of the frieze as well as its
wealth of reproduced archival materials demands reception of a more traditional kind that is
on the printed page. For this reason the book is likewise available in print as two separate
volumes. The printed and digital books should not be seen as separate incarnations each brings
its own advantages working together to extend the reach and utility of From Memory to Marble
to a range of interested readers. For more material you can browse at Stanford's database
Voortrekker Monumentality: a digital archive.
