ticketsMember | Make a donation

This small clay figure expresses an artist's emotional family story

"What may initially look like a few blobs, upon contemplation, turns into a family story."
2 min. watch

"What may initially look like a few blobs upon contemplation turns into be a family story."

Curator Jim Draper on a sculpture by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux

Explore this object:
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/238972

Throughout 2013, The Met invited curators from across the Museum to each talk about one artwork that changed the way they see the world. Each episode is interpreted by a Museum photographer.

Photography by Peter Zeray

Subscribe for new content from The Met: https://www.youtube.com/user/metmuseum?sub_confirmation=1

#TheMet #ArtExplained #Art

More from The Met

Futuristic sculpture of a fragmented, abstract human form in stone against a neoclassical arch. The tone is dynamic and modern amidst classical architecture.
The Fierce Animacy of the (In)Human Ornament
How do Lee Bul’s sculptures hold space for critical remembrance to show how the past shapes our present?
Anne Anlin Cheng
May 16
Two people admire a framed portrait of a woman in a black gown against a dark backdrop. The gallery setting is elegant and contemplative.
Video
Exhibition Tour— Sargent and Paris
May 8
Close-up of a Queen of Clubs playing card with a cut-out section. Behind it, a faded, ghostly face is visible, creating a surreal, mysterious mood.
The Mediated Image and Jesse Krimes
The artist’s work challenges the social and political context of mass incarceration.
Lisa Sutcliffe
April 28
More in:Art Explained

Art Mentioned

A slider containing 1 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Le Trait d’Union, Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux French, Terracotta, French, Paris
Le Trait d’Union
Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux
June 1872