Why Born Enslaved! 1868

Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux modeled "Why Born Enslaved!" in terracotta, sometime in the 19th century. Carpeaux used terracotta for its versatility and warmth, allowing him to capture the sitter's expression and emotion. The sculpture's appearance is influenced by the inherent qualities of terracotta: its earthy color, the way it holds the marks of the artist's hand. You can see the immediacy of Carpeaux's touch in the roughly textured hair and the soft contours of the face. Terracotta allowed Carpeaux to work quickly, capturing a fleeting moment of defiance and vulnerability. Carpeaux was working within a long tradition of terracotta sculpture, yet he imbued it with a contemporary sensibility, addressing social issues of labor, politics, and consumption through this artwork. The work involved skill in modeling, firing, and finishing, and also an engagement with the debates surrounding slavery at the time. Ultimately, "Why Born Enslaved!" underscores how materials, making, and context converge to create meaning, blurring the lines between fine art and craft.