Lot Essay
Jean Baptiste Carpeaux (1827-1875) studied for two years at a drawing school in Paris after his move from Valenciennes in 1842 before enrolling at the Ecole des Beaux Arts, where from 1844 to 1850 he studied under François Rude (1784-1855). In September 1854, he won the Prix de Rome with his statue Hector implorant les dieux en faveur d'Astyanax a scholarly work of a highly innovative nature, before sculpting the famous Jeune Pêcheur a la Coquille, initially in plaster in 1857. This figure was exhibited at the Salon of 1858 and is now housed in the Louvre. Edmond About, a critic of the Salon of 1857 said of the 'Jeune Pecheur' that "Carpeaux has made one of the most remarkable works of modern times - his figure can be compared to that of his master Rude". In 1859, Carpeaux exhibited the figure in bronze at the Salon, then ultimately again in 1863 in marble.
Carpeaux, in a letter dated 18 September 1858 written to his friend J.P. Foucart wrote "Mon sujet est tiré de la nature, c'est un jeune pêcheur de onze ans écoutant l'écho d'un coquillage en riant." Carpeaux's use of the fisherboy theme takes influence from the figure by his master entitled Jeune Pêcheur à la tortue, for several letters written by him to his friend Charles Laurent-Daragon ask for a plaster cast of the head of Rude's Jeune Pêcheur; Carpeaux insisting that his request was as a reminder rather than to copy.
Rude's first fisherboy was exhibited in 1833 alongside Francisque Duret's Pêcheur napolitain dansant la tantarelle.
The movement and fluidity of Carpeaux's Jeune Pêcheur, however, owes more to the work of the masters from the Italian Renaissance including Donatello, Michelangelo and Raphael than to his master. Carpeaux studied these a great deal whilst in Rome, as well as studying and copying sculpture from the antique, in particular, the Laocoon. Carpeaux did not return from Italy until February 1857, the year he made the Jeune Pêcheur, and one can see the work as a synthesis of a variety of ideas, combined with Carpeaux's innovation. The net draped over the leg of the boy was an addition made to casts after 1872.
The signed plaster original for Jeune Fille a La Coquille was exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1864, while a marble of the same subject was in the 1867 Salon exhibition; afterwards bought by the Empress Eugénie - this is now in the National Gallery in Washington. The plaster was given to the Musée de Valenciennes by Carpeaux's wife in March 1882. It has been suggested that the girl's face is that of Anna Foucart, daughter of Carpeaux's friend Jean-Baptiste Foucart who some years later Carpeaux hoped to marry; apparently her father strongly opposed the idea and the marriage did not take place. The Royal Academy catalogue from 1932 compares the Jeune Fille to the figure of Flora which Carpeaux made in high relief for the Palais des Tuileries. Another, unsigned terracotta figure of the girl exists in the Musée des Beaux-Arts Jules Cheret. She is almost identical, however, was not exhibited at the Salon. In a contemporary letter by Carpeaux he says of the girl "je fais en même temps le pendant de mon pêcheur à la coquille, une jeune fille de onze ans au bord de la mer, se coiffant d'une coquille sur la tête". These figures, individually rare in this large size - nearly a metre high - are exceptionally so in that here they appear together as their creator intended.
Carpeaux, in a letter dated 18 September 1858 written to his friend J.P. Foucart wrote "Mon sujet est tiré de la nature, c'est un jeune pêcheur de onze ans écoutant l'écho d'un coquillage en riant." Carpeaux's use of the fisherboy theme takes influence from the figure by his master entitled Jeune Pêcheur à la tortue, for several letters written by him to his friend Charles Laurent-Daragon ask for a plaster cast of the head of Rude's Jeune Pêcheur; Carpeaux insisting that his request was as a reminder rather than to copy.
Rude's first fisherboy was exhibited in 1833 alongside Francisque Duret's Pêcheur napolitain dansant la tantarelle.
The movement and fluidity of Carpeaux's Jeune Pêcheur, however, owes more to the work of the masters from the Italian Renaissance including Donatello, Michelangelo and Raphael than to his master. Carpeaux studied these a great deal whilst in Rome, as well as studying and copying sculpture from the antique, in particular, the Laocoon. Carpeaux did not return from Italy until February 1857, the year he made the Jeune Pêcheur, and one can see the work as a synthesis of a variety of ideas, combined with Carpeaux's innovation. The net draped over the leg of the boy was an addition made to casts after 1872.
The signed plaster original for Jeune Fille a La Coquille was exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1864, while a marble of the same subject was in the 1867 Salon exhibition; afterwards bought by the Empress Eugénie - this is now in the National Gallery in Washington. The plaster was given to the Musée de Valenciennes by Carpeaux's wife in March 1882. It has been suggested that the girl's face is that of Anna Foucart, daughter of Carpeaux's friend Jean-Baptiste Foucart who some years later Carpeaux hoped to marry; apparently her father strongly opposed the idea and the marriage did not take place. The Royal Academy catalogue from 1932 compares the Jeune Fille to the figure of Flora which Carpeaux made in high relief for the Palais des Tuileries. Another, unsigned terracotta figure of the girl exists in the Musée des Beaux-Arts Jules Cheret. She is almost identical, however, was not exhibited at the Salon. In a contemporary letter by Carpeaux he says of the girl "je fais en même temps le pendant de mon pêcheur à la coquille, une jeune fille de onze ans au bord de la mer, se coiffant d'une coquille sur la tête". These figures, individually rare in this large size - nearly a metre high - are exceptionally so in that here they appear together as their creator intended.