Strauss & co - 8 - 11 November 2020

99 T O P L A C E A B I D C L I C K O N T H E R E D L O T N U M B E R ‘Legae’s late goat sculptures have a faint science fictional quality about them. Their elegant, simplified and flattened forms are produced by the delicate antennae-like quality of their horns and the fragile phallic protuberances. The works have a humour and lightness of touch that sets them quite apart from the severity of his earlier work, and perhaps suggest something of a recovery of a less grim view of the world. Years previously he had spoken about his loving affection for goats in a conversation recorded by Lola Watter: ‘The goat fascinated me. Man, it was so comical and contrary that I felt its actions had to be deliberate. I even identified with it … I think goats are very funny and humour is something I like to put into my work. I like to draw them as stupid and wise and, well … quaint.’ 1 There is tenderness in his observation of the animal, a quiet respect which suggests perhaps that – even if it were just for a while – Legae had regained a kind of peace with the world about him.’ 2 1.  Dina Katz (1974) ‘Ezrom Legae: A man of two worlds’, in Lantern, September, page 59. 2.  Karel Nel and Elizabeth Burroughs (2018) ‘Ezrom Legae: Political Edge’, in Elizabeth Burroughs and Karel Nel, Re/discovery and Memory: The Works of Kumalo, Legae, Nitegeka and Villa , Cape Town: Norval Foundation, pages 191 and 192. 863 Ezrom Legae SOUTH AFRICAN 1938–1999 African Goat; She Goat, two 1990 each signed, African Goat numbered 1/7; She Goat numbered 4/7 bronze with a brown patina African Goat , height: 66,5 cm; She Goat , height: 57,5 cm R2 500 000 – 3 000 000 LITERATURE James Webb and Josh Ginsburg (2016) Off the Wall: An 80th Birthday Celebration with Linda Givon , Johannesburg: Wits Art Museum, exhibition catalogue. Another cast from the edition of African Goat illustrated on page 18. Elizabeth Burroughs and Karel Nel (2018) Re/discovery and Memory: The Works of Kumalo. Legae, Nitegeka and Villa , Cape Town: Norval Foundation. Another cast from the edition of African Goat illustrated on page 192 as figure 38. Each cast by the Vignali Foundry, Pretoria. Number 3 from the edition of African Goat is in the Iziko South African National Gallery Collection, Cape Town. Thanks to Dr Gavin Watkins for his assistance in cataloguing this lot.