A Fine, Large "Vienna" Coldpainted Bronze Bull

Name: A Fine, Large "Vienna" Coldpainted Bronze Bull
Brand: Antique
SKU: SA1158052
Availability: SoldOut

1900 - 1920

Sold by Quiet Street Antiques of Bath

Description

FRANZ XAVIER BERGMANN: a very fine, large and rare Austrian “cold-painted” BRONZE BULL in superb original condition. Beautifully modelled; finely cast and retaining all of its fabulous original paintwork, this bull bears all the quality features of sculpture produced by this famous Vienna foundry ~ with great attention to realism and detail. This is heavy (over 2.7 kgs!); large: 28cms long and 15cms high (11ins x 6ins) and is in beautiful original condition. Thoroughly recommended.

** FRANZ XAVIER BERGMANN was born in 1861, the son of a metalworker and finisher (also Franz Bergmann) who moved to Vienna from Bohemia in 1860 to open a small foundry. Of the number of fashionable sculptors/foundries in the city, Bergmann soon became the most desirable and successful, specialising in animals, oriental figures and birds, amongst other subjects ~ known for their realism and great attention to detail.

The partnership perfected the art of “cold-painting” using a special recipe (now lost) applying multiple layers of “dust” paintwork after the model was cast. This process greatly contributed towards the realism of their figures, which is so self-evident to this day. His son inherited the company upon his father’s death and opened his own, much larger foundry in the city towards the very end of the century, perhaps 1900. Bergmann figures are highly prized, especially these larger and much rarer examples.

Physical Dimensions

Height

15cm (5.91")

Width

28cm (11.02")

Depth

10cm (3.94")

Declaration

Quiet Street Antiques of Bath has dated this piece to the 1900s.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA1158052

Dealers Internal Reference

5422/k

Dealers Notes

Shop Open: 10.00am - 6.00pm Monday-Saturday (Closed Sundays)

Description

“

FRANZ XAVIER BERGMANN was born in 1861, the son of a metalworker and finisher (also Franz Bergmann) who moved to Vienna from Bohemia in 1860 to open a small foundry.

Quiet Street Antiques of Bath

Of the number of fashionable sculptors/foundries in the city, Bergmann soon became the most desirable and successful, specialising in animals, oriental figures and birds, amongst other subjects ~ known for their realism and great attention to detail.

fig 1. A FINE, LARGE — fig 1. A Fine, Large "Vienna" Coldpainted Bronze Bull

The partnership perfected the art of “cold-painting” using a special recipe (now lost) applying multiple layers of “dust” paintwork after the model was cast. This process greatly contributed towards the realism of their figures, which is so self-evident to this day. His son inherited the company upon his father’s death and opened his own, much larger foundry in the city towards the very end of the century, perhaps 1900. Bergmann figures are highly prized, especially these larger and much rarer examples.