Born 1919 Pittem, Belgium.

Died 2006, Bloemfontein, South Africa

Resided in South Africa from 1946.

A self-taught painter in oil of landscapes and figures, also works in pastel, ink, pencil and charcoal. A grapihic artist producing monotypes and linocuts. Several murals and sculptures. Began painting in 1957, mainly scenes around the missions stations in the Orange Free State, where he was a catholic priest. An expressionistic painter with works characterised by warm colours, impasto and elongated human forms. Painted a large number of religious scenes and a number of series of pictures, including in 1983 the “Suncatcher” series and in 1984 “Christ and Other Persons”.

Profile: 1958 – 68 a founder member of the Bloemfontein Group. 1969 build the church of Thabo ya Kreste, Thaba ‘Nchu, with the help of the sculptors Gerard de Leeuw (qv), Jef Claerhout (nephew) and the artist Michael Edwards (qv) and Jacob Tladi. 1948 – 60 lived in the Bloemfontein area; 1960 – 77 at Thaba ‘Nchu and from 1977 in Tweespruit, Orange Free State. The Municipal Art Museum in Tweespruit, opened in 1982, was named after Frans Claerhout, Iris Ampenberger (qv) and Stefan Ampenberger (qv).

Exhibitions: He has participated in group exhibitions from 1957 in SA and annually with the Orange Free State Arts Society; 1960 and 1964 Quadrennial Exhibitions; 1961 Johannesburg, forst of numerous solo exhibitions held throughout SA and in Belgium, Canada, the USA and Germany; 1965 Kimberley, Kroonstad and Thaba ‘Nchu with Iris Ampenberger (qv) and Stefan Ampenberger (qv); from 1968 regular exhibitions in Belgium; 1980 Emelgem, Belgium, “De Familie Claerhout”, an exhibition of six members of the Claerhout family; 1981 Republic Festival Exhibition.

Award: 1979 Flemish Order of t’Manneke Uit de Mane.

Represented: The Belgian Government; Hester Rupert Art Museum, Graff-Reinet; Johannesburg Art Gallery; National Museum, Bloemfontein; Potchefstroom University for CHE; Pretoria Art Museum, Rand Afrikaans University; SA National Gallery, Cape Town; University of Natal; University of the Orange Free State; University of the Witwatersrand; William Annandale Art Gallery, Lichtenburg; William Humphreys Art Gallery, Kimberley.

Public Commissions: Murals in mission churches throughout SA, including in Bloemfontein, Edenburg, Potchefstroom, Schweizer-Reneke, Thaba ‘Nchu and Witsieshoek.

Publications by Claerhout: Kromdraai, 1982, Errol Marks, Pretoria; Sketse en gedagtes vir die simfonie van die Sonnevanger, a booklet available from the Roman Catholic Mission Station, Tweespruit.

References: F P Scott, L Roppe, P Rock, K Jonckheere, Frans Claerhout, 1975, Vriende Frans Claerhout Hasselt Belgie, Drukkerij-Uitgeverij Lannoo, Belgium; Leon Strydom, Frans Claerhout-Catcher of the Sun, 1983, Tafelberg, Cape Town; Art SA; SAA; 20C SA Art; SAP&D; BSAK 1 & 2; SA Art; 3C`s; AASA; LSAA; Artlook August 1968, August 1969 & June 1975; SA Panorama June 1981 & June 1983; Frans Claerhout, 1978, Pretoria Art Museum Catalogue.