Object Description
This striking monumental bronze tiger was produced in Vienna around the turn of the twentieth century in the popular cold-painted bronze technique. Whereas most examples of this theme are miniatures around 15cm in length, this colossal example at 115cm is well over a meter in length, making it a rare and possibly unique example of one of Franz Bergman’s most recognisable and sought-after animal sculptural motifs. Bergman’s work can generally be divided between Oriental, erotic, and animalia, with his animal sculptures generally playful and whimsical. This work therefore constitutes a rare departure: a sculpture purely intended to depict the power, presence, and majesty of an adult Royal Bengal tiger.
The tiger piece is stamped for Bergman and ‘Geschutzt / Austria / 3353’, with the familiar ‘B’ within a two-handled vase signature.