Antique Orientalist Viennese cold-painted bronze lamp

This very fine lamp is made in the traditional Viennese manner. Manufactured in the early 20th century it depicts a charming teaching session rendered in the Orientalist style.

The piece depicts a Mudarris (teacher) presenting to three children. The teacher is sitting on a raised platform in front of a blackboard hanging on the brick wall. Dressed in shining gold and red garments, his head adorned with a polychrome turban, he is holding a stick with which to point to the board. In front of him are three children, each one depicted in a different pose. The first is looking towards him, his hands held up close to the face. Next to him, a child is sitting cross-legged holding what appears to be a piece of paper. The final figure is holding itself up on one hand while the other hand points in excitement at the blackboard. All children are dressed in a similar manner in blue, white, and maroon clothes and red head coverings.

The scene is set in an Orientalist surrounding covered by rugs, protecting the figures from the elements. The piece is stamped ‘AUSTRIA’ and inscribed on the underside ‘SCHULE’ (translating from German to ‘school’).

The process of cold painting was popular during the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Vienna. Several layers of unfired dust paint were applied to the bronze figures, creating vibrant and eye-catching designs. The colours accentuate the fine details created by the artist and add to the outstanding appearance of the piece.

Of interesting design and depicting an adorable scene makes this lamp a particularly desirable piece of home décor.