Bowl-carrying women Gustav Gurschner K.K. Kunst-Erzgiesserei ca. 1906

Gustav Gurschner often combined various everyday objects with female figures. In 1906, he designed the figure of the Bowl Bearer. In the sales catalogs of the Kunsterzgießerei Wien, this model was also referred to as the “Slave”.
The design features two women facing each other, presenting a bowl. The naked, crouching figures, depicted in the classical Greek profile where the nose and forehead form a continuous line, evoke ancient representations of enslaved women carrying vases or other objects. The ornamental decoration of the bowl seamlessly continues the canon of ancient forms. Crafted in dark patinated bronze, this piece showcases Gurschner’s mastery in handling both material and form.