Study for the Sculpture Ugolino and His Children 1860

Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux created this study for the sculpture Ugolino and His Children using pencil, pen, and wash on paper. The drawing presents a study for a sculpture, and therefore the forms are compact, almost compressed within the frame, creating a sense of tension and emotional weight. The figures are rendered with strong tonal contrasts, emphasizing their musculature and the dramatic chiaroscuro effect, typical of Carpeaux. This sculptural study evokes both classical and romantic traditions in its exploration of human emotion and the physical form. The composition uses a pyramidal structure, focusing on Ugolino at the apex, physically embodying despair. Carpeaux destabilizes the classical composure often associated with sculpture. The figures intertwine, creating a vortex of anguish, challenging conventional aesthetic boundaries. This piece pushes the medium to convey psychological depth and intensity. The drawing captures the fleeting nature of human expression, fixing it in a moment of intense suffering.