Unfinished Letter with Studies for the Ugolino Group 1858

Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux created this unfinished letter with studies for the Ugolino Group, using pen and brown ink over graphite. Carpeaux lived in a time of significant social upheaval in France. His work captures the shifting cultural and political landscape of the 19th century. Here, Carpeaux revisits a classical subject, the story of Ugolino from Dante’s Inferno. Ugolino was imprisoned and starved to death with his sons. The artist’s focus isn’t so much on the literal depiction of the story. Instead, Carpeaux appears to be working out the emotional and psychological states of Ugolino and his children. These loose sketches give us insight into the artist’s process. We see his exploration of despair and familial bonds, set against the backdrop of imprisonment and death. Carpeaux emphasizes the raw, visceral experience of human suffering. The emotional intensity speaks to the turbulent and changing social conditions of the time. Carpeaux uses classical forms to explore the human condition, inviting viewers to reflect on themes of power, suffering, and resilience.