JEAN-BAPTISTE CARPEAUX (1827-1875) - photo 1
JEAN-BAPTISTE CARPEAUX (1827-1875) - photo 2
JEAN-BAPTISTE CARPEAUX (1827-1875) - photo 3
JEAN-BAPTISTE CARPEAUX (1827-1875) - photo 4
JEAN-BAPTISTE CARPEAUX (1827-1875) - photo 5
JEAN-BAPTISTE CARPEAUX (1827-1875) - photo 6
JEAN-BAPTISTE CARPEAUX (1827-1875) - photo 7
JEAN-BAPTISTE CARPEAUX (1827-1875) - photo 8
JEAN-BAPTISTE CARPEAUX (1827-1875) - photo 9

JEAN-BAPTISTE CARPEAUX (1827-1875)

Lot 108
26.03.2025 15:00UTC +01:00
Classic
To bid, go to the website
CHRISTIE'S
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationFrance, Paris
ID 1389979
Lot 108 | JEAN-BAPTISTE CARPEAUX (1827-1875)
Estimate value
€ 15 000 – 25 000
JEAN-BAPTISTE CARPEAUX (1827-1875)
Cariatide
bois et cire, sur une base en bois postérieure portant un cartouche en métal doré "CIRE ORIGINALE / DE / CARPEAUX"
H. 33 cm (13 in.), H. totale : 36,5 cm (14 3/8 in.)




Provenance

Christie's, Londres, 1 octobre 2003, lot 225.
Collection particulière.



Literature

BIBLIOGRAPHIE COMPARATIVE
A. Hardy, A. Braunwald, Peintures et sculptures de Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux au musée des beaux-arts de Valenciennes, Valenciennes, 1978, p. 76.
C. Jeancolas, Carpeaux,Sculpteur et Peintre, Paris, 1987.
L. de Margerie, Carpeaux. La fièvre créatrice, Paris, 1989, p. 77.
M. Poletti, A. Richarme, Jean Baptiste Carpeaux. Sculpteur, Paris, 2003.
E. Papet et J. D. Draper (dir.), Carpeaux, un sculpteur pour l'Empire, cat. exp. New-York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 10 mars - 26 mai 2014 / Paris, musée d'Orsay, 24 juin - 28 septembre 2014 p. 19.



Further details

A WAX FIGURE REPRESENTING A CARYATID, JEAN-BAPTISTE CARPEAUX

Throughout his career, driven by monumental commissions and projects, Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (1827-1875) explored various approaches to integrating sculpture with architecture. The museum of Valenciennes houses a collection that includes numerous preparatory sketches by the sculptor, as well as drawings inspired by famous architectural elements, such as the korai of the Erechtheion, the atlantes of Pierre Puget, and the reliefs of Jean Goujon. Our wax caryatid exemplifies Carpeaux's enduring interest in this theme, as well as his creative processes. Likely created for an architectural project, two commissions featuring caryatids could have inspired it: the Monument to Dom Pedro or the façade of the Hôtel de Ville of Valenciennes, with the latter being the more plausible hypothesis.

Following the collapse of the belfry in 1843, the municipal council initiated the restoration of the façade of the Hôtel de Ville of Valenciennes. Carpeaux's deep affection for his native city compelled him to take on this project. He expressed that he owed Valenciennes, which he also referred to as his "second mother," a debt of gratitude that he would seize every opportunity to repay. In a model (1860-1867, Valenciennes, Musée des Beaux-Arts, inv. no. S.92.49) presenting his vision for the complete remodeling of the façade, Carpeaux prominently featured sculpture, envisioning seven caryatids supporting the first-floor balcony and a row of caryatids in high relief on the third floor. Ultimately, the idea of a balcony supported by monumental female figures was abandoned by Jules Batigny, the chief architect of the works, and Carpeaux was only commissioned to execute the pediment. In his correspondence following this refusal, Carpeaux expressed deep regret over the abandonment of his project, underscoring the significant importance he placed on this motif: ‘I had dreamed of caryatids representing the various industries that distinguish our dear city.’

Characteristic of Carpeaux's preparatory method, our wax figure could be part of the corpus of isolated figures developed for this project, much like a plaster sketch depicting the Palombella as a caryatid (Paris, Petit Palais, inv. no. PPS1601). Notably, this caryatid shares many similarities in both attitude and the treatment of the smiling face with the figure of 'Flore accroupie', which was also conceived in an architectural context, that of the Pavillon de Flore at the Louvre.
Place of origin:Western Europe, France, Europe
Auction house category:Sculptures, Statues & Figures
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
9 Avenue Matignon
75008 Paris
France
Preview
26.03.2025 – 26.03.2025
Phone +33 (0)1 40 76 85 85
Fax +33 (0)1 40 76 85 86
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@AGLSDAYQG1LYAK3YGRQ@
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase
Shipping Postal service
Courier service
pickup by yourself
Payment methods Wire Transfer
Business hoursBusiness hours
Mo 09:00 – 00:00    00:00 – 18:00
Tu 09:00 – 00:00    00:00 – 18:00
We 09:00 – 00:00    00:00 – 18:00
Th 09:00 – 00:00    00:00 – 18:00
Fr 09:00 – 00:00    00:00 – 18:00
Sa closed
Su closed

Related terms

Frequently asked questions

First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.