Ugolino and His Sons (detail) 1865

Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux sculpted this marble piece, Ugolino and His Sons, in the 19th century, a period of significant social and political upheaval in France. Carpeaux was working during a time when artists were grappling with how to represent human suffering and emotion. Inspired by Dante's Inferno, Carpeaux captures Ugolino della Gherardesca, a political figure imprisoned and starved with his sons. Look closely at the raw emotion etched on their faces, and how the artist uses the cold, hard medium of marble to convey the anguish of starvation and despair. While the story is one of male suffering, consider the universal themes of power, injustice, and familial love that resonate through time. Carpeaux challenges traditional heroic narratives, instead presenting an alternative narrative focused on human vulnerability. How does this sculpture speak to our own fears and anxieties?