Dancer with mirror Karl Hagenauer ca. 1928

Mirrors by Werkstätte Hagenauer are among the most charming items of the Viennese manufactory. In addition to wall and hand mirrors, one can find various types of table mirrors, ranging from small standing mirrors to large vanity mirrors for ladies. Karl Hagenauer designed this enchanting table mirror with a nude at the end of the 1920s, in the early years of Werkstätte Hagenauer. Gracefully, on her tiptoe and with a bent knee, the female dancer juggles the mirror between with raised hands. Her elongated limbs and charming details like the braided hair add to her graceful elegance. The long, slender body is supported solely by her delicate foot. With this sculpture Karl Hagenauer brilliantly mastered a balance between minimalist physical features and expressive poses. The figurine’s design was likely inspired by the showgirls of the great Parisian Varietés theaters, who captivated all of Europe in the 1920s.