The Triumph of Flora

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The iconic Pavillon de Flore underwent a stunning transformation when Hector Lefuel, Napoleon III's trusted architect, took the helm of renovation, relocating the Prince Imperial’s opulent apartments within its historic walls. In 1864, Carpeaux was commissioned to craft an exquisite decorative sculpture for the majestic south façade overlooking the Seine: a breathtaking pediment adorned with allegorical figures – Imperial France Illuminating the Globe and Safeguarding Science and Agriculture, a relief on the attic section entitled Flora, and a frieze featuring children proudly carrying palm leaves. Carpeaux created numerous sketches to determine the precise placement of characters on the pediment, drawing inspiration for Science and Agriculture from Michelangelo's Day and Night sculptures adorning the tombs of Florence's Medici family. However, Carpeaux consistently fell behind schedule, leaving Lefuel exasperated and threatening to strip him of the project. Concurrently, Carpeaux worked tirelessly on the Flora relief, shifting from a Renaissance-inspired composition to a vibrant, smiling Rubenesque figure bursting with life. This innovative work, a bold declaration of artistic freedom, shattered the centuries-old tradition of decorative sculpture subservience to architecture. Lefuel grew increasingly dissatisfied with the way the figure protruded, deeming it detrimental to his project's aesthetic layout, and even threatened to level off its head. Carpeaux appealed to the Emperor for resolution and emerged triumphant. The resplendent decorative ensemble crafted by Carpeaux was unveiled in 1866, cementing his reputation as a master sculptor.