Bust of a Chinese Man c. 1872

Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux made this terracotta bust of a Chinese man sometime in the mid-19th century. It reflects a moment of increasing contact between Europe and China, but also the unequal power dynamics of that encounter. The bust presents a generalized "type" rather than a specific individual. Carpeaux likely never met the sitter, who might have been a model in Paris. This underlines the way European artists often exoticized and objectified people from other cultures. Consider the historical context: France was actively involved in colonial ventures in Asia during this period. The Opium Wars had recently opened China to Western economic interests, often through force. Carpeaux's sculpture, while masterful in its rendering, participates in a broader cultural discourse where the "Orient" was perceived through a Western lens. Understanding this work requires acknowledging the politics of representation and the power dynamics inherent in cross-cultural encounters. Further research into French colonial history and the representation of non-European peoples in 19th-century art can shed more light on this complex artwork.