Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux

Michel Poletti and Alain Richarme, Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux Sculpteur, Paris, 2003, pp. 56-59

Overall in very good condition. The patinated bronze surfaces with minor wear and occasional scratch consistent with age. Some surface dirt to crevices.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The model of Le Génie de la Danse comes from Carpeaux's famous group, La Danse.  Officially commissioned before 1875, Carpeaux's group is one of four allegorical compositions on the facade of the Opera in Paris. Although the architect, Charles Garnier, gave all four sculptors strict and conventional guidelines for each work, Carpeaux rejected the standard representational formats used by the other sculptors, and adopted a bold evocation of his theme.

Carpeaux later adapted the various elements of the group into separate figures for commercial editions. As Poletti and Richarme have noted, Le Génie is one of the most successful of the independent groups, as this, more than any other figure, embodied the dynamism of the theme.