Anton van Wouw (South African, 1862-1945)


Laughing Basuto signed and dated 'A van Wouw/ Joh-burg 1936' (bottom edge of left shoulder); inscribed 'FOUNDRY G.MASSA ROME' (bottom right)bronze26 x 40 x 30.5cm (10 1/4 x 15 3/4 x 12in) (including base).
|This torso bust demonstrates van Wouw's real virtuosity as a sculptor. It depicts a cheerful African man in a moment of spontaneous laughter, his head thrown back and arms crossed. The modelling of the teeth and peppercorn hair is crisp and precise, as are the prominent veins on his right hand. The bust was originally cast in 1907. However, only a few of these early castings exist. Van Wouw reworked the sculpture in 1936 and had it cast in Italy. This particular piece was executed at the Massa foundry, widely recognized for their high quality castings and attention to detail.BibliographyA.E. Duffey, Anton van Wouw: the Smaller Works, (Pretoria, 2008), pp.73-74.