Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux

{"Id":629,"Name":"Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux","Biography":"\u003Cstrong\u003ECARPEAUX, JEAN BAPTISTE (1827\u0026mdash;1875),\u003C/strong\u003E French sculptor, was born at Valenciennes, France, on the 11th of May 1827. He was the son of a mason, and passed his early life in extreme poverty. In 1842 he came to Paris, and after working for two years in a drawing-school, was admitted to the \u003Ca href=\u0022http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaux-Arts\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 class=\u0022link\u0022\u003E\u0026Eacute;cole des Beaux Arts\u003C/a\u003E on the 9th of September 1854. The \u003Ca href=\u0022http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?eu=38443\u0026tocid=0\u0026query=pierre-jean%20david\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 class=\u0022link\u0022\u003EGrand Prix de Rome\u003C/a\u003E was awarded to his statue of \u003Cu\u003EHector bearing in his arms his son Astyanax\u003C/u\u003E. His first work exhibited at the \u003Ca href=\u0022http://www.bartleby.com/65/sa/Salon.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 class=\u0022link\u0022\u003ESalon\u003C/a\u003E, in 1853, did not show the spirit of an innovator, and was very unlike the work of his master \u003Ca href=\u0022/asp/database/art.asp?aid=460\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 class=\u0022link\u0022\u003ERude\u003C/a\u003E. At Rome he was fascinated by \u003Ca href=\u0022/asp/database/art.asp?aid=123\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 class=\u0022link\u0022\u003EMichelangelo\u003C/a\u003E, and yet more influenced by \u003Ca href=\u0022/asp/database/art.asp?aid=91\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 class=\u0022link\u0022\u003EDonatello\u003C/a\u003E, to whom he owes his feeling for vehement and passionate action. He sent from Rome a bust, \u003Cu\u003ELa Palombella\u003C/u\u003E, 1856; and a \u003Cu\u003ENeapolitan Fisherman\u003C/u\u003E, 1858. This work was again exhibited in the Salon of 1859, and took a second-class medal; but it was not executed in marble till 1863. In his last year in Rome he sent home a dramatic group, \u003Cu\u003EUgolino and his Sons\u003C/u\u003E, and exhibited at the same time a \u003Cu\u003EBust of Princess Mathilde\u003C/u\u003E. This gained him a second-class medal and the favour of the Imperial family. In 1864 he executed the \u003Cu\u003EGirl with a Shell\u003C/u\u003E, the companion figure to the young fisherman; and although in 1865 he did not exhibit at the Salon, busts of \u003Cu\u003EMme. A. E. Andr\u0026eacute;\u003C/u\u003E, of \u003Cu\u003EGiraud\u003C/u\u003E the \u003Ca href=\u0022/asp/database/art.asp?aid=2328\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 class=\u0022link\u0022\u003Epainter\u003C/a\u003E, and of \u003Cu\u003EMlle. Benedetti\u003C/u\u003E showed that he was not idle. He was working at the same time on the decorations of the Pavillon de Flore, of which the pediment alone was seen at the Salon, though the bas-relief below is an even better example of his style. After producing a statue of the prince imperial, Carpeaux was made chevalier of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%E9gion_d%27honneur\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 class=\u0022link\u0022\u003ELegion of Honour\u003C/a\u003E in 1866. Two years later he received an important commission to execute one of the four groups for the fa\u0026ccedil;ade of the new opera house. His group, representing \u003Cu\u003EDancing\u003C/u\u003E, 1869, was greeted with indignant protests; it is nevertheless a sound work, full of movement, with no fault but that of exceeding the limitations prescribed. In 1869 he exhibited a \u003Cu\u003EBust of M. Gamier\u003C/u\u003E, and followed this up with two pieces intended for his native city: a statue of \u003Ca href=\u0022/asp/database/art.asp?aid=628\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 class=\u0022link\u0022\u003EWatteau\u003C/a\u003E, and a bas-relief, \u003Cu\u003EValenciennes repelling Invasion\u003C/u\u003E. During the \u003Ca href=\u0022http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Commune\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 class=\u0022link\u0022\u003ECommune\u003C/a\u003E he came to England, and made a \u003Cu\u003EBust of Gounod\u003C/u\u003E in 1871. His last important work was a fountain, the \u003Cu\u003EFour Quarters of the World\u003C/u\u003E, in which the globe is sustained by four female figures personifying Europe, Asia, Africa and America. This fountain is now in the Avenue de l\u0026rsquo;Observatoire in Paris. Carpeaux, though exhausted by illness, continued designing indefatigably, till he died at the Ch\u0026acirc;teau de B\u0026eacute;con [\u003Ca href=\u0022http://www.library.northwestern.edu/spec/siege/docs/PAR00806.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 class=\u0022link\u0022\u003EPIC\u003C/a\u003E], near Courbevoie, on the 12th of October 1875, after being promoted to the higher grade of the Legion of Honour. Many of his best drawings have been presented by Prince Stirbey to the city of Valenciennes.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cu\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESelect Bibliography:\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/u\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cli type=\u0022square\u0022\u003EBournand, Francois. \u003Cu\u003EJ. B. Carpeaux\u003C/u\u003E. 1893.\u003Cli type=\u0022square\u0022\u003EChesneau, Ernest. \u003Cu\u003ECarpeaux, sa vie et son oeuvre\u003C/u\u003E. Paris, 1880.\u003Cli type=\u0022square\u0022\u003EClaretie, Jules. \u003Cu\u003EJ. Carpeaux\u003C/u\u003E. 1882.\u003Cli type=\u0022square\u0022\u003EFoucart, Paul. \u003Cu\u003ECatalogue du Mus\u0026eacute;e Carpeaux, Valenciennes\u003C/u\u003E. Paris, 1882.\u003Cli type=\u0022square\u0022\u003EWagner, Anne Middleton. \u003Cu\u003EJean-Baptiste Carpeaux: Sculptor of the Second Empire\u003C/u\u003E. Yale Univ Press, Reprint edition, May 1990.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cu\u003ESource:\u003C/u\u003E\u003C/strong\u003E Entry on the artist in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http://57.1911encyclopedia.org/C/CA/CARPEAUX_JEAN_BAPTISTE.htm\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E1911 Edition Encyclopedia\u003C/a\u003E.\u003Cp\u003E","Awards":null,"HasAlbums":true,"HasPortraits":true,"HasRelationships":true,"HasArticles":false,"HasDepictedPlaces":true,"HasLetters":false,"HasLibraryItems":true,"HasProducts":false,"HasSignatures":false,"HasVideos":false,"HasMapLocations":true,"TotalArtworks":193}