Josef Lorenzl was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1892. He was an Austrian sculptor and ceramist whose artistic career began working in a foundry at the Vienna Arsenal, where he gained a deep understanding of bronze casting techniques.
Lorenzl's figures, with their clean lines and subtle geometric forms, perfectly capture the spirit of Art Deco.
He mastered the chryselephantine technique, which combined bronze and ivory to create exquisite sculptures. Many of his bronze pieces were mounted on plinths of Brazilian green onyx.
A significant portion of his work was done in ceramics. He collaborated closely with the renowned Austrian manufacturer Goldscheider between 1920 and 1930.
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts has a Lorenzl sculpture in its collection titled "State of a Girl" (ca. 1925), made from bronze, ivory, and onyx.
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Style Art Deco
"The name Art Deco was assigned in the 1960s, at the exhibition "Les Années 25" held in Paris at the Museum of Decorative Arts.
The first pieces could be seen at the International Exhibition of "Decorative Arts and Modern Industry" held in Paris in 1925. This exhibition was a direct response to the Turin exhibitions of 1902 and Milan of 1906.
The Art Deco style emerged between 1920 and 1940 and is represented by symmetrical, rectilinear lines, abstract designs, and bold colors.
It featured the implementation of exotic materials such as parchment, shagreen (the skin of a small shark or ray), chrome pieces, and enamels, as well as ivory and mother-of-pearl inlays.
In contrast, Art Nouveau was more focused on asymmetrical, curved lines inspired by nature."
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