Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux
French, 1827–1875
The Bacchante with Roses
c. 1872
In the 1860s, Carpeaux designed a monumental sculpture group, The Dance, for the newly built Palais Garnier, home of the Paris Opera. A French actress, Mademoiselle Miette, posed for one of the figures. To capitalize on the growing market for collectible sculpture, Carpeaux later made numerous smaller works in various media based on the stone original. This one—cast in clay and fired—transforms Miette from a dancer into a follower of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine.
| Medium | terracotta |
| Dimensions | 23 x 14 3/8 x 13 7/8 in. (58.4 x 36.5 x 35.2 cm) |
| Object Number | 1955.973 |
| Acquisition | Acquired by Sterling and Francine Clark before 1955 |
| Status | Off View |
Image Caption
Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux, The Bacchante with Roses, c. 1872, terracotta. Clark Art Institute, 1955.973
Select Bibliography
Brooke, David S. Bouguereau's "Nymphs & Satyr," The Biography of a Painting. Exhibition brochure. Williamstown, MA: Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, 1985.
Lovett, Jennifer. A Romance with Realism: The Art of Jean Baptiste Carpeaux. Exhibition catalogue. Williamstown, MA: Sterling and Francine CLark Art Institute, 1989.
Lovett, Jennifer Gordon. The Art and Craft of Nineteenth-Century Sculpture. Williamstown, MA: Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, 1994.
Ernest Chesneau.. Le Statuaire J.-B. Carpeaux: Sie Vie et Son Oeuvre.. Paris: A. Quantin.. 1880..
Léon Riotor.. Les Grands Artistes: Carpeaux.. Paris: Librairie Renouard.. [1906]..
Paris: Galerie Manzi-Joyant.. Second Atelier Sale: J.-B. Carpeaux.. Dec. 8-9, 1913..
Louise Clément-Carpeaux.. La Vérité sur l'oeuvre et la vie de J.-B. Carpeaux.. Paris: Dusset & Bigerelle.. 1934..
Nice: Musée des Ponchettes.. J.-B. Carpeaux 1827-1875.. 1956..
Haavard Rostrup.. Modern Sculpture: Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek.. Copenhagen: Moderne Afdeling.. 1964..
Parke-Bernet Galleries.. Nineteenth Century Works of Art.. Oct. 16, 1970..
Parke-Bernet Galleries.. Nineteenth-Century Sculpture.. May 18, 1971..
J. B. Speed Art Museum, Louisville, Ky.. 19th Century French Sculpture: Monuments for the Middle Class. Nov. 2-Dec. 5, 1971.
Sotheby Parke-Bernet.. Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Century Works of Art.. Oct. 26-27, 1973..
