Portrait of Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux, from "Le Monde Illustré"

Art Historical Context

This wood engraving, titled *Portrait of Jean-Baptiste Caraux* and published in the French periodical *Le Monde Illustré* on October16, 1875, offers a vivid snapshot of the celebrated sculptor Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (1827–1875), who passed away that very year. Created by engraver Etienne-Gabrielourt, with possible contributions from photographer Numa Blanc and Carpeaux himself, it exemplifies the era's illustrated journalism, where intricate wood engravings brought news and artistry to a wide audience. Measuring 14½ × 10¼ inches, the print captures not just the artist's likeness but echoes his legacy through tags evoking children, men, male and female nudes, and portraits—hallmarks of his dynamic sculptures like expressive figures blending realism and romanticism. Wood engraving, a precise intaglio technique on end-grain wood blocks, allowed for fine details and high-volume printing, revolutionizing 19th-century visual culture in France. This piece from *Le Monde Illustré* reflects the Second Empire's fascination with celebrity artists, immortalizing Carpeaux amid his fame for lively, emotive works adorning the Paris Opéra. Now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (gift of Donato Esposito, 2013), it invites visitors to connect a master's portrait with the sensual, human-centered themes that defined his oeuvre, bridging personal legacy and public spectacle.

About the Artist

Etienne-Gabriel Bocourt|Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux|Anonymous, French, 19th century|Numa Blanc|Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (French|French|French) · 1831 |1839 |1821 –1900 |1915 |

French, Toulouse 1831–1900 Paris|French, Paris 1839–1915 Saint-Cloud|French, born 1821