2771 - CARPEAUX, Jean-Baptiste (1827 Valenciennes – 1875 Courbevoie, near Paris)

CARPEAUX, Jean-Baptiste (1827 Valenciennes – 1875 Courbevoie, near Paris) Large bronze sculpture of a mother with child – “La Tendresse Maternelle” Patinated bronze. Marked “JB. Carpeaux,” foundry mark “F. Barbedienne Fondeur Paris,” and a stamped signature that appears to have been overlaid: “Reduction Mecanique A. Collas,” number “124”; the casting cannot be dated. H 78 cm. 62 kg. Seated figure of a young mother in an elegant dress, her right breast bare, tenderly holding her sleeping child on her lap. “La Tendresse Maternelle” is one of Carpeaux’s earliest works, which he modeled at the age of only 27, before he left for Rome. In 1870, the French bronze caster Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810–1892) discovered the model in Carpeaux’s studio in Auteuil. He praised the enchanting sculpture for its natural grandeur and acquired the rights for 3,000 francs. Barbedienne asked Carpeaux to redesign the sculptural group on a larger scale, roughly corresponding to the size of this bronze sculpture. Despite this request, the foundry cast fewer than ten bronze sculptures based on the original model at that time; the sculpture at hand bears the number “124.” The original terracotta model is housed at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris (Inv. No. 5251), and a plaster cast can be seen at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris (Inv. No. RF 3916). Signs of age and wear; patina worn away; minor scratches and dents. Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux: French sculptor, painter, and engraver; in 1846, he entered the Académie des Beaux-Arts and became a student of Francisque Joseph Duret; in 1854, he was awarded the Prix de Rome at an exhibition of the Académie Française. All lots with a reserve (starting price) of at least €2,000 are cross-checked against the Art Loss Register database. Bibliography: Cf. Sotheby’s Online Auction May 2022; M. Poletti, A. Richarme, *Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux sculpteur: catalogue raisonné de l’œuvre édité*, Paris, 2003, pp. 98 (ill. p. 99), SE 20. Provenance: Estate of Peter Kaus. For this lot, we recommend personal pickup, delivery by a shipping company, or shipping via ThePackengers . Viewing time: Oct. 30, 2026 | estimated 4:52 p.m. (CET) CARPEAUX, Jean-Baptiste (1827 Valenciennes – 1875 Courbevoie, near Paris) Large bronze sculpture of a mother with child—“La Tendresse Maternelle” Patinated bronze. Signed “JB. Carpeaux,” foundry mark “F. Barbedienne Fondeur Paris,” and an indented stamp signature “Reduction Mecanique A. Collas,” number “124”; the casting cannot be dated. H 78 cm. 62 kg. Seated figure of a young mother in an elegant dress, her right breast exposed, tenderly holding her sleeping child on her lap. “La Tendresse Maternelle” is one of Carpeaux’s earliest works, which he modeled at the age of only 27, before leaving for Rome. In 1870, the French bronze caster Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810–1892) discovered the model in Carpeaux’s studio in Auteuil. He praised the enchanting sculpture for its natural grandeur and acquired the rights to it for 3,000 francs. Barbedienne asked Carpeaux to redesign the sculptural group on a larger scale, roughly corresponding to the size of this bronze sculpture. Despite this request, the foundry cast fewer than ten bronze sculptures based on the original model at that time; this sculpture bears the number “124.” The original terracotta model is housed at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris (Inv. No. 5251); a plaster cast can be seen at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris (Inv. No. RF 3916). Signs of age and wear; patina worn off; minor scratches and dents. Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux: French sculptor, painter, and engraver; in 1846, he entered the Académie des Beaux-Arts and became a student of Francisque Joseph Duret; in 1854, he was awarded the Prix de Rome at an exhibition of the Académie Française. All lots with a reserve (starting price) of at least €2,000 will be cross-referenced with the Art Loss Register database. Bibliography: See Sotheby’s online auction, May 2022; M. Poletti, A. Richarme, *Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux sculpteur: catalogue raisonné de l’œuvre édité*, Paris, 2003, pp. 98 (ill. p. 99), SE 20. Provenance: Estate of Peter Kaus. For this lot, we recommend in-person pickup, fine art transport, or shipping through ThePackengers . Call time: Oct. 30, 2026 | estimated 4:52 p.m. (CET) *This is an automatically generated translation from German by deepl.com and should be considered only as an aid—not a legally binding statement regarding the lot’s characteristics. Please note that we can only guarantee the accuracy of the description and condition as provided in the German description.