19th century Belle Époque bronze sculpture with greenish patina of a boy walking into water by sculptor Ruffino Besserdich By: Ruffino Besserdich Material: bronze, copper, metal Technique: patinated, cast, molded, metalwork Dimensions: 2 in x 3 in x 6.5 in Date: late 19th century Style: Belle Époque, Jugendstil, Art Nouveau Place of origin: Austria This 19th century bronze sculpture by austrian author Ruffino Besserdich depicts a boy gingerly wading into water, captured mid-step with one foot lowering to the surface below. Rendered in bronze with green patina, the figure wears only swimwear, lending him a vulnerability and naïveté fitting of the late 19th century Belle Époque. Besserdich expertly conveys the posture of descent, the boy’s limbs tense yet fluid as he acquaints himself with the water. The sensitively rendered, asymmetrical composition and impressionistic details showcase the dynamism of late 19th century sculpture. Naturalistic yet softly modern, this charming vignette represents Besserdich’s mastery of bronze and dexterous ability to imply narrative through graceful form.