Bruno Zach
{{Short description|Austrian art deco sculptor (1891–1935)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{disputed|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox artist
| name = Bruno Zach
| image = Bruno.Zach.sculpture.JPG
| image_size = 200
| caption = A polychromed bronze sculpture by Zach of a female hunter and a Borzoi hound on a Brazilian green onyx plinth ({{circa|1920}})
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1891|5|6}}
| birth_place = Zhytomyr, Volhynian Governorate, Russian Empire
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1935|2|20|1891|5|6}}
| death_place = Vienna, Republic of Austria
| nationality = Austrian
| field = Sculpture
| movement = Art Deco; Art Nouveau
| works = The Riding Crop, 1925
The Hugger, {{circa|1930}}
| patrons = Art Deco Museum
| awards =
}}
Bruno Zach (6 May 1891 – 20 February 1935) was an Austrian art deco sculptor of Ukrainian birth who worked in the early-to-mid 20th century. His output included a wide repertoire of genre subjects, however he is best known for his erotic sculptures of young women.
Early life
Bruno Zach{{efn|Zach's surname is often spelled incorrectly as "Zack" in some sources.}} was born in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, on 6 May 1891. He emigrated to Austria as a young man and studied at the {{Citation needed|date=February 2020}}Vienna Academy under sculptors {{Citation needed|date=February 2020}}Hans Bitterlich (1860–1949) and {{Citation needed|date=February 2020}}Josef Müllner (1879–1968).Böheimer: Straßen & Gassen. S. 65, 106. His styles included Art Deco, Art Nouveau, sporting, and orientalism. His oeuvre would generally be considered decorative if not for his success in producing erotic sculpture.{{cite web|title=Bruno Zach (Austrian 1891-1945) A Patinated Bronze|url=https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/34223078_bruno-zach-austrian-1891-1945-a-patinated-bronze|website=liveauctioneers.com|accessdate=27 June 2015|archive-date=30 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630034707/https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/34223078_bruno-zach-austrian-1891-1945-a-patinated-bronze|url-status=live}}
Career
Zach became a prolific creator of sculptures featuring tall, athletic, dominating women in bronze and ivory, the combination of the two in art casting sometimes being referred to as “chryselephantine”.{{cite web|title=Bruno Zach|url=http://www.onlinegalleries.com/artists/d/bruno-zach/2862|website=onlinegalleries.com|accessdate=27 June 2015|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304123519/http://www.onlinegalleries.com/artists/d/bruno-zach/2862|url-status=live}} He most often signed as "B. Zach" or "Bruno Zach", however a number of his pieces were signed with his pseudonyms, being "Prof. Tuch",{{cite web|title=Prof. J. Tuch - Young Lady With Mirror|url=https://auctionata.com/o/65062/professor-j-tuch-young-lady-with-mirror-vienna-1920s|website=auctiondata.com|accessdate=27 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630051813/https://auctionata.com/o/65062/professor-j-tuch-young-lady-with-mirror-vienna-1920s|archive-date=30 June 2015|url-status=dead}} "Professor Tuch" or "K. Salat".[http://www.simpsongalleries.com/ Simpson Galleries] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507170527/http://www.simpsongalleries.com/ |date=7 May 2016 }}: Auction 22.02.2015, Lot 272 His erotica sculptures usually featured sexy, dreamy, scantily clad mistresses in stockings, garters, and high heels.
One of his better known sculptures is the sado-masochistic The Riding Crop. Original period castings of this sculpture have sold for as much as $151,849,{{cite web|title=Lot 116 - Bruno Zach 'The Riding Crop' an Impressive Green and Gilt Patinated Bronze|url=https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20122/lot/116/|website=Bonhams.com|accessdate=28 June 2015|archive-date=30 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630213824/https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20122/lot/116/|url-status=live}} one such sale having taken place at the Bonhams auction house in Knightsbridge on 23 November 2011. According to Bonhams' director of decorative arts, Mark Oliver, "the demand for his work just grows and grows".{{cite web|title=Bruno Zach's 'Riding Crop Girl' hits World Record $150,602 at Bonhams art auction|url=https://www.justcollecting.com/miscellania/bruno-zachs-riding-crop-girl-hits-world-record-150-602-at-bonhams-art-auction|website=justcollecting.com|accessdate=27 June 2015|archive-date=8 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308201044/https://www.justcollecting.com/miscellania/bruno-zachs-riding-crop-girl-hits-world-record-150-602-at-bonhams-art-auction|url-status=live}}
One of Zach's more controversial sculptures, created circa 1930, was his extremely erotic piece entitled The Hugger.{{cite web|title="The Hugger" by Bruno Zach|url=https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20582/lot/158/|website=Bonhams.com|accessdate=27 June 2015|archive-date=30 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630003808/https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20582/lot/158/|url-status=live}} The sculpture depicts a woman hugging a larger-than-life penis. Zach frequently portrayed the seedy side of nightlife in Berlin with many of his sculptures which often featured prostitutes.
His bronze sculptures were generally fired and coated with chemical patinas in mid-brown colors but were sometimes cold painted or polychromed.{{cite web|title=Bruno Zach, Le Marchand d'esclaves|url=http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2014/art-orientaliste-islam-pf1419/lot.87.html|website=Sothebys.com|accessdate=27 June 2015|archive-date=24 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924135037/http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2014/art-orientaliste-islam-pf1419/lot.87.html|url-status=live}} His used ivory, sparingly, and it was generally well carved. Zach's work was edited by several firms, including Argentor-Werke (Vienna), Broma Companie, S. Altmann and Company, and Franz Bergmann.
Death
Zach died in Vienna, Austria, on 20 February 1935.
References
{{reflist}}
Literature
- Davenport's Art Reference & Price Guide, 2007/2008 Edition – {{ISBN|978-1-933295-18-3}}.
- Romeo and Juliet in Zhytomyr words, 2016 - [http://www.rol.org.ua/eng/article.cfm?deid=23]
- Житомирська сторінка кохання скульптора Бруно Зака - [http://news.dks.com.ua/index.php/news/kultura/21150-zhitomirska-storinka-kokhannya-skulptora-bruno-zaka]
Notes
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Zach, Bruno}}
Category:Austrian male sculptors
Category:Artists from Zhytomyr
Category:People from Volhynian Governorate
Category:Emigrants from the Russian Empire to Austria-Hungary