The Spirit of the Dance
Jean-Baptiste CARPEAUX
(French, 1827-1875)
The Spirit of the Dance
Date1875
Mediumterracotta
Dimensionsobject: 38 1/2 x 18 x 13 in. (97.8 x 45.7 x 33 cm)
ClassificationSCULPTURE
Credit LineSBMA, Museum purchase with funds provided by gifts from Mrs. Courtney Hutton and Joanne and Robert Kendall
Object number1988.5
Subject(s)
- dance
- nudes
Collection
- 19th century French
On View
Not on viewCollections
Label TextIn 1869, Carpeaux revealed The Dance, a figural group commissioned by Charles Garnier for the façade of the Paris Opera. The realism of the sculpted female nudes caused a sensation. Carpeaux capitalized upon the work’s fame by extracting elements derived from this complex allegorical composition to generate a whole host of new subjects, including this variation. These smaller works found a ready market and helped cement his reputation as the most celebrated French sculptor of his generation.