Buste de Samuel Welles, marquis de La Valette, PPS3802(3), Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux, En 1866

Author(s): carpeaux, jean-baptiste (valenciennes, 11–05–1827 - courbevoie, 12–10–1875), sculptor production date: in 1866 dating in century: 3rd quarter of the 19th century type(s) of object(s): sculpture name(s): bust materials and techniques: plaster place(s) of execution/realization: france dimensions - artwork: height: 81 cm width: 59cm depth: 40cm marks, inscriptions, hallmarks: signature and date - signature and date: "jb carpeaux paris 1866 (last digit difficult to read) mark - "a" mark above the signature iconographic description: the work testifies to carpeaux's ease in the field of portraiture: the rounded cutout of the bust gives the sculptor the possibility of representing the details of the costume (the knot of the scarf worn by the marquis, the open buttons which adorn the collar of the coat), with casual elegance. Carpeaux knew how to convey the affable expression of his model, the liveliness of his gaze. The marquis seems caught in the moment, as if on the verge of turning towards an imaginary visitor. Historical commentary: before creating the bust of samuel welles of la valette, jean-baptiste carpeaux had created that of his mother, the marquise de la valette (of whom the petit palais has a plaster proof), in 1861, when he was a resident at the villa médicis since 1856 and worked in the ugolin group. He had made the acquaintance of the marquise, wife of the ambassador to the holy see, through the marquis de piennes who put him in contact, on his return to france, with the world of the court. According to the testimony of the artist's daughter, the bust of the marquis was created during the year 1865, while the sculptor was working on his first major monumental commission, the decoration of the facade of the flora wing of the louvre. (two groups, “imperial france enlightening the world” and “the triumph of flora”). Carpeaux led an active worldly life at the same time and benefited from the favor of the imperial family: in 1864 he was appointed drawing professor to the prince imperial, and was made a knight of the legion of honor in 1866. The bust of samuel welles of la valette recalls the enthusiasm shown for carpeaux's work by the elites of the second empire: count samuel welles of la valette (1843-1893), son of an american banker, had been adopted by the marquis charles de la valette, second husband of his mother, adeline fowle. Like the banker edouard andré, of whom carpeaux created a bust the same year, samuel welles was undoubtedly sensitive to the talent of the young artist with emerging fame. The work testifies to carpeaux's ease in the field of portraiture: the rounded cut of the bust allows the sculptor the possibility of representing the details of the costume (the knot of the scarf worn by the marquis, the buttons - open - which adorn the collar of the coat), with casual elegance. Carpeaux knew how to convey the affable expression of his model, the liveliness of his gaze. The marquis seems caught in the moment, as if on the verge of turning towards an imaginary visitor. C. C. Themes / subjects / places represented: portrait, man mode of acquisition: purchase at public sale name of donor, testator, seller: sotheby’s france date of acquisition: 03–11–2011 institution: petit palais, museum of fine arts of the city of paris inventory number: pps3802 exposed: petit palais ground floor room 15 base 04. Date: En 1866.