Background
Gerdes was born in Amsterdam and became a pupil of Frans Deutmann. In 1911 he married Adèle, the daughter of the then minister of internal affairs, Theo Heemskerk.
Gerdes was born in Amsterdam and became a pupil of Frans Deutmann. In 1911 he married Adèle, the daughter of the then minister of internal affairs, Theo Heemskerk.
He is known for copies of old masters, portraits, still lifes and landscapes. In 1941 he was selected by Tobie Goedewaagen to be the director of the Gilde voor Bouwkunst, Beeldende Kunsten en Kunstambacht, the part of the Dutch Kultuurkamer that concerned the visual arts The Kultuurkamer was opened in The Hague in 1942 as the local subdivision of the governmental agency Reichskulturkammer and only artists who were members were allowed to sell their art
lieutenant was closed to Jews and many artists refused membership, though not so much out of solidarity with their Jewish colleagues, but out of a firm belief that art had no place in the political arena and could not be judged by government employees.
Gerdes died in The Hague soon after the war ended in the hospital while being treated for blood poisoning.
In 1930 he divorced and in 1933 he became a member of the NSB (the National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands).
Arti et Amicitiae; Saint Luke Artists]
In 1905 he became a member of Arti et Amicitiae.