6228 - Gurschner, Gustav

Gurschner, Gustav Vase. Bronze, patinated. 14.7 x 6.8 x 12.3 cm. The signature “Gurschner” is stamped on the bottom; the signature stamp appears several more times on the underside in various sizes. Circa 1905. In 1885, Gurschner enrolled at the Bolzano Technical School for Wood and Stoneworking; in 1888, he transferred to the School of Applied Arts in Vienna. After a brief stay in Munich, where he intended to further his training in large-scale sculpture, he traveled to Paris in 1897. There he discovered his passion for Art Nouveau. He was significantly inspired by Art Nouveau artists such as Alexandre Charpentier, who also encouraged him to design everyday objects and small sculptures. This period marked an important turning point in his artistic career, as he developed his own style and thereby gained international recognition. In 1897, Gustav Gurschner married Alice Pollak, the daughter of a banker, in Vienna, which opened up significant financial opportunities for him. Through generous donations toward the construction of the Secession building, Gurschner became a founding member of the Vienna Secession. In 1899–1900, Gurschner successfully participated in various major exhibitions, including those in Vienna and Paris, which earned him several awards. His participation in exhibitions of the Vienna Secession solidified his position in the Viennese art scene. His works were praised by critics and valued by art collectors, which cemented his reputation as a leading sculptor and craftsman. In 1938, the Reich Chamber of Fine Arts barred him from practicing as a sculptor because he was married to the daughter of a Jewish banker. Consequently, he resigned from the Society of Fine Artists. - The artist cataloged this bronze, created around 1905, with his own model number GGA; in the catalogs of the K.K. Kunst-Erzgießerei Wien, it bears the model number KKKEA; in the Nikolaus Kolhammer chronological archive, it is numbered “Gustav Gurschner No. 0252.” Lit.: Gurschner. Gustav Gurschner Digital Archive, https://gustav-gurschner.art/de/object/mod-nr-a/ - Please request condition reports for the lots, as the condition is listed in the catalog only in exceptional cases. - Please ask for condition reports for individual lots, as the condition is usually not mentioned in the catalog.