Maiden Hauling Water

Peter Tereszczuk (1875-1963) was an Austrian-Ukrainian sculptor known for his bronze Art Nouveau figurines. This inkstand depicts a young barefoot girl crossing a river while carrying a large bucket in each hand. This bronze sculpture has an inkwell in the lidded stone water well on the right (insert missing).

The sculptor Peter Tereszczuk was born in 1875 in the Ukrainian city Wybudow. He created most of his works, which stylistically correspond to the Art Nouveau period, during 1895 and 1925 in Vienna where he also spent most of his lifetime. Writing sets have historically been an inherent part of the gentleman’s desk. During the Art Nouveau period many artists gave artistic form to articles of daily use including inkstands and writing sets. Tereszczuk primarily created bronze sculptures, sometimes with very delicate ivory elements and small figural art works like this piece.