Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse

ALBERT-ERNEST CARRIER-BELLEUSE (France, 1824-1887)
"The Birth of Venus", ca.1870.
Patinated bronze.
Signed at the bottom.
With foundry stamp: Denière.
Measurements: 71 x 24 x 19 cm.

The sculpture represents the birth of Venus, one of the most famous episodes of Greek mythology, in which the goddess emerges from the sea foam and appears on a veil as a symbol of her divine origin and her link with water and primordial beauty. Carrier-Belleuse interprets this moment with a youthful and graceful figure, captured in an instant of intimate sensuality. The young woman stands half-naked, in a soft contrapposto. With one arm she gathers her damp hair, a gesture that accentuates the idea of the recent birth, while with the other hand she holds a draped cloth that winds around her body, barely covering it and allowing the anatomy to emerge clearly.

The veil on which she rests is integrated with the folds of the fabric, creating a visual dialogue between the marine element and the drapery, a characteristic resource in sculpture inspired by Antiquity. The bare leg, with its turned forms, contributes to the sensation of balance and dynamism, reinforced by the bare feet that evoke purity and lightness.

In terms of style, the work reflects the imprint of the late neoclassicism that marked Carrier-Belleuse's training: the taste for the idealization of the female figure, the purification of forms, the academic study of anatomy and the recovery of mythological themes. However, he combines these elements with a freer and more expressive sensuality, typical of the transition towards a more naturalistic and ornamental language.

Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse was one of the most versatile and prolific sculptors of the 19th century in France. He was born in Anizy-le-Château in 1824 and studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, although his practical training was consolidated by working as a goldsmith and porcelain modeler at the Sèvres manufactory. His career took off after his participation in several Paris Salons, where he gained recognition for his talent in decorative sculpture. His style fuses academic classicism with elements of Baroque, Rococo and, occasionally, romantic realism. Carrier-Belleuse was the teacher of several prominent sculptors, including Auguste Rodin, who worked as his assistant in Belgium in the 1860s. His work includes monumental sculpture, busts, ornamental reliefs and decorative pieces in bronze, marble and terracotta. Many of his creations were used in the decoration of public and private buildings, both in France and abroad. His ability to capture grace and dynamism in the human figure made him especially popular with the gentry of his time. He was made a Knight of the Legion of Honor and served as artistic director of the Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres. He died in Sèvres in 1887, leaving a fundamental artistic legacy in European 19th century decorative sculpture. His work is still highly valued in public and private collections.