Two Orientalist terracotta busts, attributed Goldscheider

The pair of terracotta busts depict a Nubian man and woman, who are dressed in colourful clothing, set on square plinths. The woman wears a full-bodied red dress and necklace, and the man a red and cream striped shawl. The man is bearded and his hair tied up on top of his head, while the woman wears her hair down and partially covered by a cream headdress. Both figures lower their eyes to the ground, away from the viewer.

Crafted from terracotta, these busts have been skilfully modelled and hand-painted, so that they appear very realistic. The craftsman has been able to accurately render the different textures of smooth skin, curly hair and beard, and the soft, heavy folds of drapery. These sculptures are technically superb.

The busts were most likely crafted by the Goldscheider Manufactory and Majolica Factory in Austria, which was one of the most well-known ceramic manufacturers in Europe in the late 19th and early 20th Century. The pair are similar to another terracotta Nubian couple, created by the famous Austrian sculptor, Arthur Strasser.
Each bust takes the following dimensions:

Female bust: Height 58cm, width 37cm, depth 30cm
Male bust: Height 57cm, width 43cm, depth 23cm