Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux

There is overall surface dirt and wear consistent with age that reveals a pale purple undertone, which is more apparent under a strong direct light. There are a few minor chips to the edges of the drapery and along the edges of the socle and one to a curl of hair above his right eye. Otherwise the condition is very good.
"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."

Breaking free from the historicising tradition of his novelist father, Alexandre Dumas fils became an admired author in his own right. His best known novel, La Dame aux camélias, tells the tragic love story between the dying courtesan Marguerite and her young lover, Armand. Addressing the moral anxiety of the Romantic era, the work was adapted into a successful play and inspired Giuseppe Verdi's celebrated opera, La Traviata.

RELATED LITERATURE
M. Poletti and A. Richarme, Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux. Sculpteur. Catalogue raisonné de l'œvre édité, Paris, 2003, p. 103, BU 1