Neapolitan Fisherman Playing with a Turtle at The Louvre, Paris by Scan The World

Description

This young fisher boy with infectious good humor is a landmark in the history of art. François Rude shook the foundations of conventional classicism by the ingenuousness of his subject and his non-idealized representation of nature. The boy's gracefulness undoubtedly ensured the success of the work, which inspired several artists, particularly Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux. This cheerful boy, playing with a tortoise held captive by a reed, caused heated controversy at the Salon of 1833. For the first time, an artist had sculpted a lifesize marble of a picturesque figure, an anecdotal subject. It marked a complete break with classical ideology, whereby genre scenes were considered to be unworthy of statuary art, especially in a medium as noble as marble. Rude's theme and style also contradicted classical canons. Although reminiscent of antique sculpture, the work was imbued with an unprecedented feeling of freedom and freshness. The boy is naked like the heroes of mythology, but his body is not idealized and his hearty laugh reveals his teeth, a real breach of good taste. The tradition of representing children at play did exist in Hellenistic sculpture, but Rude emphasized the popular, lively aspect of his depiction. The child seated on a net is a young fisher boy, whose bonnet and scapular (the devotional object around his neck) show that he is from Naples. His attitude is carefree and his entire face - crinkled eyes, dimples, open mouth - is laughing. In the wake of Mme de Staël's…