Art Nouveau Animal Sculptures

Hugo Franz Kirsch (1873-1961 in Vienna) was one Austrian Pettler and ceramist of the Wiener Werkstätte. After training at the Teplitz technical school and the Munich arts and crafts school, he studied at the Viennese arts and crafts...

A beautiful porcelain figure of a Parrot by Karl Ens, Volkstedt, Germany. Early 20th century Karl Ens was a renowned German potter known for his exquisite porcelain creations. Ens ...

This is an excellent piece from the Karl Ens Porcelain Manufactury in Volkstedt, Germany, early 20th century. Realistic figure of Ibex. H 25,5 cm (10 inches) No chips, any repairs...

Classic early 1900s Vienna bronze figurine. This bronze is probably something you need if you’re a Vienna bronze or dachshund item collector. Found at an estate sale in Klagenfurt, A...

Classic 1920s Art Deco Winners Lantern lighter on Marble Pedestal Ashtray. This exquisite German Art Deco ashtray is a testament to the opulence and c...

Majolica pink butterfly wall pocket signed Fives Lille, circa 1900.

Antique statuette, sculpture of a pheasant, gold-plated bronze, the colored parts are hand-painted, circa 1880, France, not marked. Very high-quality and detailed manufacture, very...

Majolica white & pink swan jardiniere, circa 1900.

Architectural Italian Murano art glass door pull, circa 1960s, azure glass handle, brass hardware. Nice addition to your front door. Found at an estat...

Large Majolica pink butterfly wall pocket signed Fives Lille, circa 1900.

Four Panel Tropical Underwater Scene with Mother of Pearl Inlays on Wood Panel Elaborate four panel scene by an unknown artist. Water, coral, and some tropical fish have been painte...

"shipping note: If your region or country is not listed under the shipping options please contact us directly" A set of two charming peacock bird sculptures made from a base metal w...

Vintage antique crystal tabletop gas and electric lighter. In great condition. This exquisite Lighter is a testament to the opulence and craftsmanship of the mid 20th century. The b...

Classic early 1910s Vienna bronze figurines with glass flower vases. Thiscold painted bronze on a wooden stand is probably something you need if you’re a Vienna bronze collector. Fou...

Stylized Art Nouveau eosin green porcelain fox sculpture by Zsolnay of Hungary, circa 1940s. Gorgeous piece with an iridescent finish that is in very g...

Bronze sculpture of a fighting rooster with 2 wooden and bronze bases from the 1970s

Pair of antique Italian rooster sculptures, hand-made in Italy in the early 20th century, in the Art Nouveau period, inspired to the Animalier style, ...

Majolica white swan jardinière Nimy, circa 1900. Stamped: Nimy Faiences imperiale 1789-1951 Belgium. A real treasure for the ceramics' collector. ...

Beautiful rare antique statue, Art Nouveau figure of a bulldog or pug with a basket in its mouth with young puppies, numbered 3959 on the back, early 20th century. Made of glazed po...

Majolica white swan jardiniere signed Jerome Massier Fils Vallauris, circa 1910.

A stunning French Rambervilliers art pottery figure of a dog by renowned artist Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Cytère and dating from the early 20th century. Alphonse Cytère was a renowned...

Aqua Turquoise Majolica Turtle Clement Massier, circa 1890.

Austrian Cold-painted Bronze Figure of a Red Squirrel Made in Austria Austrian Cold-painted Bronze Figure of a Red Squirrel, late 19th/early 20th century, the figure modeled stand...

Elegant and rare Majolica stork with a bamboo vase signed Delphin Massier, circa 1890. The Massier are known for the quality of their unique enamels an...

This column surmounted by a vase decorated with flowers is reminiscent of the Mediterranean Majolica tradition. This piece is typical in the style of Delphin Massier’s, established i...

This is a Lalique frosted sculptures of a pair of doves joined together in the center, but looking in opposite direction. They are standing over a trunk with leaves that is supported...

Mounted on a Black Marble Plinth From our Black Forest collection, we are delighted to introduce this Swiss Black Forest Lucerne Lion Carving. The Lucern...

Old statue of a roaring tiger, after an antique example, this statue has a bronze patina and is made of plaster, art deco period, first half of the 20th ce...

This wonderful sculpture of an ice bear playing with a blue ball is a design by the Austrian Sculptor Franz Barwig (1868 - 1931) dating to 1915-1920. The sculpture was executed by th...

Small Majolica white swan jardinière signed Jerome Massier Vallauris, circa 1890.

A stunning mid 20th Century pate-de-verre glass study of an elephant with its trunk raised designed by the in house artist Leroy. Exhibiting extremely fine translucent colours and ex...

Art Deco table lamp Bronze, 1930s This table lamp impresses with its simple and functional Art Deco design. The lamp is an absolute design classic ...

