This cold-painted bronze statue of a pug in a shoe is made by renowned artist Franz Bergman. An adorable pug is depicted lounging in a leather boot. He gazes straight ahead with a comical look on his face and two little paws sticking out from the side of the boot. The statue opens up into a box by lifting the pug’s head to reveal a storage place for matches. The cold paint on the bronze is still in excellent condition. The boot has a beautiful, leathery patina and the dog is painted with charming detail. There is minimal wear to the paint on the dog’s paws that is lovely and highlights the antique nature of the statue.
The bottom of the boot is signed “BERGM” for Franz Bergman, the most famous of the Viennese cold-painted bronze artists. Bergman was the owner of a foundry and was prolific in producing bronze animal sculptures that were often whimsical and humorous. Cold paint technique was popular in Vienna at the turn of the century and involved casting bronzes to be painted with several layers of dust paint. The paint remained unfired and therefore unfixed to the bronze. These artworks are often delicate pieces, with visible layers of radiant colors that are "cold painted”. The technique is quite special, and today proves to be a lost art.
The statue measures 5 1/4”l x 4” h x 2 1/8” w.
