Oriental character; Modeled after FRANZ BERGMANN (Austria, 1838-1894); Vienna, c. 1900.

Oriental character; Following models of FRANZ BERGMANN (Austria, 1838-1894); Vienna, c. 1900.
Gilded and cold enameled bronze.
Measurements: 30 x 22 x 15,5 cm.
The figure represents an oriental musician seated cross-legged on a decorated cushion, while playing a stringed instrument similar to a lute. His clothing is treated with great attention to detail, combining the brightness of the gilding with enamels of vivid tones that enrich the surface. This chromatic contrast, together with the precision in the folds and facial features, is evidence of an interest in creating an exotic image.Bergman's Orientalist sculptures were highly sought after. He was producing these figures at a time when interest in the exotic lands of the Near East and North Africa was at its height among European artists and buyers.
Bergman's bronzes are especially famous for having used a technique of decorating the bronzes called cold painting. Cold painting as a technique was developed in Vienna in the late 19th century, and involved the application of several layers of paint that were added to the bronze after firing. It was used to make fashionable collector's items. Bergman's figures had three main forms: animal figures, orientalist sculptures and Art Nouveau erotic figures. His animal figures tended to be whimsical and humorous, and often satirical. Today they have become highly sought-after collector's items.