Jean Baptiste Carpeaux (1827-1875)

The composition of Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux is built on the momentum of movement and the plastic power of the body: the upward-reaching arm and the floating drapery almost set the figure in rotation. The rhythmic gesture of the upper figure and the counterpoint of the lower child figure create a tense yet natural balance. The execution demonstrates the lively surface treatment and anatomical sensitivity characteristic of Carpeaux, especially at the transitions of the torso and limbs. The work is a striking example of the movement-centered approach that defines French sculpture in the second half of the 19th century.