Josef Lorenzl Austrian Art Deco Gilt Bronze Ballerina

Josef Lorenzl Austrian Art Deco Gilt Bronze Ballerina On Onyx, Circa 1925

Highlights

Original Austrian Art Deco gilt bronze ballerina by Josef Lorenzl.

Circa 1925.

Signed Lorenzl to the reverse of the raised circular bronze base.

Graceful ballerina balancing elegantly upon one leg.

Distinctive elongated legs, closed eyes and elegant Art Deco silhouette.

Fine gilt bronze casting with attractive period patination.

Mounted upon an architectural onyx plinth with bronze fittings.

Documented Lyon and Turnbull, Edinburgh provenance.

Subsequently curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD.

Supplied with a Certificate of Sale and Dealer Attribution.

Introduction

A striking and highly decorative Austrian Art Deco gilt bronze ballerina by Josef Lorenzl, 1892-1950, dating to circa 1925.

With her elongated limbs, closed eyes and beautifully poised stance, the figure displays the distinctive elegance associated with Lorenzl's celebrated representations of the female form.

Balancing delicately upon one leg, the ballerina creates a wonderfully fluid vertical silhouette. Her raised head and closed eyes lend the composition a serene quality, while the flowing drapery introduces movement and visual rhythm.

The warm gilt bronze contrasts beautifully with the architectural onyx plinth, giving the sculpture a sophisticated decorative presence characteristic of the Art Deco period.

Signed Lorenzl to the reverse of the raised circular bronze base.

Catalogue Details

Artist: Josef Lorenzl, Austrian, 1892-1950

Date: Circa 1925

Period: Art Deco

Country of Origin: Austria

Medium: Gilt bronze

Base: Onyx with bronze fittings

Signature: Signed Lorenzl

Subject: Ballerina

Auction History: Lyon and Turnbull, Edinburgh

Catalogue Note

Josef Lorenzl's elegant female figures rank among the distinctive sculptural expressions of Austrian Art Deco.

His figures are characterised by elongated limbs, slender silhouettes and sophisticated poses that translate the glamour and modernity of the interwar period into sculptural form.

The present ballerina is particularly evocative of this aesthetic. Her carefully balanced stance creates a compelling impression of suspended movement, while the upward inclination of her head and closed eyes introduces a quieter sense of elegance and introspection.

The gilt bronze surface accentuates the modelling as light moves across the figure, while the architectural onyx plinth provides a sophisticated material contrast characteristic of high-quality Art Deco decorative sculpture.

The sculpture possesses documented modern auction provenance. It appeared at Lyon and Turnbull, Edinburgh, on 16 October 2024 as Lot 461 in DESIGN Since 1860 ft. An Aesthetic Interior: The Contents of a London Apartment, catalogued as Josef Lorenzl, 1892-1950.

The Artist

Josef Lorenzl, 1892-1950, was an Austrian sculptor and ceramic designer renowned for his elegant female figures.

Born in Vienna, Lorenzl developed expertise in bronze casting through his work at the Vienna Arsenal. His sculptural vocabulary became characterised by elongated female forms, long elegant legs and dynamic poses particularly suited to the emerging Art Deco aesthetic.

Lorenzl worked extensively in bronze and also produced chryselephantine sculpture combining bronze and ivory.

His artistic practice extended into ceramics through his association with the renowned Viennese manufacturer Goldscheider and other manufacturers including Keramos.

His surviving figures remain internationally collected examples of Austrian Art Deco decorative sculpture.

Provenance

Private collection, London.

Lyon and Turnbull, Edinburgh, DESIGN Since 1860 ft. An Aesthetic Interior: The Contents of a London Apartment, 16 October 2024, Lot 461, catalogued as Josef Lorenzl, 1892-1950.

Acquired from the above sale and subsequently curated and held in the collection of Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD.

The Lyon and Turnbull purchase documentation forms part of the recorded provenance history of the sculpture.

Dimensions

Height: 29.5 cm

Width of ballerina: 16 cm

Width of base: 12 cm

Depth of base: 7 cm

Condition Report

Presented in fine used period condition with attractive age-related patination.

General surface wear, minor rubbing and scuffing are present commensurate with age and previous handling, including natural variation and wear to the gilt surface.

There is a very small chip to the lower onyx base.

Please refer to the accompanying photographs as part of the condition assessment.

Worldwide Shipping

Worldwide shipping is available.

The sculpture will be professionally packed for transit, with particular attention given to protecting the gilt bronze figure and onyx plinth.

Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution

The artwork will be supplied with a Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution issued by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®, recording the artwork’s catalogue details, attribution, provenance as stated, and details of the sale. This document accompanies the work as part of its ongoing ownership and provenance record.

Attribution and Research

The historical observations, provenance research, attribution analysis and contextual commentary presented within this catalogue entry represent the professional opinion of Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®. They are offered in good faith as informed scholarly assessments based upon the available evidence, comparative research, published reference material and our experience within the international fine art market.

These observations should be understood as professional opinions rather than definitive statements of fact or guarantees of authorship, attribution, date, origin, provenance or historical interpretation. As with all historic works of art, future documentary discoveries, technical examination, conservation analysis or advances in academic research may refine, expand or revise current interpretations.

Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®

Specialising in carefully curated British and European fine art, antiques and historic works of art.

Every artwork is professionally researched and catalogued using comparative scholarship, published reference material and more than two decades of experience within the international fine art market. We are committed to offering collectors works of artistic and historical merit accompanied by transparent provenance research, detailed catalogue descriptions and professional, client-focused service.

Additional photographs and further information are available upon request.