Viennese cold-painted bronze lamp of a guard by Bergman

This exceptional large cold-painted bronze lamp was crafted in the early 20th century in Austria. The piece is by Franz Xaver Bergman (1861-1936), one of the most famous artists producing pieces of this type.

A guard in a decisive pose stands in front of the entrance to what might be a palace. His left arm is resting on his hip while the second securely holds a spear. Across the waist, behind his polychrome belt, is a large knife, indicating the guard is ready if any danger is approaching. His vibrant yellow head covering brilliantly stands out against the more muted colouration of the background.

The Islamic architecture surrounding the figure features several interesting elements. The floor is covered with orange, green, red and cream Islamic-style patterned tiles. The framing of the gate and the door are decorated with a similar but more muted pattern. Above the entrance hangs an eye-catching rug beautifully adorned with several floral motifs. The varying shades of yellow, red and green create cohesion between the upper and lower parts of the lamp. Surmounting this lighting piece are two vessels.

This antique piece is stamped with a ‘B’ in an urn-shaped cartouche, the maker’s mark of Bergman.

This Bergman lamp is guaranteed to be an intriguing home décor piece and would make a superb addition to one’s collection of antiques.