Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux

Overall the condition of the marble is good with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There are a few small naturally occurring inclusions, including to the proper right shoulder and side of the body. There is some naturally occuring veining, in particular a slightly open vein to the proper left forearm. There are some orange spots of dirt to the back.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

In the spring of 1871 Carpeaux and his family fled the bloody turmoil of the Paris Commune and took refuge in London. He was following in the footsteps of his great patron, the deposed Emperor Napoleon III. The sculptor installed his family in lodgings in Brompton Square and, deprived of his lucrative public commissions, he began to concentrate on a series of lyrical female figures intended to appeal to a wider market. One of the most notable models he produced in London was La Frileuse.

The model was edited in terracotta, bronze, marble and biscuit porcelain. Versions in marble are particularly rare and the present figure can probably be identified as one of the three versions offered in the Carpeaux sales of 1873 and 1874. A re-discovered over-life-size marble version of the model was sold in these rooms last year for £265,250 (17th May 2011, lot 45).

RELATED LITERATURE
M. Poletti and A. Richarme, Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux sculpteur. Catalogue raisonné de l'œuvre édité, Paris, 2003, pp. 92-3, no. SE14; Neue Pinakothek: Katalog de Gemälde und Skulpturer, Munich, 2003, p. 46