Vienna Bronze With Lizard And Agate

This small Viennese bronze features a lizard holding an agate ball in its tail.
The lizard is a powerful symbol of transformation, resilience, and adaptability, representing deep spiritual lessons in various cultures. Agate is a semi-precious stone symbolizing stability, protection, and inner strength, while also being used to promote emotional balance and mental clarity.

The first Viennese bronze factory opened in 1850 in Hernals, near Vienna. It began with the creation of small decorative bronze figurines intended to adorn pipes. By the end of the century, more than 120 artisans would imitate it. All are distinguished by the finesse of chiseling work on small objects and decorative sculptures that delight bourgeois taste. Each piece, unique for its hand-chiseled work, is further individualized by the colors applied to it.
This attention to detail makes Viennese production the most naturalistic of its time, as well as offering the widest range of subjects.

Each piece, unique due to its handmade engraving, is further individualized by the colors applied to it. This attention to detail makes Viennese production the most naturalistic of its time, as well as the one offering the widest range of subjects. Collectibles from the moment they were created, Viennese bronzes are accumulated in bourgeois interiors. They serve as charming expressions of their owners' social success. Viennese bronzes are, at best, marked with the manufacturer’s stamp, but most of them are entirely unmarked.

Source: pipat-antiquites.fr;