Young Bacchus - Antonin Carlès - Gilded Bronze

This sculpture depicts an adolescent Bacchus, the Roman god of wine and pleasure, in a much more youthful and carefree version than his traditional representations. Almost naked, standing in a relaxed posture, he holds a cup in his hand, while a panther, the god's emblematic animal, rests at his feet, its head resting against his leg.
The supple and harmoniously modeled body, with its full and soft forms, evokes the ancient ideal. The laughing face betrays the mischief and lightness of divine youth. True to his style, Carlès here blends classical inspiration and modern realism, in a work imbued with controlled sensuality and vitality.

Born in Gimont in the Gers region, Antonin Carlès began his artistic training in Marseille, then in Toulouse, before entering the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he was a student of François Jouffroy and Ernest Hiolle. Present at the Salon des artistes français from 1878 to 1914, he established himself as a major figure in the official sculpture of the Third Republic.
Winner of the Grand Prix at the 1889 Universal Exhibition, he was made a Commander of the Legion of Honor in 1913. His works, often monumental, are today visible in numerous museums - "Jeune Bacchus" is kept at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris - and public spaces in France.