Arab Scribe in Doorway

This inkstand is made of cold-painted bronze in the best traditions of the Viennese foundry of Franz Xavier Bergman. The composition consists of an Arab man sitting in a relaxed and natural position in the doorway, writing, his gaze fixed on the distance. To one side of him is a small tea table, the top of which is a hinged lid of the inkwell.

Franz Xaver Bergman (1861–1936) was the owner of a Viennese foundry who produced numerous patinated and cold-painted bronze oriental, erotic and animal figures, the latter often humanized or whimsical, humorous objects d’art. Cold painted bronze refers to pieces cast in Vienna and then decorated in several layers with so-called dust paint; the expertise for the mix of this kind of paint has been lost. The color was not fired hence “cold painted”. Mainly women working at home, a typical cottage industry, carried out the painting. Noted for his detailed and colorful work, Bergman was signing his creations with either a “B” in an urn-shaped cartouche, or “Nam Greb” – for “Bergman” in reverse.