
Jean Baptiste Clésinger, called Auguste (1814-1883) was a French sculptor whose career was defined by the scandalous success of his 1847 Salon debut, Woman Bitten by a Snake. The "Auguste" nickname distinguished him from his father, also a sculptor. Born in Besançon, he trained in his father's workshop and in Rome before making his mark in Paris.
Beyond the famous nude, Clésinger produced portrait busts, religious works, and equestrian subjects over a long career. His bust of George Sand, his former mother-in-law, is in the Musée Carnavalet. Though critics debated whether his realism was artistry or mere technical trickery, his best works demonstrate genuine skill in capturing the vitality of human form.
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