A charming dog sculpture, made in the cold paint technique that was popular in Vienna at the turn of the century. This distinguished guard dog appears to be a Shepard mix; he stands alert and ready to protect. The face on this sculpture is animated, suggesting he was modeled after a real dog—perhaps the sculptor’s pet. The details are lifelike, and age-appropriate wear to the sculpture’s paint create a great patina.
The cold-painted technique is quite special, and today proves to be a lost art. It was mastered by artists such as Franz Bergman, casting bronzes to be painted with several layers of dust paint. The paint remained unfired and therefore unfixed to the bronze. These art-works are often delicate pieces, with visible layers of radiant colors that are "cold painted".
The bronze sculpture is 2 3/4” x 1” x 3 1/4”.
