19th century marble sculpture signed Carpeaux

Large white marble statue from the second half of the 19th century. Sculpture of remarkable quality depicting a young Neapolitan fisherman who laughs mischievously while holding a shell to his ear. It features a signature "Carpeaux" on the base (see photo), attributable to the famous French sculptor Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (1827-1875), which lacks authentication. The original work was created in 1863 and was so successful that he created other versions in marble and bronze in the following years. The young fisherman is sculpted without clothes, wearing only a cap and while kneeling he tries to listen to the sound of the sea from the shell he holds with both hands. The sculpture has a beautiful patina but with four fingers restored during the 20th century (see photo). Overall, the statue is in good condition, with some signs of aging.