Smithsonian American Art Museum
Springtime
Jean Baptiste Carpeaux, French, born Valenciennes, France 1827-died Courbevoie, France 1875 · 1871
Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux created this sculpture personifying the season of spring in 1871, when he was working on small editions and busts in order to make money during the Franco-Prussian War. The figure’s smile and engaging pose create a lighthearted image, as if she is looking back and laughing at the receding cold of winter. Carpeaux carved intricate flowers and leaves into the girl’s hair and dress to evoke the bright new growth of the season.
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