
Helene Love-Allotey
Head of Department
Sold for £200,250 inc. premium
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Provenance:
Presented to Mr George E. Webber of Rand Mines Ltd on his retirement from the company in 1911;
By descent to the current owner.
The Hammer Worker is one of Anton van Wouw's most sought after subjects. The work exists in two formats - a large cast (60cm high), of which the present lot is an excellent example, and a more diminutive version (13cm high). It has been suggested that the smaller cast was created due to the wide demand; an attempt by the artist to satisfy collectors who were unable to pay the premium for the full size bronze.
On close inspection, it is not difficult to see why the sculpture has aroused so much admiration over the years. It is a poignant tribute to the work ethic of the Africans working in the mines - a physical labour beset with dangers during this period. The man sits alone, hunched over in the cramped space, hammering away at the hard surface. One can also draw parallels between the miner's craft and that of the artist; both have the power to transform base materials into desirable objects through their work.
Mr George Edward Webber (1852-1922) served as General Manager of Rand Mines Ltd from 1896 to 1911.
Bibliography:
A.E. Duffey, Anton van Wouw: The Smaller Works, (Pretoria, 2008), p.89.