Peter Tereszczuk

PETER TERESZCZUK (Wybudow, Ukraine, 1875 - Vienna, 1963).
Sculptural letter opener.
Gilded bronze.
Signed and with foundry stamp.
Shows wear and marks of use.
Measurements: 24,5 cm length.

Bronze letter opener with sculptural handle, representing a mysterious veiled woman. Peter Tereszczuk was born in the town of Wydubow, then belonging to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and moved when he was very young to Vienna, thanks to the patronage of an aristocrat who appreciated his precocious talent. In the Austrian capital he studied at the School of Arts and Crafts between 1893 and 1899, with Klotz as his main teacher. Tereszczuk remained in Vienna for the rest of his life, and in 1915 he founded an artistic foundry with his partner, T. Ullman. Both sculptors cast their works in the foundry, under their personal supervision, and also edited sculptures by other artists. Tereszczuk developed a language characterized by its naturalism, with works in bronze and chryselephantine, bronze and ivory, marked by great strength and a strong sense of movement, as well as by the impeccable craftsmanship of each of its details. He began his career within the Jugendstil language, although he later evolved towards Art Deco. His pieces can be found unsigned, signed "Tereszczuk" or with the seal of the foundry, "TU". His works are currently held in private collections around the world, as well as in the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk (USA) and the Museu Europeu d'Art Modern in Barcelona.