The portraits of Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux are always powerful works. Here, Carpeaux portrayed the French sculptor, Joseph Osbach. This young man was most probably a student of Carpeaux. The 4th August 1874, the painter mentioned in his journal working on a portrait of Osbach. However, there is a second portrait of the sculptor by the artiste. Still in private collection, this other portrait is a very sensual depiction of the young man as he presents a nude shoulder. The two paintings offer a rich vision of Carpeaux’s unique talent to represent complexes personalities.
Laure de Margerie confirmed the authenticity of the work, as well as the identity of the model.