"It is easy to understand why the rabble dislike cats. A cat is beautiful; it suggests ideas of luxury, cleanliness, and voluptuous pleasures." - Charles Baudelaire Iridescence, which changes in every angle of reflected light, is the perfect complement to a cat’s capricious nature. Zsolnay introduced its patented shiny metallic glaze, known as eosin, in 1893. The small family ceramics workshop begun in Pecs, Hungary by Miklos Zsolnay in 1853 had evolved into a world-class ceramics factory by this time. Zsolnay walked away with the Grand Prix at the 1878 World’s Fair in Paris for its art pottery. Under the stewardship of Vilmos Zsolnay...

A rare butterfly made by famous porcelain manufactory Ens, Volkstedt Germany. It is made of china porcelain and very delicate, this would be a great addition for your collection. It ...

1930s Metal Dog, St. Bernard, Mastiff Type, or Retriever Type. Solid. *****NOTICE: OUR 1ST DIBS SHOP CLOSES AT THE END OF MAY***** This very handsome guardian breed or working dog b...

Classic early 1910s Vienna bronze figurine. This polychromed cold painted bronze is probably something you need if you’re a Vienna bronze collector. Found at an estate sale in Vienna...

Classic early 1910s or older Vienna bronze figurine. This polychromed cold painted bronze is probably something you need if you’re a Vienna bronze collector. Found at an estate sale ...

Wonderful 19th Century animalier bronze group of a standing ewe with her feeding lamb beneath her, the bronze with excellent rich brown patina and very fine hand chased surface detai...

Classic early 1910s Vienna bronze figurine. This polychromed cold painted bronze is probably something you need if you’re a Vienna bronze collector. Found at an estate sale in Vienna...

Emile Gallé (1846-1904) was one of the greatest French glassmakers and ceramists of the 20th century. The son of a master glassmaker, he came into contact with the art world at an ea...

Imagine a small but enchanting Italian bronze sculpture that captures an unexpected moment of nature's beauty. It's a delicate portrayal of Two Mating Pigs, created by a skilled 20th...

An excellent mid 19th Century French Animalier bronze study of a game bird proudly holding its catch of the day with very fine intricate hand chased surface detail and very fine rich...

"Taureau Debout" by Rosa Bonheur. An excellent late 19th Century French animalier bronze study of a standing bull with fine hand chased surface that accentuates the muscle definition of the subject, signed Rosa B. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Measures: Width: 32 cm Height: 18 cm Depth: 11cm Condition: Excellent Original Condition Circa: 1870 Materials: Bronze Book reference: Animals in Bronze by Christopher Payne Page no. 174 DESCRIPTION Bonheur, Rosa (1822-1899) The most popular artist of nineteenth-century France, Rosa Bonheur was also one of the first renowned painters of animals and the first woman awarded the Grand Cross by the French Legion of Honor. A professional artist with a successful career, Bonheur lived in two consecutive committed relationships with women. Born on March 16, 1822 in Bordeaux, Marie Rosalie Bonheur was the oldest of the four children of Raimond Oscar Bonheur (1796-1849) and Sophie Marquis. Bonheur's father was an art teacher who came from a poor family, while her mother, a musician, had descended from a middle-class family and had been her husband's art student. Bonheur's father, who taught drawing and landscape painting, was an ardent member of the utopian Saint Simeon society. The group held idealistic beliefs about the reform of work, property, marriage, and the role of women in society. Most importantly, for the artist's future, the Saint Simeons questioned traditional gender norms and firmly believed in the equality of women. While teaching artistic techniques to his oldest daughter, Raimond Bonheur also encouraged her independence and taught her to consider art as a career. In 1828 Raimond Bonheur joined the Saint Simeons at their retreat outside Paris. Sophie and the children joined him in Paris the following year. Four years later, however, Raimond abandoned his family to live in isolation with his fellow Saint Simeons. Sophie Bonheur died in 1833 at the age of thirty-six. Rosa was only eleven years old when her mother died, but she was aware of the heavy price her mother paid for married life with a man who was more dedicated to his own ideals than to meeting his family's needs. Rosa also saw that her mother's marriage led to poverty and her death from exhaustion. After her mother's death, Bonheur was taken in by the Micas family who resided nearby. Mme Micas and Bonheur's mother had been friends. When Mme Bonheur died, the Micas family paid Raimond Bonheur's debts and cared for Rosa. Their daughther, Nathalie, who would later become an amateur inventor and unschooled veterinarian, and Rosa became enamored with each other. When Rosa Bonheur began her career as a professional artist, she had already been trained by her father who had allowed her to study in all male classes. Rosa also learned by sketching masterworks at the Louvre from the age of fourteen, and later, by studying with Léon Cogniet. From the very beginning, Bonheur's favorite subject was animals. She learned their anatomy completely by dissecting them in local slaughterhouses. She also visited the horse market two times a week. Study of animals by direct observation led to the formation of the realist style in which Bonheur worked. It was for such work that Bonheur obtained written permission from the French government to wear men's slacks. Her working attire also consisted of a loose smock and heavy boots that protected her feet from the dangerous environment in which she painted. The style of dress that the artist adopted for work and home may well have been influenced by her father's attire, which was based on St. Simeonian clothing experiments. Bonheur also cropped her hair, perhaps to facilitate her work. She did, however, always wear dresses for social occasions because she knew that appropriate dress would further her career. Bonheur earned a successful living as a painter of animals. She exhibited at the annual Paris Salon regularly from the age of nineteen in 1841 through 1853, when she was thirty-one. She won the salon's gold medal at the age of twenty-six in 1848 and was commissioned by the French government to paint Plowing on the Nivernais in 1849. In the same year Bonheur and her sister Juliette became directors of l'École gratuite de dessin pour les jeunes filles, a post their father had once held. Bonheur completed her most renowned work, The Horse Fair, in 1855. The successful representation of percherons (a breed native to Normandy) was purchased by Ernest Gambart, a London art dealer whose gallery specialized in work by French artists. He exhibited The Horse Fair in London where Bonheur visited with Nathalie. Queen Victoria requested a private viewing of the painting at Windsor Castle. It would later be purchased in 1887 by Cornelius Vanderbilt and donated to the new Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Bonheur's trip to England allowed her to meet Charles Eastlake, then President of the Royal Academy, John Ruskin, the English writer and critic, and Edwin Landseer, the British animalier. She also toured the English and Scottish countrysides and executed some paintings based on her observations of new breeds of animals found there. Gambart made engravings of Bonheur's work, including The Horse Fair, and sold them in England, Europe, and the United States. Bonheur became one of the most renowned painters of the time. Little girls, such as Anna Klumpke in the United States, even had dolls in her likeness, much as American girls played with Shirley Temple dolls...

