The Work of Sculptor, Ingo Seefeld

Ingo Seefeld is a sculptor who lives in Vienna. Since 2015 he has been working on a series of composer busts. In August of that year, Mr. Seefeld obtained the original plaster figure produced by Victor Tilgner about 125 years ago. The figure was stored in the basement of a museum in Vienna. The figure was damaged in many areas. The plaster was crumbling apart. The bust was repaired by the sculptor and returned to the museum.

The Wiener Musikverein then requested that Seefeld create a series of composer busts for presentation at the concert hall. The other composers to be installed along with Bruckner were Johannes Brahms, Gustav Mahler, Franz Liszt and Hugo Wolf). Seefeld was asked to create four of them (the exception was Mahler which was to be cast in bronze.) Seefeld then received other Tilgner originals in plaster and marble. In December of 2015, he started work on several Bruckner figures, some just for himself with different style bases. Each figure requires about 120 hours of work.

The material is real white alabaster plaster from Germany plus Sisal from New Caledonia and self-made fishglue. The figures are hollow. The heaviest is 29 kilograms, the lightest is 23kilograms. The largest is 81cm without stone, the smallest is 76 cm. With a long column base, 206 cm. He has prepared the busts with a variety of bases.

Currently none of the busts remaining in his studio are painted. Finishes in bronze, copper, wood, ebony, stone, pure white, etc. are possible.

The Bruckner bust is based on the Tilgner mold but is now more detailed than the Stadtpark Tilgner casting. The Brahms bust is based on a mold prepared by Ilse Conrat – also a museum copy. The bust of Hugo Wolf is based on a much smaller original prepared by Robert Weigl.

Copies of Seefeld’s busts can be purchased in pure white for 3,900 Euros. Shipping is extra.

Anyone who is interested in acquiring one of these incredible busts, please contact me at john@abruckner.com.

Damage to the face on the original figure

Some of the broken shards from the Tilgner figure

Inside if the original Tilgner fugure

The repaired Tilgner figure

The original Tilgner Figure in a mold

Seefeld's Bruckner emerging from its mold

Ingo Seefeld working on his Bruckner bust

L-R: Hugo Wolf, Anton Bruckner and Johannes Brahms

Brahms and Bruckner

Bruckner on a tall pedestal

Bruckner on a short round pedestal

Square and round pedestals