A LARGE PAIR OF HAGENAUER STYLE EBONISED BRONZE FEMALE FIGURES, LATE 20TH CENTURY

A LARGE PAIR OF HAGENAUER STYLE EBONISED BRONZE FEMALE FIGURES
LATE 20TH CENTURY
With slender women carrying brass urns on their heads, set on brass and bronze circular bases
Each approximately 168cm high, the bases 36cm diameter

These figures are probably depicting Ndebele woman who wear brass or copper rings around their neck, arms and legs as a symbol of their faithfulness and bond to their husbands. Hagenauer Werkstatten was founded by Carl Hagenauer an Austrian designer in 1898 and continued by his sons Franz and Karl Hagenauer from 1928 - 1986. The majority of their works were decorative metal ware and usually took on African themes, most popular of which were the Art Deco designs.