Saturday 31 October 2020

Fontaine de l’Observatoire or Fontaine Carpeaux in Paris - France

 The Fontaine de l'Observatoire (also known as the Fontaine des Quatre-Parties-du-Monde, or simply the), is in the Jardin Marco Polo, in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, France. It was commissioned in 1867 and dedicated in 1874.


It is adorned with sculptures of female figures by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux representing the four parts of the world.






Some of the heads made in preparation for this project can be seen in Paris in the permanent collection of the Petit Palais museum.

 

The Chinese (1872) – Plaster patinated by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux

This is a male head that was made by Carpeaux and will be used as reference for the feminine figure representing Asia. Carpeaux used, as model, Chinese people who were travelling to Paris.

Pourquoi Naitre Esclave ? Why Born a Slave? – Plaster patinated by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux

Other statues also at the Petit Palais museum:

 

Ugolin et ses enfants / Ugolino – Plaster patinated by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux

The three graces – Patinated terracotta by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux

Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux was from the city of Valenciennes in the North of France and the Fine Art Museum there holds a large collection of Carpeaux’s works.

 

Related resources

Paris Fine Art Museum -Petit Palais 

Valenciennes Fine ArtMuseum

Antoine Watteau monument by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux in Valencienne

Thursday 1 October 2020

Green Tomatoes

Green tomatoes - Oil on canvas panel (6" x 8") by Benoit Philippe

This a a plate of tomatoes picked in our garden. It was nice setting my pochade box on the garden table outside and painting them.