Art Deco Sculpture Dancing Ballerina Lady Signed By Josef Lorenzl

Josef Lorenzl (Austrian, 1892–1950)
Austrian Art Deco Gilt Bronze Ballerina On Onyx, Circa 1925

An exquisite signed gilt bronze ballerina by Josef Lorenzl, capturing the refined elegance and stylised movement of 1920s Viennese Art Deco, with documented provenance.

Highlights

• Original Austrian Art Deco gilt bronze ballerina by Josef Lorenzl

• Dating to circa 1925

• Signed “Lorenzl” to the reverse of the raised circular bronze base

• Beautifully poised ballerina balancing upon one leg

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

• Fine gilt bronze casting with attractive period patination

• Presented upon an architectural onyx plinth with bronze fittings

• Lyon & Turnbull, Edinburgh, 16 October 2024, Lot 461

• From An Aesthetic Interior: The Contents of a London Apartment

• Subsequently curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®

• Supplied with a Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution from Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®

Introduction

An exquisite Austrian Art Deco gilt bronze ballerina by the celebrated Viennese sculptor Josef Lorenzl (1892–1950), dating to circa 1925 and embodying the elegance, glamour and sophisticated modernity of the Jazz Age.

The ballerina is captured at a moment of beautifully controlled movement, balancing upon one leg while her elongated body rises into an elegant, sweeping silhouette. Her head is raised and her eyes gently closed, lending the composition an atmosphere of serenity and graceful concentration.

Lorenzl's distinctive treatment of the female form is particularly evident in the figure's exceptionally slender proportions, long elegant legs and stylised pose. The curling drapery provides a flowing counterpoint to the verticality of the body and reinforces the impression of movement.

Finely cast in gilt bronze, the figure is raised upon a circular bronze platform above an architectural onyx plinth with bronze fittings. The combination of warm gilt bronze and polished stone gives the sculpture a luxurious material presence characteristic of sophisticated European Art Deco interiors.

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

Catalogue Details

Artist: Josef Lorenzl (Austrian, 1892–1950)

Title: Austrian Art Deco Gilt Bronze Ballerina On Onyx

Date: Circa 1925

Period: Early 20th Century / Art Deco

Country of Origin: Austria

Medium: Gilt bronze

Base: Onyx with bronze fittings

Signature: Signed “Lorenzl” to the reverse of the raised circular bronze base

Subject: Ballerina

Style: Austrian Art Deco

Auction History: Lyon & Turnbull, Edinburgh, 16 October 2024, Lot 461

Catalogue Note

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

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

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

The sweeping drapery provides a contrasting curve to the elongated body and gives the composition additional rhythm. Viewed in profile, the figure assumes an especially striking silhouette, demonstrating Lorenzl's ability to combine anatomical stylisation with decorative movement.

The gilt bronze surface accentuates the sculptural 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 work also possesses documented modern auction provenance. On 16 October 2024, it appeared at Lyon & Turnbull, Edinburgh, as Lot 461 in DESIGN Since 1860 ft. An Aesthetic Interior: The Contents of a London Apartment, where it was catalogued as Josef Lorenzl (1892–1950).

Combining a recognisable Lorenzl aesthetic with an artist's signature, elegant period materials and documented auction history, the sculpture presents an attractive opportunity for collectors of Austrian Art Deco and European decorative sculpture.

The Artist

Josef Lorenzl (1892–1950) was an Austrian sculptor and ceramic designer whose elegant female figures became closely associated with the glamour and modernity of the Art Deco period.

Born in Vienna, Lorenzl developed his knowledge of bronze casting through his employment at the Vienna Arsenal. His subsequent sculptural career became particularly associated with fashionable female subjects characterised by slender proportions, elongated legs and graceful, theatrical poses.

Lorenzl worked extensively in bronze and also produced chryselephantine sculpture combining bronze with ivory. His sculptural works can be encountered bearing his surname as well as abbreviated signatures associated with his name.

His artistic practice extended beyond bronze sculpture. Lorenzl became an accomplished ceramic designer and worked with the renowned Viennese manufacturer Goldscheider, producing fashionable figurative designs that became internationally recognised expressions of Austrian Art Deco.

He was additionally associated with other ceramic manufacturers, including Keramos.

Following Lorenzl's death in Vienna in 1950, his widow Anna is reported to have destroyed a considerable number of his models.

Lorenzl's surviving female figures are now internationally collected and remain highly recognisable expressions of the elegance, movement and sophisticated modernity of interwar Austrian decorative art.

Provenance

Private collection, London.

Lyon & 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 & 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 age-related variation and wear to the gilt surface.

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

These characteristics are consistent with the age and previous use of an original Art Deco sculpture dating from approximately a century ago.

Please refer to the accompanying photographs, which form an integral part of the condition assessment.

Additional photographs and further condition information are available upon request.

Shipping

Worldwide shipping is available.

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

Please contact us for further information regarding international delivery.

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.