Title: Miner with machine drill
Medium: Bronze Sculpture
Unframed: 34.1cm x 47cm x 74cm
The sculpture, Miner with Machine Drill, by van Wouw appeared in the Star Newspaper and Huisgenoot in 1926. This iconic sculpture was cast at Prowaseck & Stöxen in Leiden and is one of the tree castings done in this Netherlands foundry. Two other castings of this piece were made at Massa in Rome. The Huisgenoot article mentioned that the sculpture was commissioned as a gift to Sir Evellyn Wallers for his retirement as the Chair of the Chambers of Mines. After it was casted, the sculpture was sent to him in England. This seminal sculpture was also exhibited at the Empire Exhibition of 1936.
For the commission Van Wouw visited the Ferreira Deep Mine to observe the miners slaving away underground. He selected the man that became the subject of the sculpture. He posed for Van Wouw at his studio in Pretoria until the sculpture was completed.
The information was provided by Sjanet Oliphant Melcher from Globe Gallery Consultants.
