Siegfried and Olga Wagner

Siegfried Wagner was born 13.04.1874 in Hamburg and died 01.08.1952 in Lyngby. His parents were Water and Gas master Joseph Meyer Wagner and Julie Philipsen. He was adoped by his uncle, the grocer Julius Jacob Heine and Frederikke Wagner in 1892. He got the Danish nationality on 29.03.1901.

Olga Rosalie Aloica Wagner was born 24.05.1873 in Copenhagen and died 11.01.1963 in Lyngby. Her parents were Carl Henrik Laurits Liisberg Packness and Maria Amalie Martin. Both were educated and worked mostly as sculptors. They married 11.07.1899 in Copenhagen.

Siegfried Wagner's works reflect a great joy by trying out a wide variety of materials in a high craftsmanship. His production is exceptionally versatile, from small jewelry and exlibris to mighty building sculptures. Formally, he remained characterized by the turn of the century's decorative Art Nouveau. The motifs often tend to exotic, as in Chinese Fisherman to Tivoli and sometimes contain a baroque humor such as. The Truth Statue Truly I am being pressed hard by the suffering that I have set. His works have strong associations with eg ancient oriental or egyptian art, as in the karyatids of Hafnia and in his never realized draft decoration of Christiansborg Palace. The clientele was not wide, but was found especially among the Jewish congregation. is seen on the Mosaic western burial ground, and that some major works today are in Israel.

Olga Wagner was a trained painter, but acquired under the guidance of Siegfried Wagner the sculptor's skills. The couple worked broadly with sculptures and decorative works, either individually or side by side in their joint studio. Together they created, for example Freyr on the boar. Both works are imbued with such a related sense of versatile use of materials and form that it can be difficult to distinguish their works from one another. Their ideals were in common with the international Art Nouveau movement, for Wagners with clear parallels to her mother's homeland of Austria.

Siegfried Wagner was educated at the Technical School and at the Kunstakademie Copenhagen from December 1889 until January 1896. Some time in Vilhelm Blissens atelier, at J.F. Willumsen, Bing&Gröndahl from May 1898 until 1900. From then on in his own atelier.

Olga Wagner was educated by S. Chr. Jensen at the Kunstakademie Copenhagen. Model (Viggo Johansen), September 1893-Spring 1898 and student of Siegfried Wagner.

Siegfried Wagner travelled to Italy, Egypt and Paris in 1906. He spent the years 1944/45 as refugee in Sweden. Olga Wagner travelled to Munich in 1908 and 1911. Together they travelled to Prague, Vienna, Balkans (including Agram, Banjaluca, Sarajevo), Italy, Germany 1914; Mediterranean countries (including North Africa, Egypt, Palestine) 1919; North Africa, Egypt, Greece, Palestine 1932.

Siegfried Wagner was teacher for Drawing at the Art Industry for Women in Copenhagen 1898-1900. He was co-leader of Mogens Ballin´s tin manufactory in Copenhagen 1900-1902. He was the art leader of Tvermoes & Abrahamsens Chandelier facory in Copenhagen 1902-1905.

Main information source: Kunstindex Danmark & Weilbachs Kunstnerleksikon