Classic early 1910s Vienna bronze figurine. This polychromed cold painted bronze is probably something you need if you’re a Vienna bronze collector. Found at an estate sale in Vienna...

Onyx Plinth From our Sculpture collection, we are delighted to offer this Austrian Cold Painted Bronze Horse. The Bronze mounted upon a squared green onyx base with a convex beading...

A fine antique Austrian Art Nouveau coldpainted bronze sculpture of a peacock by Franz Bergman, Vienna, circa 1920. The bronze depicts a remarkably lifelike peacock with it's tail fe...

Bofill silvered bronze owl - Hibou Desk Paperweight / Car Mascot / Hood Ornament. France 1910-15. Silver plated bronze, signed. Excellent original conditions. HIBOU Par Antoine Bofi...

A beautiful and substantial Nautical, cast metal, antique doorstop with original patina finish. Depicting a mythological grotto dolphin style sea ser...

Classic early 1910s Vienna bronze figurine. This polychromed cold painted bronze is probably something you need if you’re a Vienna bronze collector. Found at an estate sale in Vienna...

A very handsome antique French Animalier bronze greyhound sculpture, paperweight, circa 1900. The bronze in the style of Emmanuel Fremiet, mad...

A wrought iron Art Nouveau era model of a snake / serpent. High-quality craftsmanship, handmade of forged iron by a Viennese metalworker in the 1920s. A decorative object, which would look great in your shelf, but also suitable as a paperweight, a jewelry ring holder...

Birds Luigi Secchi Italy, 1890-1910 Bronze Sculpture Bowl "L Secchi" engraved

Beautiful old and heavy garden ornament, statue of a cute pig depicted with a pumpkin and corn cobs, made of cast iron, the statue has a beautiful rusty age patina, estimated first h...

Classic early 1910s Vienna bronze figurine. This polychromed cold painted bronze is probably something you need if you’re a Vienna bronze collector. Found at an estate sale in Vienna...

A captivating amber glass sculpture of a standing tang horse with excellent contrasting clear and frosted coloured glass and fine detail, signed Lalique France with original sticker ...

Majolica Pug Clement Massier, circa 1890.

Classic early 1910s Vienna bronze figurine. This polychromed cold painted bronze is probably something you need if you’re a Vienna bronze collector. Found at an estate sale in Vienna...

Art Nouveau Majolica frog who playing mandolin signed Delphin Massier circa 1900. The Massier are known for the quality of their unique enamels and paintings.

This exquisite bronze figurine from the early 1900s, by renowned French sculptor Emmanuel Frémiet, depicts a seated cat with exceptional elegance and realism. The sculpture captures ...

Classic early 1910s Vienna bronze figurine. This polychromed cold painted bronze is probably something you need if you’re a Vienna bronze collector. Found at an estate sale in Vienna...

A very fine French Animaliers bronze study of a stallion standing behind a post and rail fence exhibiting excellent hand finished surface detail and good...