Franz Xaver Bergmann: A Life in Bronze Franz Xaver Bergmann (July 27, 1861 – January 1, 1936) was a prominent Viennese foundry owner who became renowned for the production of exquisitely detailed and colorful patinated bronze sculptures. Though often mistakenly referred to as a sculptor himself, Bergmann’s true talent lay in his entrepreneurial skill and mastery of the casting process. Early Life and Family Legacy Born in Vienna, Austria, Bergmann inherited a family tradition in metalwork. His father, Franz Bergmann, was a skilled chaser who had established a small bronze factory in 1860 a…