**Originally Listed At $10000**

Europe, Vienna, Austria, the Austrian School, ca. late 19th to early 20th century CE. A bronze sculpture, "The Musician", with bright cold painted (not fired) decoration and multi-colored glass in its upper cupola, created by an unknown artist inspired by Orientalism. The sculpture depicts a woman playing a guitar, seated below an openwork window, with a Oriental rug trailing down the steps in front of her. Above her head is a tall cupola, painted green, with a bronze border that looks like dangling tassels, and with multi-colored translucent glass in its four clover-shaped windows. A crescent moon finial projects from the top of the cupola. Another extends on a pole above a trailing black flag from immediately below the cupola on one side. A long curtain, carefully sculpted to have lifelike folds and drapes, hangs from around the cupola, dangling to the floor on one side and contained by a round, shield-like boss just underneath the flag on the other side. Size: 5.75" W x 15" H (14.6 cm x 38.1 cm)

The musician herself is naturalistic and pretty, looking up at the viewer with her mouth slightly open as if singing; she wears fully-realized clothing with excellent details, from a v-neck shirt with dangling necklaces to a pair of pretty, flat-soled ballet shoes. She leans against a pillow and sits on a low, divan-like piece of furniture. The lower back of the piece is stamped with the Bergmann foundry seal and inscribed "GESCH". Inscribed on the bottom is "AUSTRIA".

Franz Xavier Bergmann (1861 - 1936) owned a Viennese foundry that produced patinated and cold-painted bronze sculptures, many on the "Oriental" theme. Bergmann's workshop employed many anonymous sculptors, one of whom would have created this whimsical depiction.

Link to the Christie's sale: http://www.christies.com/Lotfinder/lot_details.aspx?hdnSaleID=20327&LN=43&intsaleid=20327&sid=e949734a-7caa-4c4a-a1a4-3865440b7948

Provenance: private Gray collection, Charleston, South Carolina, USA, acquired at Christies, New York, USA, Lot 0043, October 25, 2006, price paid - $96,000 including premium

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#128531

Light brown patina to all surfaces from age and handling. Small area of wear on the bottom of the curtain near the base. Bronze border at top is slightly bent away from cupola. Otherwise in excellent condition.