Bust of African woman Werkstatte Hagenauer ca. 1935
Bust of an African woman with creole earring, Werkstatte Hagenauer Vienna, ca. 1935, brass cast and patinated, marked
marked “HAGENAUER/WIEN”, “MADE IN/AUSTRIA”, “Handmade”, “wHw” in the circle
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Description
The bust is a fine example of the African-themed sculptures by Werkstatte Hagenauer in the 1930s, and its motif showing the influence of the Paris Colonial Exhibition 1931 on European fine art and crafts.
Lost in her thoughts, the woman looks over her shoulder turning her head sideways, thus allowing a glimpse on her beauty. The bust is patinated, perfectly suited to depict the dark complexion. Only the creoles earring and the decorative band on her forehead are highlighted in shiny gold.
The exotic features and excellently crafted details of this sculpture allow us to understand why Werkstatte Hagenauer was very successful with its African figures until the 1950s.
Execution
Werkstätte Hagenauer – stylistic evolution and importance
Today, the Werkstatte Hagenauer is rightfully among the most important Austrian Arts & Crafts manufacturers of the 20th century. The clear, strict formal language combined with dynamic poses and the usage of brass, nickel-plated, patinated or bare, along with copper, alpaca and exotic wood shows a high level of recognition.
However, it took the siblings Karl and Franz Hagenauer quite some time until they developed their own unique style. Karl and Franz both attended the Vienna School of Arts & Crafts and studied under Josef Hoffmann, Oskar Strnad, Anton Hanak and Dagobert Peche.
Until the closure of the Werkstatte Hagenauer on December 30, 1987, art objects of outstanding quality were still being produced. The siblings Karl and Franz Hagenauer strongly contributed in coining the term „design“ through their legacy and are surely among the most influential Austrian artists of the 20th century.
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