Trumpeter Franz Hagenauer ca. 1978

From the late 1960s onward, Franz Hagenauer developed a new and remarkably modern approach to figural representation. Whereas his earlier sculptures were predominantly conceived in the round, he now introduced an almost two-dimensional formal language, based on a flat, nickel-plated brass sheet serving as the primary structure. Onto this surface, tubes and various metal elements are soldered or screwed. The result is a series of reduced yet highly expressive figures that define this important phase of his oeuvre. The life-size Trumpeter belongs to this group of innovative works.
The Trumpeter is depicted wearing a jacket and bow tie. Despite the deliberately planar construction, several projecting elements—such as the bow tie and lapels—as well as the outstretched arms and the fully modeled trumpet lend the figure a vivid, sculptural presence. Finely executed, chased details and applied buttons add further refinement and a subtle touch of humor.
A contemporary photograph of this model is preserved in the archive of the Wiener Werkstätte at the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK), Vienna, inventory number HAF 854.